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Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism Latest Newsletter
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DRAFT STRATEGIC MASTER PLAN FOR THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD REGION VISITOR ECONOMY NOW AVAILABLE
GORRT has been working with industry and community on the development of a Master Plan for the region. We have taken feedback from the discussion paper, destination action plan workshops and meetings with key stakeholders to progress to a draft master plan. The draft plan seeks to provide the region with a framework to ensure greater collaboration and cooperation to drive the region forward. We would welcome your input and feedback into this draft by completing this survey or emailing info@gort.com.au. Please note: feedback is welcome until 22 June.

Read the plan
 
GOOD BEER WEEK A WINNER FOR TORQUAY
Blackman’s Brewery, Torquay has come home with Gold, Silver and Bronze medals from the Australian International Beer Awards!  The Brewery has won a Gold Medal for Arthur Smoked Porter.   A few months shy of its first birthday, Blackman’s Brewery was among only 8 other Victorian breweries to win gold medals, no mean feat considering the record number of entrants this year.  It was the most popular selling beer amongst the Torquay locals that won Silver and Bronze for Blackman’s Brewery. Blackman’s Unfiltered Lager, also known locally as “Torquay’s Beer” won silver for the Torquay inspired packaging and bronze for Best European Style Lager.
 
Renn and Jess Blackman, couldn’t be more excited about winning gold, silver and bronze medals in their first year. “We’re so excited to be able to bring back some medals for Torquay – especially a gold! We’re so lucky to have such incredible local support – so this is definitely one for Torquay!”  The 2015 AIBA, conducted by The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria, attracted a record number of entries with more than 1,700 submissions from 344 exhibitors, across 35 countries received.
REGIONAL RESTAURANT MAKES TOP 100
The Australian Financial Review Australia's Top Restaurants presented by Qantas and Vittoria Coffee was hosted by Crown Melbourne with all the fanfare and excitement you would expect from the culinary industry.  Victoria performed extremely well with a total of 37 restaurants in the Top 100 of which 33 are Melbourne restaurants and four from Regional Victoria.

Dan Hunter's ground-breaking Brae at Birregurra led the regional restaurants on Australia's Top 100 Restaurants list coming in at number 4. Situated on a picturesque 30-acre property in the Otway hinterland, every day, the kitchen raids its own organic gardens to add high notes to the day’s menu, taken at a measured pace in the graceful, city/country dining room.  Brae also ranked 87 on the 100 World's Best Restaurants list.  Congratulations to Dan and all the staff at Brae!
ARE YOU READY TO COMPLETE YOUR 2014-15 ACCOMMODATION SURVEY?
To help you complete your Accommodation Survey for the 2014-15 financial year follow these steps:
  • You will need monthly records of room/unit nights, guest nights, and accommodation takings for the 2014-15 financial year starting 1 July 2014. 
  • To assist you the ABS have provided an Excel workbook which can be downloaded from www.abs.gov.au/accom.  The workbook contains instructions; definitions and examples of the information you will need to prepare, and space to record your data.
  • Please do NOT return the workbook to the ABS: it is for your records only.
  • In early July 2015 you will be sent a letter with login details to complete the Accommodation Survey form online for the 2014 -15 financial year. The information you record in your workbook will be helpful for completing the survey.  You will still be asked to report monthly figures within the annual survey form.
For further information about this survey, or for assistance completing the workbook, please visit www.abs.gov.au/accom or contact the ABS on 1800 304 488 (freecall excluding mobile phones).

Key dates for the Survey of Tourist Accommodation 2014-15
Survey forms sent out: 3 July 2015
Due date: 22 July 2015
Results published: 25 November 2015
JANUARY 2015 INTERNATIONAL VISITOR ARRIVALS
The latest international arrivals data for the year ending January 2015 released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveal a 6.2 per cent rise in international visitors to Australia to 6.9 million. Leisure arrivals continued to drive international arrivals growth with an increase of 6.1 per cent over the 12 month period. A record 200,000 Indian travellers visited Australia during the year, an increase of 19 per cent over the previous year, improving India’s ranking to 9th largest inbound market. View full details of visitor arrivals to Australia by market for the year ending January 2015.

BIRREGURRA TOP TOWN FOR TREE CHANGERS
A recent article in The New Daily identified the top 10 tree change/sea change towns in Australia and number one was our very own Birregurra! Tens of thousands of Australians dream of seachanging or treechanging, giving up their big city lives and the stresses that go with them to move to the coast or country. Described as a picturesque gem inland of the Great Ocean Road, Birregurra may see it's population swell from 500 as it's best features and benefits are revealed.
Read more
ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES - DESTINATION GUIDES
Don't miss out on being part of the Destination Guides for the following destinations:
  1. Port Fairy Destination Guide – Contact Lauren Orero 5561 7894
  2. 12 Apostles & Hinterland Destination Guide – Contact Mark Cuthell 5598 6089
  3. Apollo Bay & Otways – Contact Corinne Nigro 0403 484 950
Get yourself on the customer’s ‘to do  list’. With a strong map base, the destination guides will seek to visually represent what the region has to offer to encourage greater dispersal within the destination and increase yield.
 
