No Images? Click here TAMWORTH COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL TICKETS ON SALECountry music and festival fans have welcomed the first wave of ticket sales for the 47th Tamworth Country Music Festival, which went on sale this week. The first artists’ shows to go on sale were Troy Cassar-Daley, John Williamson, The McClymonts, Graeme Connors, Shane Nicholson, Adam Eckersley & Brooke McClymont, and Fanny Lumsden. Held over 10 days from 18 - 27 January, 2019, the Tamworth Country Music Festival is a festival experience like no other with more than 700 artists performing at over 2,800 events across 120 venues. Tamworth Country Music Festival Manager Barry Harley said, “This first line-up of shows to go on sale is just a glimpse of the calibre of events we have on offer across the Festival’s 10 days in January so if you’ve never been to a Tamworth Festival before, jump online and grab some tickets now.” The Tamworth Country Music Festival is supported by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW. For festival details and tickets for shows and the Riverside Camp Sites visit, www.tcmf.com.au. Image credit: Tao Jones FULL STEAM AHEAD FOR NSW CRUISE INDUSTRYThe State’s $1.6 billion cruise tourism industry is set to benefit from new measures to address capacity constraints and boost regional visitation. Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall said the measures would help keep the cruise industry powering along and support cruise tourism in regional NSW. “NSW’s cruise industry supports 12,800 jobs and injects $1.6 billion into our economy each year so it is vital we take the steps necessary to propel the industry’s future growth,” Mr Marshall said. Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight Melinda Pavey said, “Our State has been the victim of its own success when it comes to cruise with existing facilities such as the Overseas Passenger Terminal and White Bay Terminal struggling to keep up with significant growth in passenger and ship visitation.” A key part of the Plan will be the development of a Strategic Business Case by the Port Authority of NSW and NSW Treasury to scope the feasibility of additional cruise terminal sites. The Business Case will assess two sites recommended by the Cruise Industry Reference Group including Molineaux Point and Yarra Bay. MUDGEE SCOOPS THE POOL AT THE REGIONAL TOURISM AWARDSMudgee Region Tourism was front and centre at the 2018 Country and Outback Regional Tourism Awards last week, taking home gold across two categories - Destination Marketing, thanks to their hugely successful Let’s Skip Town Mid-Week campaign, and Visitor Information Services. Further consolidating the region’s award-winning travel experiences were Sierra Escape and The Parkview Hotel, receiving gold awards across the Unique and Deluxe Accommodation categories. The Regional Tourism Awards provide tourism organisations and individuals with the opportunity to gain an insight into their industry, their business, achieve recognition for their success and promote tourism within their region. This year, the Regional Tourism Awards invited nominations from those located within three NSW Destination Networks - Riverina Murray, Country and Outback and North Coast, with all winners gaining finalist status in the NSW Tourism Awards. Finalists for the NSW Tourism Awards will be announced on 15 October, with the awards to be presented on Thursday 22 November at Sydney’s Luna Park. Image credit: Amber Hooper NSW TO STAGE WORLD’S RICHEST GREYHOUND RACEWentworth Park will be home to the world’s richest greyhound event, with the inaugural Million Dollar Chase to be held on 20 October this year. A series of 11 qualifying finals at regional tracks and other lead-up finals at Wentworth Park will culminate in a grand final in Sydney, with $1 million for the champion dog, from a total series prizemoney pool of $1.7 million. Minister for Racing Paul Toole said, “The Million Dollar Chase marks a fresh start for the NSW greyhound racing industry and is a great opportunity for owners, trainers and breeders across the State. “The Million Dollar Chase will demonstrate the importance of greyhound racing to regional NSW through its series of high-quality events for the whole community.” Entry fees from every race will include a donation to the not-for-profit Greyhounds as Pets. All participants in the Million Dollar Chase must re-home their dog into Greyhounds as Pets or a similar program after its racing career or keep it as a pet. NEW NATIONAL HANDBOOK FOR EVENT CROWD SAFETYThe Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience recently announced the release of updated principles and practical advice for crowd safety and health, from transport hubs to major events. A free national resource, the Safe and Healthy Crowded Places Handbook encourages a proactive approach from event organisers, venue owners and operators and others involved in managing crowded places. Using practical language and real-world examples, the handbook outlines an overarching framework for risk management, communication and incident and emergency planning. The handbook was developed with international and Australian experts and is available free on the Knowledge Hub: knowledge.aidr.org.au/crowded-places. Hard copies are also available for purchase. Image credit: The Art of Zowie Photography
DHARAWAL NATIONAL PARK TOURSydney’s ‘secret’ national park, Dharawal National Park in the Macarthur region, will celebrate National Science Week with a guided tour led by a geomorphologist, focussed on the Science of Managing Dharawal National Park. Held on 18 August from 2pm to 3.30pm, the tour will take visitors to Minerva Pool, the perfect spot to enjoy the view and watch the waterfall cascading into the rockpool below. Click here for information and bookings. SYDNEY SUPERNIGHT TO LIGHT UP TRACKThis weekend’s Sydney SuperNight 300 will mark the first Supercars Championship race held under lights on Australian soil since 1997. Qualifying and practice is underway at Sydney Motorsport Park today, with the 77 lap Championship race scheduled for 7.20pm tomorrow night. Click here for tickets. WINDSONG SERIES COMES TO BERMAGUIFour Winds, the world-class venue known as Nature’s Concert Hall on the South Coast of NSW, is welcoming former Festival Artistic Director and recorder virtuoso Genevieve Lacey to the Windsong Pavilion on Sunday 19 August. Genevieve will be joined by celebrated Australian baroque bassoonist Jane Gower and Lars Ulrik Mortensen from Denmark on harpsichord to perform eight 18th century works. For tickets, click here. |