Snowy Valleys Council Awarded $390,000 to Develop Winter Festival

Published on 21 September 2020

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Snowy Valleys Council has been successful in applying for $390,000 in event funding through the Regional Tourism Bushfire Recovery Grant Program to host a Winter Festival with a series of local events during Winter 2021.

Council will host the Festival including three events in Batlow, Tumbarumba and Adelong over the Winter months next year.

Executive Director Community and Corporate Paul Holton said the purpose of the grant program is to support fire-affected regions with the recovery efforts and encourage regional tourism and visitation.

“Our plan is to host these events in the local towns most heavily impacted by the fires to provide a financial boost to local businesses, help to increase awareness of our region as a visitor destination and encourage repeat visitation,” Mr Holton said.

“Development of tourism opportunities across the Winter months has been identified as a priority action in Council’s Destination Management Plan and the recent loss of iconic winter attractions due to the bushfires, including Selwyn Snowfields and the Sugar Pine Walk have exacerbated the need to explore new opportunities for encouraging visitation to the region during winter”, Mr Holton went on to say.

The Regional Tourism Bushfire Recovery Grant Program is an initiative of the National Bushfire Recovery Agency and is administered by Austrade.

“The grant application process was highly competitive so we are particularly pleased to have been successful in being awarded the full amount we applied for,” Mr Holton said.

The 2021 events will include food and music and be designed to celebrate the uniqueness of the region and the beauty of the Snowy Valleys during the cooler months; showcasing local produce and beverages and offering opportunities for local businesses to be involved.

Mr Holton said Council’s Place Activation team would be reaching out to local businesses in the coming months to discuss complementary offers that can be promoted alongside the major events.

“Our team will also run information sessions for local businesses and producers providing more information about how they can be involved and Council will release more information about the program over the coming months,” he said.

Destination Riverina Murray are supporting Snowy Valleys Council in communicating with local and regional businesses and other regional Councils in relation to the festival.

The Australian Government’s Regional Tourism Bushfire Recovery Grants program is providing $10 million to support events, concerts, festivals and visitor attractions in fire- affected regions. The aim of the program is to help with recovery efforts and encourage international and domestic visitors to come back to the regions.