Hervey Bay Gossip

So it seems that despite all the money we pour into advertising the wonders of Hervey Bay we’re somehow missing the mark and being beaten by Rainbow Beach.

It’s hardly surprising that people are passing on Hervey Bay and heading for Rainbow instead. For years now the main complaint has been that there’s nothing to do in Hervey Bay apart from the whales and Fraser Island so perhaps it’s time that some of those tourist dollars were spent pointing out that there is much more to do in Hervey Bay than just see the whales.

Sadly though it seems that our marketing gurus can’t think beyond the obvious when it comes to promoting Hervey Bay and don’t want to do a great deal to even promote those attractions.

It says a lot when local accommodation operators have to do their own promotion but that’s what one group is doing and this banner out on the highway just before the Hervey Bay turnoff is one example of their efforts.

Yes, they’re pushing the whales too but they’re also emphasising other things that Hervey Bay has to offer tourists. So if a small group of what are basically marketing amateurs can do this then why can’t our paid experts do something similar?

Billboard advertising is a highly effective form of marketing … and plenty of other tourist destinations are using this form of marketing along the Bruce Highway but when was the last time you saw a billboard advertising Hervey Bay?

Smoke from burn-offs on Fraser Island … a passing jet … and a couple walking on the beach as the sun goes down over Point Vernon.

What more could someone with a camera ask for

A stunning sunset yesterday taken from Shelly Beach

Jim Mackellar seems to think so and points to the Hervey Bay airport as a prime example.

Supporting the Economic Development Strategy?

From the Fraser Coast Economic Development Strategy Objective 3.2 –

2. Foster a business supportive environment that encourages the retention and development of existing business;     and

5. Promote aviation and the region’s capacity to attract and establish new aviation related business.

Would someone please be able to explain to me how the above two objectives are advanced by forcing established businesses out of their hangers at Hervey Bay airport?

Given that it would appear that the three major facts of the case are –

1. The airport does not presently make a profit;
2. There is ample land available to expand the hanger space;  and
3. There are more prospective tenants available then there is available hanger space.

It would seem that the obvious business decision was to provide more hanger space to provide for all the potential clients rather than evict the present businesses in favour of new clients who may be prepared to pay slightly more.

Alternatively, it may be more feasible to provide new applicants with a long term lease on a suitably sized parcel of land and allow them to build their own hangers. Either way is better than forcing the closure of established local operators.

It would appear that having approved the Economic Development Strategy the Councillors have filed it away and forgotten its high sounding objectives. Maybe they should have actually read it first.

Jim MacKellar

After days of gloomy weather last week we really did hit the jackpot over the weekend. Mild sunny days were a great reminder of why this is a wonderful place to live and that weather is set to continue for most of the coming week too.

If you’re coming to Hervey Bay for the whale watching then be sure to take some time to wander down to the beach.

Scenes like this - taken early yesterday morning - are common around here.

It’s a hard life in Hervey Bay but someone has to do it

These days if a business doesn’t have it’s own website then it is almost certainly losing customers for so many people in Hervey Bay search online for the businesses in town that can provide the services they need.

But now it’s quite possible to go beyond just having a website that provides basic information about your business and two businesses here in Hervey Bay have used the website technology to make it easier for their clients to make an appointment.

If you’re looking for a dentist in Hervey Bay then click the link and you’ll find yourself on the Primere Dental Studio’s website where you can book an appointment for whatever dental service you need.

For car repairs in Hervey Bay click the link and you’ll find yourself on the Total Auto Care website where you can book your car in for a service or repairs using the booking form on the website.

Before long you’ll be seeing other businesses using the Internet to interact with their clients here in Hervey Bay.

For quite some time now we’ve been hearing from Council and the local tourism board that tourism in Hervey Bay and the Fraser Coast has never been better.

The general manager of the Fraser Coast South Burnett Regional Tourism Board would have you believe that tourism to the region continues to grow. Councillor Noia claims that the loss of Jetsar has had no significant impact on tourism to the region.

