Hi members

Strong local economies are so important, especially now, and this looks like a well worthwhile event for those that can make it in the middle of the day – if enough people would like to hear Nicole speak but can’t make this day/time – let us know and we’ll see if we can arrange another time/location after business hours – I imagine we would need to assure some sort of minimum numbers

Cheers Guy

Nicole Foss – Speaking tour at Coffs Harbour on 11 February 2012. $10 including light lunch

“why strong local economies are smart economies”

For details click on local communities built on trust and resilience

Guy Saddleton

President Bellingen Chamber of Commerce

ph 0411 229 300

Transition Bellingen News 27 January 2012

Below is a Media Release and Flyer for the Inaugural Art Urunga fine art exhibition and sale in January 2012, and a photo of the “Visiting Artists” from last year who contributed to establishing this event.

URUNGA CELEBRATES FINE ART WITH ITS INAUGURAL ‘ART URUNGA’ EXHIBITION AND SALE

Media Release 8 December 2011

The Urunga Mylestom Chamber of Commerce is kicking off the New Year with a unique artistic approach. It has invited seven visiting artists, who have studied and shown in Italy and France and who regularly paint together, to exhibit alongside eight of its very own professional artists from Urunga, Mylestom and Raleigh on the 14th of January 2012.

The exhibition kicks off with a cocktail function open to art enthusiasts, locals and visitors on Saturday the 14th of January at the Literary Institute Hall in Bowra St, complete with string trio, complimentary drinks and canapés.

The Urunga Men’s shed have been engaged to build the partitions which will display the art works.

Visiting artists include: Jakki Boucaut, Margi Duncan, Lee Dear, Max Jessop, Lance Boucaut, Sue Beacroft and Pamela Victoria-Thyssen. According to one of the artists, Jakki Boucaut, “We had been coming to Camp Creative in Bellingen for many years, always staying in Urunga. Last year we felt the cool ocean breezes in the heat of summer at Urunga were conducive to our creativity and we decided as a group to not only stay in Urunga but paint here also” commentedJakkiBoucaut. “LorraineGordonoftheUrungaMylestom Chamber of Commerce, after enthusiastically viewing our work at the CWA rooms, flagged the concept of holding an exhibition at the end of our two week stay,ofwhichwejumpedattheopportunity”saidMsBoucaut. “Wearevery

much looking forward to this valuable time in Urunga and the opportunity to display and sell our works.”

Other local artists who have been asked to exhibit include: Bronwyn Rodden from Valla Beach, Caroline Sharkey of Urunga, Gail Cardow of Newry Island, Judy Bailey of Raleigh, Ruth Gollan of Mylestom, and Phillip Pomroy of Urunga. Photographers – Dale Neaves, Ruth Fahey and William Holden of Urunga.

End: For Further details contact: Lorraine Gordon 0427 200 365

Carols Urunga by the river

Morgo Street Reserve

Saturday December 17th 2011 at 5pm

Carols Urunga is on Saturday December 17th and the weather forecast is for a clear evening – just perfect for relaxing, singing and watching the magnificent fireworks at 9pm.

Carols Urunga is renowned for its great family atmosphere and its very special setting with our riverside stage overlooking the twin rivers. To help everyone relax there will be plenty of food and drinks available for your family to enjoy on the night. Remember to have your singing voices at the ready as all the performers love to hear the crowd join in with their favourite carols.

Ian ”Hendo” Henderson from the breakfast crew at Radio Station 106.3 2CS FM will be our MC again this year. As well as performances by children from both of Urunga’s pre-schools – Stepping Stones and the Urunga Community Preschool – musical highlights will include all your Christmas favourites performed by various artists.

Among these featured artists will be crowd favourites Peter Cole, Aron Oroszvari, Sam Ledger, Barbara Trist, Winona Wyborn, Tammy Mathieson, Ron Law, Katie & Emma Goddard, Tahlee Rose, Liz Cole and the Urunga Public School Choir to name a few – and of course a visit from Santa.

You may be lucky and win a Christmas ham from the famous “ham wheel” spins or perhaps some other great prizes from the Carols raffle!

