Insights - 3 June 2022
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DESTINATION NSW COMMEMORATES
NATIONAL RECONCILIATION WEEK
It was a moving moment when Vivid Sydney launched on 27 May 2022 with First Light – a celebration of our First Nations people – on the first day of National Reconciliation Week.
Shaped by Creative Advisor Rhoda Roberts AO, First Light featured a dance piece by NAISDA and Sharing the Same Life Essence, Gadigal story-telling projections on the southern pylon of Sydney Harbour Bridge. The Lights On launch event also included a warm Welcome to Country by Michael West.
Every night during Vivid Sydney, the Sydney Opera House sails are lighting up with a ground-breaking digital artwork, Yarrkalpa – Hunting Ground, 2021. The stunning animation is a collaboration between the East Pilbara-based Martu Artists and Sydney-based creative technologists Curiious.
National Reconciliation Week runs annually from 27 May to 3 June and commemorates two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey - the successful 1967 referendum and the High Court Mabo decision.
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Ben Franklin said: “The First Nations people are a cultural strength of our nation. Every year, National Reconciliation Week brings into focus their incredible 65,000-year legacy and custodian of country."
Destination NSW is proud to develop and deliver an annual state-wide program of workshops, mentoring and other business support to foster the growth and sustainability of the Aboriginal cultural tourism sector.
A strategic pillar of the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2030 is to partner with the NSW Aboriginal Tourism Operators Council (NATOC) and Aboriginal tourism stakeholders to make NSW Australia’s premier destination for Aboriginal tourism by showcasing and developing authentic, accessible, high-quality and compelling visitor experiences.
During National Reconciliation Week, Destination NSW staff took part in walking tours of The Rocks with Dreamtime Southern X during National Reconciliation Week as they came together to connect with Aboriginal culture and history and drive reconciliation as a community.
Staff also gathered together on 31 May to hear and share stories of reconciliation from Aboriginal people and discuss Destination NSW's goals for reconciliation and relationship building into the future.
Destination NSW proudly partners with events such as Afterpay Australian Fashion Week (AAFW) that put the spotlight on First Nation talent.
This year, AAFW opened on 9 May 2022 with a Welcome to Country, followed by a spectacular Indigenous Fashion Projects show and several industry panel discussions on First Nations’ impact on fashion. The festival’s moving closing show featured Clothing the Gaps’ models walking down the runway, holding signs reading where they’re from, such as “I am Comeroi Wodi Wodi” and “I am Eastern Arrente”.
As the team stated after the show: “This collection includes yarns about sovereignty, respecting Country, meaningfully acknowledging traditional custodians and the diversity of Aboriginal Communities…we’re more than merch, we’re merch with a message.”
During the First Nations Fashion and Design talk, Elverina Johnson, a highly respected Gurugulu and Indinji Gimuy woman from Yarrabah in far north Queensland, said the fashion industry has an important role to play in reconciliation.
“You can wear my art, and you can take it anywhere – wear it through Fashion Week or to work, and it can become a conversation starter,” she said.
"If it’s something that you’re wearing that actually stems from the basis of your culture and the stories that you were told and handed down, you can look at that art and say, ‘I’d like to know what that actually means. Tell me about that.’
“And in my view, as an artist, the work that I do through my design, it’s also about another pathway to reconciliation. Because I don’t care – white people, black people, whatever colour wears my art – to me, if you’re willing to wear my art, but you’re not willing to come into my community, this is a starting point because colour and design play a really important part in triggering questions. And the psychology around colour and different design and shapes actually prompts people to feel something.”
Click here to watch the full panel discussion.
Photography: Getty
SOME NATIONAL RECONCILIATION WEEK HIGHLIGHTS
The NSW Government has committed $43 million to supporting the transfer of a Sydney Harbour island to the Aboriginal community.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said: “Returning Me-Mel to the Aboriginal community is the right thing to do, and it helps deliver on my commitment of improving outcomes and opportunities for Aboriginal people across all parts of government.
“A big part of my commitment is ensuring the island is remediated before it’s transferred to the Aboriginal community.
Me-Mel is listed on the NSW State Heritage Register and has a rich and diverse array of important Aboriginal, historical and natural heritage values.
Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council Deputy Chair Yvonne Weldon said: “Me-Mel is a place where we can go to be within our culture, pass culture on to our younger generations and share with other people. Me-Mel is an opportunity for truth telling, and it’s about recognising the past and unlocking the future.”
National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is now calling for Expressions of Interest to join the Me-Mel Transfer Committee. For further details click here.
National Reconciliation Week events and initiatives took place across NSW, here are just a few of the many highlights.
- A monument to First Nations people - bara - inspired by shell fishing hooks handcrafted and used by local Aboriginal women for generations, has been unveiled on the lawns overlooking Dubbagullee (Bennelong Point) and Warrane (Circular Quay). It was commissioned by the City of Sydney, with the project guided by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Panel, curatorial advisor Hetti Perkins and local Aboriginal community members and organisations. Read more
- During the NRL's 2022 Indigenous Round there was a Welcome to Country at each match venue, performances, and celebrations of Indigenous Australia, while all 16 NRL clubs wore jerseys inspired by Indigenous storytelling and art. Read more
- Wagga Wagga City Council Library hosted a Truth Telling Panel with Wiradyuri Elders about the experiences of Wiradyuri and Aboriginal soldiers in the Australian Defence Forces. Read more
- The annual Saltwater Freshwater Festival was held in the Nambucca Valley, showcasing local culture, skills, music, dance, art, lifestyle and culinary talent. Read more
- Sydney Ideas event 'Reconcile what? Why white Australia needs to rectify its wrongs' featured Teela Reid. Sydney Law School's inaugural Indigenous Practitioner-in-Residence, and was hosted by Billi FitzSimons, Editor of The Daily Aus. Watch here
Gabrielle Upton, Parliamentary Secretary to the NSW Premier, joined La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council for Woollahra Municipal Council's unveiling of a plaque for local Aboriginal leader William Warrell on the Rose Bay Promenade. Read more
BIGGEST EVER OPENING WEEKEND FOR VIVID SYDNEY
Vivid Sydney attracted more than 435,000 people during its opening weekend, the largest attendance in the event’s history.
Vivid Sydney enjoyed 8 per cent more visitors across the weekend compared to 2019.
Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade and Minister for Tourism Stuart Ayres said: “Record attendance over the weekend is extremely exciting and I encourage people to keep coming out to enjoy everything this year’s amazing program has to offer.
“Sydney is back and visitors are back. Over the weekend, thousands of families were taking in the captivating light displays along the 8km Light Walk, and importantly restaurants and bars were full of patrons enjoying themselves and supporting our local businesses.”
Restaurants and bars across the CBD enjoyed roaring trade across the first weekend of the festival, with many staying at full capacity after the Vivid Sydney lights were turned off.
Vivid Sydney is an accessible and inclusive event and is owned, managed and produced by Destination NSW. It runs until Saturday 18 June, and guests can enjoy the Light Walk each night from 6pm to 11pm.
Destination NSW was thrilled to partner with Paramount+ to bring the Southern Hemisphere's biggest-ever drone light show to Vivid Sydney on Sunday night. Thousands of people packed the foreshore to watch the streaming service’s most iconic stars and scenes light up the sky, powered by 600 drones.
Click here to watch a highlights video.
A special one-off ‘7 Minutes for 7 Decades’ moment during Vivid Sydney last night saw Sydney Harbour Bridge, Luna Park, buildings around Circular Quay and Sydney Harbour Ferries illuminated royal purple for Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Read more
NSW Parliament will also be illuminated purple until 5 June 2022, while Government House Sydney will be lit up for an extended period until 13 June. Find out more about the Royal Family Platinum Jubilee celebrations here: www.nsw.gov.au/jubilee
WATCH: HOW AUSTRALIAN TOURISM EXCHANGE TURBOCHARGED THE NSW VISITOR ECONOMY
More than 1100 tourism operators and global buyers gathered at Sydney’s International Convention Centre from 15-18 May for Australian Tourism Exchange 2022 (ATE22).
Destination NSW partnered with Tourism Australia to bring the nation’s premier travel trade event to NSW, using the Harbour City as the backdrop to sell Australia to the travelling world.
The event featured 198 operators representing NSW tourism businesses. Their involvement played a key role in turbocharging the NSW visitor economy, showcasing the incredible products and diversity of experiences our state has to offer to hundreds of local and international buyers.
