Robe Tourism and Traders Association’s bid for up to $100,000 funding moved a step closer to realization after the February meeting.

AusIndustry regional manager Mr Steve Chapple was guest speaker and gave an overview of his organisation and tips on how the RTTA should prepare its application for a category one tourism grant.

Association President Mr Neil Welsh said: “(AusIndustry) provide lots of services backing innovative projects and the one we’re concentrating on is tourism grants.

“(Mr Chapple) touched on initiatives that other towns take on to get some increased traffic. He made it entertaining and was extremely well received.”

The Association has benefited from a Regional Assistance Program (RAP) grant through the SE Local Government Association in the past but Mr Welsh said it had grown to the point where AusIndustry funding was more appropriate.

RAP funding is designed to benefit an entire community whereas AusIndustry tourism grants fare for a specific project. The project can be to establish or enhance tourism products or services but can’t be a festival or event.

Mr Welsh: “We have to actually come up with an initiative that’s a tangible project.”

The grant application must also demonstrate that the project is self-sustainable in the long term and the RTTA must show that it can match any funding dollar for dollar. It has already secured $20,000 a year for two years through a partnership with Robe District Council and is sourcing other funds.

Mr Welsh said that compiling the Association’s application would be made easier by the experience of applying for the RAP grant.

Village Fair
The Association keeps its financial figures ‘in house’ but is in a strong position after a 50 per cent increase in profits last year from its flagship event, the Robe Village Fair.

The Fair will be back bigger and better this year with the Association committing more resources to its organisation and staging, but the formula will remain the same.

Mr Welsh: “We agreed almost a year ago … that we’d maintain the direction we’re going. The whole economic generation of the RVF is between $800,000 and $1million.

“It’s a $300,000 event to run so we have no other path than to (finance) it through ticket sales.”

Ms Kerin Blade will again be the event’s co-ordinator but the part-time position will now be spread over a full year instead of the previous 6-8 months.

And she’ll also be responsible for other events such as the Mount Benson Merriment and Taste of Robe Festivals and the Acquisitive Art Prize, which has been reprised after a year off.

Mr Andrew ‘Kelpie’ Smith has had his efforts rewarded with the title of event operations manager.

Mr Welsh: “He’ll be paid an honorarium to recognise and acknowledge that title. Kelpie is the RVF. He’s been the main driver.”

The RVF committee also welcomed Graeme Clements to its ranks. The committee has begun looking for bands and sponsors for this year’s fair and will release the list of performers and naming rights sponsors at its mid-winter launch.

The next big project on the horizon for the RTTA is The Golden Trail – a 500km walking track which follows the path of mid-19th century Chinese settlers who landed at Robe and then trekked east to the goldfields to avoid a £10 tax the Victorian colony imposed on Chinese settlers.

As the trail’s origin, Robe is in a unique position to capitalise on the opportunities it presents.

Mr Welsh: “Robe will act as the starting point so it’s vital that we’re a part of it. We’ve said that we’ll do whatever we have to do to promote it. It’s shaping as a significant event for Victoria and SA.”

He said the RTTA was looking to launch the project on January 17, 2007 to coincide with the anniversary of the first landing of Chinese settlers at Robe, but a lot of water has to pass under the bridge to make that possible.

The launch may also be staged in conjunction with Chinese New Year celebrations which will be in mid-February next year.

Mr Don Tan, who owns the Dragon Village restaurant, is considering getting a Chinese dragon dance troupe from Adelaide to perform in Robe to celebrate the occasion.

And Mr Welsh has already approached people in Adelaide about having heritage ships sail into Guichen Bay to add to the history of the occasion.

The Golden Trail is planned as a 30-day walking tour which passes through 14 towns and finishes in Bendigo in central Victoria.

Walkers can choose to tackle short stretches of the trail or stretch it out over a longer time frame if 500km in 30 days is a shade intimidating. The project requires construction of the trail itself, plus the installation of markers and roofed shelters along the way and production of maps and other promotional material.

Such an attraction would clearly be an economic boon for the towns concerned and organisers see it as a rare chance for towns to foster a lasting relationship for the benefit of the entire region.

A brochure geared to generate support in towns along the trail reads: “Each community will be identified as a link in the chain of this unique experience. The towns along the way and the trail will become synonymous with each other.”

Sixteen members attended the RTTA meeting on February 2 but Mr Welsh expects membership numbers to again reach 100 – as it did last year.