That’s been at complete odds with what those working at the frontline of tourism have been saying and now it looks like those optimistic reports were just so much hot air.

It makes you wonder what the Council and the Board have been basing their figurees on when the latest report from Tourism Queensland shows quite clearly that tourism to the Fraser Coast Region for the year ended March 2010 is well down.

Domestic visitors are down by 12% … holiday visitors are down by 5% … intrastate visitors are down by 9% and interstate visitors are down by a whopping 28%.

So perhaps the Council and the Fraser Coast South Burnett Regional Tourism Board might care to explain why their claims of increased tourism to the region are not supported by the facts.

If you’re looking for the best pizza in Hervey Bay plus some great wine … or just a nice place for a quiet drink then check out Paolo’s Pizza Bar at 446 The Esplanade Hervey Bay.

You’ll get genuine Italian pizza, a fine selection of good Australian wines and friendly service too.

And if you’re not sure where 446 the Esplanade is just look for the little blue car … you really can’t miss it

Sometimes you can get so focused on the minute detail of every-day life that you forget there’s a bigger picture just waiting to be seen off the beach here in Hervey Bay.

Some people pay millions to for a view like this … thanks to the open foreshores of Hervey Bay we can enjoy it for free.

Sunset over Hervey Bay last Monday evening

What about the $20 million Mr Mayor?

That’s a question that Jim MacKellar would like answered and after reading what he has to say on the subject you might like an answer too.

Because of increased costs and reduced State Government funding the rates on the Fraser Coast must increase by at least 6%. So saith our Mayor.

But what about the $20million that Council has from the last budget and the more than $30million from the year before, Mr. Mayor?

Why should the ratepayers of the Fraser Coast be slugged for an extra $2million when Council was unable to use the amount of money it collected last year?

With the financial year almost complete it is clear that the Fraser Coast Regional Council will under spend its 09/10 budget by more than $20million. Most of this amount will be from uncompleted capital works projects. It was the same last financial year except that it was then in excess of $30million.

So how do they justify once again increasing our rates when it is obvious that they are only going to take the money and invest it. Are they suddenly going to come up with the magical answer that will allow them to complete their Capital Works Program for the first time in living memory?

Instead of considering how much they can get away with increasing the rates would it not be better for them to make a realistic estimate of how much work they will actually complete in the next 12 months and only raise that reduced amount?

Council has made much of their dedication to the economic development of our region. So it must be asked – would money be of greater benefit to the region invested by the Council in its reserves or would it do more good left with the people so that they can use it to purchase goods and services from local businesses? Which of these solutions is the more likely to bring greater prosperity and more jobs to our region?

So it must be asked again – Councillors, where are your priorities? In raising great amounts of money for ‘pie in the sky’ works programs or in achieving the greatest good for the people of the Fraser Coast.

Does the Fraser Coast Regional Council have its priorities right? When it comes to spending $3.25 million on a new regional art gallery Jim MacKellar doesn’t think so.

$3.25 million for a new Regional Art Gallery is in extravagance the people of the Fraser Coast can ill afford.

Especially in light of the fact that we have just spent over $1 million on stage 2 of the Art Space project in Maryborough. Would it not be more reasonable to therefore move the Regional Gallery to this location, where it will be central to the entire region?

There are two major drivers which should influence Council’s decision making at this time. We live in one of the most economically challenged regions in Australia and we are many years behind in the construction of suitable infrastructure for our ever growing population.

How does the decision to spend over $3million on an art gallery help to alleviate either of these two urgent problems?

Would $3million spent on economic development not yield a better result for the citizens of the Fraser Coast? How much additional, urgently needed, infrastructure could we obtain with this money?

The mayor says that rates will have to increase. But $3million represents approx 5% of the rates income. It may be fairly said that if the $3million is not spent on the regional Art Gallery then there will be no need for a rate increase this year.

Will the ratepayers of the Fraser Coast Region benefit more from a new art gallery or benefit more from not having to pay an increase in their rates yet again.

Its all a matter of priorities and it must be asked, do our Councillors have theirs in the right place?