Celebrating the Island
PHILLIP Island will celebrate 150 year celebrations with Bass Coast Shire councillors Kimberley Brown and Andrew Phillips leading the year of ceremonies.
Bass Coast Shire Council appointed the two councillors to run the committee after they expressed an interest in heading the celebrations planning committee for the 2017 commemoration.
Council’s manager governance and organisation development Mark Brady said Cr Brown and Cr Phillips had been instrumental in applying for funding for the series of events.
“Applications have been made for both state and federal funding and we currently await funding announcements,” he said.
The appointment coincided with council’s approval of Phillip Island and San Remo 20 Year Tourism Strategy draft at the April council meeting.
Cr Phil Wright moved the recommendation to approve the draft strategy which was unanimously approved by councillors.
“Cr Rankine, Cr Brown and myself watched the New Years Eve festivities in Cowes three years ago and we were saying how we must discuss a tourism strategy one day,” Cr Wright said.
“There is no doubt that tourism is a key part of our economy. We are looking to make tourism sustainable all through the year.”
The strategy has been drafted by a tourism company in Queensland, which sought community consultation from over 300 businesses and stakeholders in Phillip Island.
“This strategy is something we will look back on in 20 years and see as a big milestone for the people of Phillip Island and San Remo,” Cr Wright said.
Cr Phillips said he was pleased to see the draft approved by council.
“This is a great achievement. By attracting different events we can drive the economy,” he said.
“I look forward to being on Phillip Island in 2035.”
Cr Brown said she was “thrilled” to see the draft approved after she attained $150,000 in funding for the project during her time as mayor.
Current mayor Cr Jordan Crugnale said the strategy would also provide a long term strategic framework to guide tourism development and strengthen the local economy.
“The future of Phillip Island and San Remo as a sustainable tourism destination will depend on a significant investment in tourism marketing and infrastructure, both to reposition the destination with new markets domestically and internationally,” she said.
Big birthday: from left, Cr Andrew Phillips and Cr Kimberley Brown have been appointed to the planning committee of the Phillip Island 150 year celebrations.
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Posted by Tayla Kershaw on May 3 2016. Filed under Community. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