What do you get? 1/3 page advertisement. Includes: Image, 80 word profile as provided by you and contact details including web address
 
Distribution? 75,000 copies to be distributed across Visitor Information Centre Network in the Great Ocean Road Region, local businesses throughout the destination and via operators in neighboring destinations.
 
Cost? Only $495 for a 1/3 page …or talk to us about options to upgrade your profile.

GREAT OCEAN ROAD TRAVEL PLANNER 2015
The Great Ocean Road Travel Planner 2015 is now available from your local Visitor Information Centre.  This publication has been created as an Official Visitor Guide for the entire region.
View the Travel Planner here
GET SOCIAL
Here are some of the recent images that have hit out social media feeds over the past few weeks. Want to get your business/images featured?  Share your best images by emailing them to info@gort.com.au or post them via your own social channels using #visitgreatoceanroad
Industry Facebook page
Consumer Facebook page
Twitter
Instagram




The Port Fairy Lighthouse. Photo by @mitch_smith_ on Instagram


12 Apostles. Photo by @stingerlee on Instagram
SAFETY INFORMATION

Rock fall mitigation
Work has commenced between Fairhaven and Lorne to prevent rocks falling on to the Great Ocean Road. VicRoads has started to clear loose rocks from the cliff face at three locations east of Lorne. This will be followed by placing wire mesh over the cliff face to prevent the impact of future rock falls. This work is expected to be complete by the  end of July.

Construction to install a gabion catch fence at Petticoat Creek west of Lorne has started, to help stop falling rocks from landing on the iconic road. This work is expected to be complete by the end of June.

Speed restrictions and temporary road closures will be in place and involve delays of up to 10 minutes at a time. Traffic controllers will be on site to ensure the safety of road workers and road users. Drivers are asked to plan their journey and allow for extra travel time.

Road repair works
Improvements to the Great Ocean Road at Horden Vale have been suspended due to the weather conditions in the Otways. The works at Allansford outside the Cheese & Butter Factory will continue during June. Asphalt patching is also scheduled at various locations between Kennett River and Lorne.

The speed limit will be reduced at these locations between 7am and 6pm. One lane at a time will be closed, with either traffic lights or personnel in place to direct traffic. Drivers should plan for minor delays. Work is on schedule to be completed mid 2015, weather dependent.

We urge drivers to be considerate of the safety of road workers, and we encourage road users to slow down around work sites and to be patient.

WHAT’S ON
FUN 4 KIDS FESTIVAL
Australia’s best children’s festival, Fun4Kids is on this school holidays 28 June to 4 July in Warrnambool. Located inside a 2.5 acre indoor village of fun, there are more than 80 live shows and 17 zones full of kids entertainment and activities. Aimed at children aged between 2 and 12, highlights of the 2015 Festival include Roald Dahl’s Dirty Beast and Revolting Rhymes stage show, the Katy Perry tribute show, Hoot and Hootabelle’s Owl Pal Playdate, Lah-Lah Live in Concert, Nikelodeon’s Tennage Mutant Ninja Turtles Live and Festival favourites, The Chipolatas. The hardest decision will be whether to purchase a single day, four day or a seven day pass!
For more information on the Fun4Kids Festival, or to book tickets www.fun4kids.com.au

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED The event relies on hundreds of generous volunteers, affectionately known as our FUN CREW! Volunteering is a great way to experience the fun of the festival, make a positive contribution to the local community and make new friends. Find out more

RACV VICTORIAN TOURISM AWARDS
The Victorian Tourism Awards annually celebrate and recognise excellence in tourism and showcase the state’s industry leaders. Nominations for the 2015 RACV Victorian Tourism Awards close 4pm Tuesday 30th June make sure you get your nomination in!
Enter here

2015 VICTORIAN TOURISM CONFERENCE
The VTC will be held on Monday and Tuesday, 20 - 21 July 2015 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Themed ‘The Next Chapter’, the VTC brings together a compelling series of presenters who will explore future trends, the power of creating stories and best-practice strategies to help grow and sustain tourism and events operators of all markets and sizes. Plus there’ll be plenty of opportunity for networking and, of course, a Conference Dinner too.
The VTC is developed and managed by the Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC), in partnership with Tourism Victoria. Two Day Conference passes start at $495 + GST. Head to the Conference website for the full program and to register.

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