Dear Tourism Boffins

Can you help?

I am a feature writer with The Weekend Australian Magazine. I am researching an article on regions and towns that have been transformed by a good idea. For example, the Museum of New and Old Art, Mona, has been a bonanza for Hobart.

A few months ago I traveled to Tasmania to do a short travel piece on mountain biking in Derby, Tasmania. It was incredible. The entire region is booming following the opening of more than 100km of world-class mountain bike tracks in the spectacular hills around Derby, a withered little settlement that hadn’t tasted prosperity since the tin mine closed in 1946.

It’s been a phenomenal success. The two local councils, Dorset and Break O’Day, first thought it might attract 5000 riders a year; Dorset Council’s general manager, Tim Watson, told me they now expect 50,000 people to use the trails in the next 12 to 18 months, 70 per cent of them coming from the mainland.

So, I am looking for other good ideas that have worked – and others that are in the pipeline. Ideas that have been transformational to the fortunes of a town or region  If you have suggestions can you please email me at [email protected] or call on 0428 643840.

Regards,
Greg Bearup