Destination NSW, in partnership with Tourism Australia, hosted 55 international media across 11 markets for ATE22, including New Zealand, Japan, France, Malaysia, Italy, USA, India, Canada, Singapore, Indonesia and Germany, taking them on a range of experiences in stunning locations from Lord Howe Island to Broken Hill, Port Stephens and the vineyards of Orange and the Hunter Valley.
More than 140 buyers took part in 20 familiarisation program itineraries showcasing NSW products and experiences, including at the Sapphire Coast, Wollongong, Byron Bay, Central Coast and the Riverina Snowy region.
"After two challenging years, it was so important to show the world's media and buyers that NSW is open and ready to welcome visitors back to this incredible state," said Destination NSW CEO Steve Cox.
Click here to watch buyers and sellers discuss the importance of ATE to the NSW visitor economy.
MORE FUN ATE22 FACTS: 900 Artisti Coffee Roasters coffees were served at the Destination NSW cafe, while 210 dozen Sydney Rock Oysters were shucked and 300 cocktails by Dean and Nancy on 22 were sipped at our networking event!
JOIN THE CENTRAL COAST
5 LANDS WALK
The 5 Lands Walk - a physical, spiritual and cultural journey along 10km of spectacular coastline linking five villages on the Central Coast - is being held on 25 June 2022. People from diverse walks of life will connect through walking together and experiencing Aboriginal culture, live music, art exhibitions and more.
NATIONAL INDIGENOUS ART FAIR
Save the date for the 2022 National Indigenous Art Fair, which will take place on 2 July 2022 at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, The Rocks, Sydney. It will showcase award-winning ideas and innovations from Indigenous artists, designers and makers from remote art centres around the country.
VIVID SYDNEY LATER INITIATIVE LAUNCHES
A new initiative - Vivid Sydney Later - will see some of Circular Quay’s most popular restaurants and bars open for extended hours. Venues have been packed with patrons enjoying themselves and supporting local businesses since Vivid Sydney kicked off and festival goers will now have even greater options to enjoy a meal or a drink.
$18 MILLION TO ENERGISE THE GREAT OUTDOORS
The new Open Spaces and Metropolitan Greenspace Programs will see more than 50 projects brought to life. The Open Spaces Program will deliver new swimming facilities, community gardens, regional walking and cycling trails and adventure play areas. The Metropolitan Greenspace Program will fund projects across Greater Sydney and Central Coast.
GRANTS SUPPORT ARTS FLOOD RECOVERY
The NSW Government has increased its funding for arts and culture in flood-affected areas. The Recovery Grants for NSW Creatives program will support 49 artists, individuals and groups directly impacted by floods. The funding provides support to the small-to-medium arts and cultural sector. For more information on support opportunities, click here.
MARY POPPINS FLIES
INTO SYDNEY
Mary Poppins celebrated its opening night last week, with the outstanding cast and crew bringing spoonfuls of sugar to Sydney Lyric Theatre. Destination NSW is proud to support Disney Theatrical, Sir Cameron Mackintosh and Michael Cassel Group in bringing this superb new production of a timeless classic to life. For more information, click here
SAPPHIRE COAST TO SHINE AT INAUGURAL WANDERER FESTIVAL
The NSW Sapphire Coast will be the stunning backdrop for Australia’s newest marquee multi-day music and arts event near Merimbula from 23-25 September 2022. Destination NSW has partnered with the creator of iconic Australian cultural events such Falls Festival and The Lost Lands, to bring the inaugural Wanderer Festival to NSW, featuring The Dandy Warhols, DMAs, Confidence Man, The Teskey Brothers, Sarah Blasko, Jack River and many more.
NSW VOUCHERS TOOLKIT RELEASED TO HELP BUSINESSES
The NSW Government is helping businesses bounce back from COVID-19 impacts with Dine & Discover NSW, Stay NSW and Parents NSW Vouchers. Businesses that are not already registered can check their eligibility and register online. Participating businesses can boost their income by reminding customers to redeem their vouchers. To continue assisting businesses to promote the vouchers, an updated communications toolkit has been created.