The Urunga~Mylestom Chamber of Commerce hopes you will all enjoy Carols Urunga on Saturday 17th December from 5pm and thanks the many sponsors and volunteers that make this night an integral part of Christmas in the Bellingen Shire.

Program Times

5pm Start

6pm Pre-Schools

Singers

Arrival of Santa

Singers

9pm Fireworks Grand Finale

In the remote possibility of rain, please contact Greg McPhee 0408 556 341.

Urunga Mylestom Chamber of Commerce is presenting a Police Information Session.

Our Guest Speaker

Superintendant Mark Holahan, Coffs-Clarence Local Area Commander

With the recent spike in break and enters and armed hold-ups on local businesses of the Coffs Coast the Chamber has asked Superintendant Holahan to give an information session explaining the police response to these offences and also give us information on how we can better protect our businesses. There will also be a question and answer session to help resolve any of your worries with relation to these crimes.

DATE: Wednesday December 14th

TIME: 7.00am for 7.30am Start

VENUE: Ocean View Hotel, Morgo Street, Urunga

COST: $10 tea/coffee and savouries provided (no full breakfast)

RSVP to Greg on phone: 6655 6340 or email: Urunga.hardware@urunga.com.au by Monday December 12th

Regards,

Greg McPhee

PR Officer

UMCC

Ph: 6655 6340

Mob: 0408 556 341

You are invited to attend the next Urunga Mylestom Chamber of Commerce Breakfast,

Our Guest Speaker – Karina Morrison

Karina Morrison is the ETC National Manager of Business Solutions – a role which involves looking after 14 government contracts all aimed at supporting small to medium enterprises.

Karina’s presentation will take us through her career thus far:

She has run several successful businesses

Gone to University and stayed there for 10 years both working as a lecturer/tutor and picking up Degrees and Certificates.

Left Uni and started, and later sold, a successful business.

Took up the above position with ETC.

Put up for the Business Woman of the Year in 2010 due to her commitment to assisting small business.

Having been a company director Karina knows firsthand just how isolating small business can be and she will also share some of her knowledge and the assistance and support that is available.

DATE: Wednesday November 9th

TIME: 7.00am for 7.30am Start

VENUE: Ocean View Hotel, Morgo Street, Urunga

COST: Members $20 Non Members $25

RSVP to Greg McPhee on phone: 6655 6340 or email: Urunga.hardware@urunga.com.au by Monday 7 November

Regards,

Greg McPhee

PR Officer

UMCC

Ph: 6655 6340

Mob: 0408 556 341

Tourism update …..

100 Mile Dinner

Congratulations to Fiasco Restaurant for winning the starter category of the 100 mile dinner, this event took place in Sydney last weekend with TAFE students service the regions three courses, all of which were superb. This highlights the array of locally grown produce.

Regional Tourism Grant

There were 62 submissions received for the stream one regional tourism grant which closed on the 21st October, the Mid North Coast RTO have been working through the applications to determine which submissions will be considered.

COLD CHISEL CONCERT COFFS HARBOUR – Fri Nov 4

BUS ARRANGEMENTS

Concert information: CONCERT LOCATION HOCKEY FIELDS, CNR STADIUM DRIVE & PHIL HAWTHORNE DRIVE, COFFS HARBOUR.

GATES OPEN 5PM

FIRST BAND 5.45PM

CONCERT FINISHES 10PM

Location of put down & pick up as per previous NRL football games, Stadium Drive within short walking distance of concert entrance.

PRHIBITED ITEMS : No alcohol, no bottles, no glass, no cans, no skateboards, no chairs, no milkcrates or boxes, no umbrellas, no studded belts or wristbands etc. No club patches or jackets, no fireworks, no weapons, no drugs , no videotaping , no professional still cameras with removable lens (small cameras are allowed), no laser lights , no water pistols (see below also).

PARKING

Parking is available on site. However we encourage people to park AWAY from the site at one of these locations.

1/In town COFFS CDB

2/Coffs Racecourse Howard St.

3/Centro Toormina

FREE buses will run from & back to these locations as below .

