General News
19 February, 2024
Maryborough’s future tourism potential
Having Australia’s town of the year, Bendigo, only a stone’s throw away is quite spectacular but it raises an important question — rather than merely being a neighbour, can Maryborough itself become a premier tourist destination? Last week...
Having Australia’s town of the year, Bendigo, only a stone’s throw away is quite spectacular but it raises an important question — rather than merely being a neighbour, can Maryborough itself become a premier tourist destination?
Last week, Wotif, a travel-focused website, announced its top picks for the organisation’s Aussie Town of the Year Awards 2024, featuring 10 national icons.
Coveted spots included Queensland based Stanthorpe, Bathurst in New South Wales, and Tasmania’s costal site Stanley — with the towns ranked third, fifth, and eighth respectively.
But it was a local gem in first place, and the only one from Victoria on the list.
About 70 kilometres from Maryborough, Bendigo, renowned for its rich gold rush history, nabbed the winning title.
The central Victorian town came out on top by performing well on the following metrics — accommodation affordability, quality and traveller satisfaction.
And according to the Central Goldfields Shire’s manager for tourism, events and culture, Rosalie Hastwell, Maryborough also scores well across the three.
“[The town] has some great accommodation at affordable prices,” she said.
“It’s great to see providers increasing the diversity and quality of what is on offer from heritage hotel to self contained luxury through to the latest addition of glamping.”
On Wotif, there are currently six options available for visitors choosing to stay overnight in Maryborough, with the cheapest property likely to cost them around $120 for one night.
While here, Ms Hastwell said, there’s a lot of sights and recreational spots for tourists to see — but she added, there’s still scope to add more to that to-do list.
“[We can] build on the achievements of the past couple of years,” she said.
“The reopening of the transformed Central Goldfields Art Gallery and the visitor experiences at the station respond to [travellers’] interest in arts, culture and heritage — independent tour operators are now bringing groups from Melbourne to specifically see these attractions.
“There is also a strong [inclination towards] First Nations culture and our work with the Dja Dja Wurrung Aboriginal Corporation is really important in making sure that visitors are able to learn and experience from their sharing of culture.”
Ms Hastwell believes the community, industry and council can each bring different strengths and work together to make the region a welcoming and interesting place to visit.
“We are currently working with councils in the Bendigo region to focus on [our] strengths and opportunities,” she said.
“It’s been great to have the input of locals and our industry into developing the region’s Destination Management Plan which is now in draft form and will be finalised in the coming months.”
The plan will provide a clear direction for further tourism development in Maryborough and surrounds.
“Building the overall profile of the shire will help to attract the investment that is needed to strengthen our offering even further,” Ms Hastwell said.