TASTES LIKE HOME MEETS MICHAEL RANTISSI
The latest episode of the Destination NSW Youtube series Tastes Like Home features Michael Rantissi from Kepos Street Kitchen in Redfern. The series has been created to highlight stories of chefs who are using their rich family traditions to shape their restaurants and the NSW culinary scene. “In Sydney, we love being up early,” the Israeli-born restaurateur said. “We exercise. We love catching up. We love eating breakfast. It’s a new food culture, and it’s unique to Sydney.” Read more
PHILIP HELE NAMED 2022 LIVING TOURISM LEGEND
Phil Hele, owner and general manager of Hunter Valley Resort and 4 Pines at the Farm, has been named a Tourism Industry Living Legend at the 2022 Hunter Valley Legends & Wine Industry Awards. Mr Hele has been at the forefront of shaping the Hunter Valley wine and tourism industries for the past three decade. The 2022 Hunter Valley Tourism Operator of the Year was Beyond Ballooning, while Spicers Guesthouse was 2022 Hunter Valley Accommodation Operator of the Year.
SUNRISE VISITS SHELLHARBOUR & ROBERTSON
Shellharbour and Robertson will be showcased on Weekend Sunrise this weekend. Weather presenter James Tobin will visit the regions during JT Travels NSW, a recurring segment created in partnership with Destination NSW. Mr Tobin will film the weather live from Shellharbour on 4 June 2022 and Robertson on 5 June 2022. Weekend Sunrise is one of Australia’s highest rating national breakfast programs.
NSW TOURISM AWARDS NOMINATIONS CLOSING SOON
Nominations for the 2022 NSW Tourism Awards close on 16 June 2022. Businesses operating in the NSW visitor economy are encouraged to enter the awards, which are managed by the NSW Tourism Industry Council in partnership with Destination NSW. The NSW Tourism Awards recognise winners in 27 business categories, two individual excellence categories and the Judges’ Tourism Star Awards to honour outstanding resilience and innovation.
VISITOR ECONOMY WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS
SMALL BUSINESS STRATEGY TO CHART FUTURE COURSE: The NSW Government has launched public consultation on its new Small Business Strategy, which will chart the course for the 800,000 strong small businesses across the state for the coming three years. Small businesses seeking to have their say or looking for further information can do so at: www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/small_business_strategy.
HERITAGE BUILDING TO INSPIRE CREATIVE TALENT: The Registrar General’s Building within Sydney’s Macquarie Street East precinct will now house creative professionals, and feature a dedicated space for repairing and restoring flood damaged collections from the Lismore Regional Gallery and the Richmond River Historical Society. Read more
REGIONAL NSW IN FAST LANE TO LEAD AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY: The NSW Government has unveiled its vision for regional NSW to become the Southern Hemisphere hub of cutting-edge autonomous vehicle technology, with a $9.5 million upgrade to be made to the Future Mobility Testing and Research Centre in Cudal. Read more
$10 MILLION TO BOOST WOMEN-LED STARTUPS: Female founders will be empowered to launch their own businesses thanks to a $10 million venture capital fund established by the NSW Government as part of the 2022-23 Budget. Treasurer Matt Kean said the Carla Zampatti Fund – named after the pioneer NSW businesswoman – will invest specifically in early stage women-led startups. Read more
SYDNEY GATEWAY PROJECT TAKES OFF: The first four of 17 massive concrete headstocks, each weighing more than a full Boeing 737, have been installed at Mascot as part of the NSW Government’s $2.6 billion Sydney Gateway project. They will support an 800-metre flyover road, connecting motorists toll-free to Sydney Airport. Read more
MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR ARTS AND CULTURE BOOST: Audiences across NSW will soon experience even greater arts-related activities and events, made possible through Round 2 of the NSW Government’s Arts and Cultural Funding Program for 2021-22. Read more
100 DAYS TO GO UNTIL NIGHT AT THE BARRACKS: The concert series at North Head, Manly, supported by Destination NSW, kicks off on 9 September. Performers will include Jessica Mauboy, David Campbell, Something For Kate, David Hobson & Lucy Durack, Emma Pask and Tim Finn. Read more
FOLLOW DESTINATION NSW ON LINKEDIN: Stay up to date with all the latest Destination NSW initiatives by following us on LinkedIn. Click here
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