‘On the road again’: Goondiwindi Region is back on the map for bus tours

The Goondiwindi Region is officially back on the road, with numerous bus tours once again calling in to local tourism operators and hospitality businesses to give visitors a taste of Regional Australia at its Best.

Mayor of the Goondiwindi Region the Honourable Cr Lawrence Springborg AM holds Council’s tourism portfolio and said the recent revival of coach tour operators visiting or overnighting in the Goondiwindi Region was a welcome relief for many local businesses following the impacts of COVID-19 on domestic tourism.

“It’s great to see that bus tours are back, and bringing with them lots of visitors who are ready and raring to explore what our region has to offer,” the Mayor said.

“Our local tourism and associated businesses have really done a great job in liaising with these tour operators to ensure our region is right at the forefront as tourism opens back up again to a travel-hungry domestic market,” he said.

“I really want to say well done to them for helping our region get ‘back on the road’ and ready to showcase our rich history, agricultural excellence and thriving country culture,” he said.

Katie Owen is the Manager of Coolmunda Organic Olives, located just outside Inglewood, and said visitors to the business are vital for its growth.

“Educating people with regard to olives [is an] important component of our business and environmental ethos,” Ms Owen said. “Tour buses are definitely important and we would like them to increase.

“[The] buses benefit everyone in the area - many buses that visit us are going to Moree and Goondiwindi,” she said. “Individual caravan couples often stay at the local Coolmunda Caravan Park or Greenup Meeting Place, [and our] individual drop-ins have increased.”

Other local businesses have reported a similar upswing in recent domestic tourism, such as the Texas Rabbit Works, which recently had 43 Ulysses Club members through its doors in one day as part of a group trip.

Estimates suggest more than 321,000 visitors came to the Goondiwindi Region in 2019-20, worth around $50.7 million to the local economy.

Ms Owen said Coolmunda Organic Olives has created a local ‘Coolmunda trail’ to encourage visitors to explore other attractions in the area, including the Greenup Meeting Place, Coolmunda Caravan Park, Lady of the Lake boutique, the Leven K Lavender Farm and the Inglewood Heritage Centre and Australian Tobacco Museum.

“We need to do more work in this area,” she said. “Obviously the ‘word of mouth’ and comments on social media assist as well.”

Cr Springborg said that although tourism is a private industry, led by local businesses, Council does have a role to support the local visitor economy by assisting to promote the region. Significant investments in the Goondiwindi Region’s visitor economy include the award-winning Yelarbon silo artwork and the ‘#VisitGoondiwindiRegion’ campaign.

Other recent Council projects to promote the Goondiwindi Region include upgrades to local Visitor Information Centres, a suite of new visitor brochures that include region-wide attractions, itineraries and accommodation options, and the creation of a ‘tourism ambassador’ program to upskill businesses and community members in local promotion.

Council has also recently purchased an annual $45,000 membership to the website GoondiwindiRegion.com.au.

Cr Springborg said that although the past few years had doubtlessly been difficult for many local businesses associated with tourism, the future was once again looking bright for the industry.

“The Goondiwindi Region is back in full swing and ready to welcome visitors with a packed events calendar over the next few months especially,” he said. “From the Talwood Pink Ladies Day to the Texas Country Music Festival, polo and polocrosse days, car rallies and Gourmet In Gundy - not to mention the B&S is back – we’re ready to show off the wealth of things to do in the Goondiwindi Region.”