BUSWAYS – will run a bus from Racecourse & Park Ave Coffs Harbour

BEFORE CONCERT x 1 bus

Depart Racecourse Howard St , from 5pm

Depart Park Ave outside Crazy Clarks from 5.15pm

Proceed to Concert site

Return to Racecourse

Repeat at 5.30pm , 6pm , 6.30pm , 7pm & 7.30pm

AFTER CONCERT @ 10PM x 3 buses

Buses proceed to clear patrons going FIRST to Racecourse and then Park Ave as required.

SAWTELL COACHES will run a bus from Centro Toormina Road, Toormina.

BEFORE CONCERT x 1 bus

Centro Toormina from 5pm

Proceed to Concert site

Return to Centro

Repeat at 5.30pm , 6pm , 6.30pm ,7pm & 7.30pm

AFTER CONCERT @ 10PM x 2 buses

Buses proceed to clear patrons as required & return to Centro Toormina .

PROHIBITED ITEMS LIST COLD CHISEL CONCERT FRI NOV 4 COFFS HARBOUR

· Glass

· Chairs (folding, portable, camping)

· Alcohol

· Laser lights

· Cans

· Anything studded, i.e. belts, wristbands etc.

· Drugs

· Umbrellas

· Skateboards

· No club patches or jackets allowed

· Video and tape recording devices.

(Bring a plastic poncho or a raincoat instead.)

· Milk/bread crates

· Weapons of any kind

· Fireworks

· Professional still cameras w/ removable lens.

· Water pistols or; Any other items deemed to be potentially dangerous or disruptive by the promoters at their sole discretion.

- Small still cameras ARE allowed.

Enterprise Connect Assistance

Tourism firms can apply for Enterprise Connect assistance. Eligible tourism firms will be entitled to the full range of Enterprise Connect services and client documentation will be available on the Enterprise Connect website shortly.

Enterprise Connect Program (www.enterpriseconnect.gov.au) now available to tourism operators.

Eligibility

To be eligible for EC services, tourism firms must:

possess an Australian Company Number (ACN);

have a turnover of more than $1 million and under $100 million in the current financial year or three preceding financial years;

be solvent;

have operated in Australia and filed Business Activity Statements showing ongoing trading in at least three full consecutive years;

be a tourism business that derives a significant portion of its turnover from tourist accommodation, tourist attractions, experiential tourism, the operation of tours, or travel agency services. The business must derive a significant portion of its turnover from tourists (people who have travelled for a round trip distance of at least 50 kilometres from home), and would either cease to exist in its present form, or would be significantly affected, if tourism were to cease;

comply with its obligations under the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act 1999 (EOWA).

Businesses whose primary trade is retail, cafes, restaurants, or take away food suppliers are not eligible under the tourism category.

National Tourism Industry Network

To support the growth and competitiveness of the tourism sector, a National Tourism Industry Network (NTIN) will be established within Enterprise Connect. Modelled on the existing Food Network, NTIN, will be led by Tasmanian State Director Keith Calvert. Keith will soon be seeking nominations from Business Advisers for NTIN representation in each state. Similar to the Food Network, these Business Advisers will become a conduit within the network and become central contact point for the NTIN in each state.

Free business review and benchmarking and up to $20k ($ for $) Grant available to improve businesses for eligible activities.

For further information contacts: Keith Calvert: Tel: 03 6433 8001, M: 0420 961 125

Email: Keith.Calvert@innovation.gov.au

Celebrate International Year of Forests in local national parks

The International Year of Forests provides a great opportunity for people to connect with nature and explore the hidden delights of local national parks with a knowledgeable Discovery Ranger. Check out these upcoming activities:

Big Tree Explorer – Saturday 5th November 2011

MEET: Dorrigo Rainforest Centre, Dorrigo National Park

START: 9.00 am (ends 4 pm) DURATION: 7 Hours COST: $75 per vehicle, incl morning tea, map & brochure.

BRING: Lunch, plenty of drinking water, a broad-brimmed hat, sunscreen and walking shoes.

GRADE: Medium – Includes lunch stop & short walks.

DETAILS: Come on a journey back in time, a vehicle-based day of exploration to admire some of the most magnificent old trees left in the region. We visit Cascade and the Nymboi-Binderay national parks, having lunch on the banks of the wild and scenic Nymboida River.

