Last year alone the tourism industry contributed approximately $666.3-million to the Mackay region. The tourism industry is a vital part of our economy. Improving our region economic viability and diversifying our economy has been a strong focus for our council over the past years. Sarina Field of Dreams Parklands plays an important role in the tourism industry as it forms the southern gateway to the Mackay region. It is the home of the Tourist Information Centre, Arts and Craft Centre, Sarina Museum, Sarina Art Gallery, and the Sarina Sugar Shed. The parklands is a great place to stop, refresh and explore what’s on offer in our region.
It is important for council to make investments in these types of facilities as a catalyst to encourage private enterprise investment in the region. Council has also invested in other tourism related facilities such as Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens, Artspace Mackay, MECC, BB Print stadium, Bluewater Lagoon, Bluewater Trail and the Finch Hatton Mountain Bike Trails. There is always a balance between what council invests in and what should be a private investment or a public-private partnership. The ongoing operating expenses is always an important part of deciding to undertake a project.
The Sarina Shire Council back in the year 2000 made the commitment after extensive community consultation to undertake the development of the Sarina Field of Dreams. The highway position of the site enabled the council and community to create a tourism precinct that would provide a place where visitors and community could learn about the Sarina region and visit a range of facilities. The development was based on sound economic rationale with the desired outcome being that local businesses would benefit from this investment and drive increases in tourism related businesses.
The last component of the development was the Sarina Sugar Shed. The SSS was seen as the anchor piece of the parklands. Again, after community consultation the plan to develop the SSS began to be implemented. This was one of the very first paid tourism attractions in the Mackay region. The SSS opened its doors in 2007 and last year alone received 12,700 visitors, which contributed an economic value of $2.6-million into the local economy. The SSS has won many tourism awards over the years and has been inducted into the Tourism Hall of Fame.
Over the past years we have seen growth in private tourism ventures, which is exactly what we want to achieve from our council tourism investments. Building a strong economic tourism sector is a vital part of the overall economy. The council has a vital role to play and ensure we are enabling and supporting growth in the tourism sector.
Deputy Mayor
Karen May
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