Federal Member for Wright Scott Buchholz has announced the Australian Government is providing a $290,000 funding boost to support tourism and attract domestic visitors to the Scenic Rim, to support the region in response to last summers bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Buchholz said the funding was part of the broader bushfire package being delivered, to support the community to get back on its feet.
“The summer bushfires were devastating, the drought that was before and continues is devastating and now COVID-19 is a triple whammy to businesses in the Scenic Rim.
“That is why the Federal Government has continued to support small businesses and jobs in the region by building up the economy.
“The Australian Governments $10 million Regional Tourism Bushfire Recovery Grants program is about supporting communities, funding projects and activities that will bring people to the Scenic Rim,” Mr Buchholz said.
“We’re putting up $145,000 to deliver a range of events and experiences across our National Parks, the Great Gondwana Festival and a further $145,000 to support a music event at Beechmont, as part of the Queensland Music Festival Trail.
“We know that when people come to the region, be it on a day trip to Kalbar, overnight in Boonah, a day in Beaudesert, a weekend at Canungra or for a hike in Lamington National Park around Beechmont and Binna Burra, they come, they spend money.
“Tourists equal business, in the form of accommodation and hospitality and business equals jobs. Tourism is an important part of our economy!” Mr Buchholz said.
A number of events in fire-affected regions, such as the Scenic Rim Eat Local Week which brings thousands to the region, were postponed or cancelled due to travel restrictions forced by the pandemic.
Mr Buchholz said as more people began to move around, the grant funding would enable communities to get back on their feet by supporting local events to attract visitors.
The Regional Tourism Bushfire Recovery Grants program forms part of the Morrison Government’s $76 million tourism recovery package to help get the tourism industry back on its feet.
The grants program was developed in consultation with the National Bushfire Recovery Agency and is being administered by Austrade. For further information on the RTBR grants program visit: https://www.austrade.gov.au/Australian/Tourism/Tourism-and-business/Grants/regional-tourism-bushfire-recovery-grants
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More information:
| Scenic Rim Regional Council | Popera in the Paddock | $145,000 | Music event | A new music event at Hazelwood Estate, Beechmont. With an expected crowd of 5,000 this festival will become part of the Queensland Music Festival Trail of events in South East Queensland. Funding will be used for festival production, site management, crew, accommodation, audio-visual, marketing and promotion. | Beechmont |
| Brisbane Marketing Pty Ltd | Great Gondwana Festival | $145,000 | Special interest event | A month long festival in the World Heritage Gondwana Rainforests in the Scenic Rim, from Lamington National Park to Mt Barney National Park. The event program will feature new experiences and activities from operators across the region including Binna Burra Lodge, Mt Barney Lodge, O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat and InterNATIONAL PARK tours. | Various locations across Scenic Rim LGA |