Learn about the early timber getting history of this area; see ancient tallowwood and brushbox trees, as well as some of the largest remaining red cedar on the plateau. A number of short walks will take us back to days when all the hard work was done on the end of a cross-cut saw and timber was hauled by bullock or steam trams to local mills.

VEHICLE: Although, as with all our Explorer tours you will need your own 4WD vehicle, the route taken is 2WD-accessible on formed gravel roads. Please ensure your vehicle is fuelled up and has a working spare tyre kit. Morning tea is provided by NPWS.

MAXIMUM NUMBER = 8 vehicles max. DISCOVERY RANGERS: Anita Menhofer & Area Ranger Anton Ingarfield

Bookings essential on 02 66572309

Sherwood 4WD Explorer – Saturday 26 November 2011

MEET: Woolgoolga Creek picnic area, Sherwood Nature Reserve: west from the roundabout on the Pacific Hwy, Woolgoolga.

START: 9.00 am (ends 4 pm) DURATION: 7 Hours COST: $75 per vehicle, including morning tea.

BRING: 4WD vehicle with good clearance; lunch, plenty of drinking water, a hat and walking shoes.

GRADE: Medium – good clearance needed, but good condition gravel/sandy roads. Includes lunch stop & short walks.

DETAILS: A very special all-day 4WD vehicle-based tour with stunning views, into the spectacular and ancient sandstone landscapes and taking in enormous old growth forest trees of Sherwood Nature Reserve, northwest of Coffs Harbour. The tour celebrates the International Year of Forests by traversing a staggering range of forest communities, from the warm subtropical rainforests of Woolgoolga Creek to the dry sandstone heath of Sherwood plateau. You’ll look over the Orara valley (morning tea supplied by NPWS) towards the coast from Get Lost Trail, where we have lunch. We’ll explore the rich Aboriginal cultural heritage values of the area, expertly interpreted by Aboriginal Discovery Ranger, Mark Flanders.

MAXIMUM NUMBER = 8 vehicles max. DISCOVERY RANGERS: Mark Flanders & Area Ranger Gina Hart

Bookings essential on 02 6652 0900

Never Never Forest Revealed – Saturday 26 November 2011

MEET: Never Never Picnic Area, Dorrigo National Park

START: 9.00 am (ends 3 pm) DURATION: 6 Hours COST: Child $6, Adult $12, Family $36

BRING: Bring lunch and snacks, plenty of water, wide brimmed hat, sunscreen and shoes suitable for walking.

GRADE: Medium to hard – The walk will take 6 hours including lunch break. It is mostly level, but has some steep parts and one steep descent to, and return climb from Cedar Falls. The track is a single-file natural path and contains sections with steep drop-offs.

DETAILS: Join our Discovery ranger on a full-day walk into magnificent warm temperate rainforest in Dorrigo National Park. One of the most varied walking tracks in the area, this lovely, natural path winds its way through different forest types. The rarely walked Blackbutt Track features giant brush box, crab apple and beautiful examples of the restricted Dorrigo plum. We can pick one of a number of picturesque waterfalls for our lunch stop. The journey into this little visited gem of Dorrigo National Park is facilitated with a car shuffle at the start of the walk, and finishes at the Never Never picnic area.

MAXIMUM NUMBER = 20 PEOPLE DISCOVERY RANGER: Anita Menhofer

Bookings essential on 02 66572309

Web-link for Discovery activities is Upper North Coast

Or go to the Wild Wild World Website for these and all state-wide events and activities www.wildwildworld.com.au

Bookings are required for some activities and participant fees may apply.

For more information contact your local NPWS office:

Dorrigo 6657 2309

Coffs Coast 6652 0900

Mid North Coast Visitor Numbers increase by 7.1 per cent

Mid North Coast received over 3.1 million domestic overnight visitors – up by 7.1 per cent on the year ending March 2011 according to latest research from Destination NSW. Those visitors spent nearly 12.1 million nights in the region, up 8.7 pet cent on the same period last year. The number of domestic overnight trips to regional New South Wales increased by 3.1 per cent on last year. The majority of those visitors were from regional NSW contributing more than Sydney for both visitors and nights. The Mid North Coast received 83 per cent of visitors and 80 per cent of nights from the total intrastate market. Interstate visitors contributed 17 per cent of visits and 20 per cent of nights with Queensland the largest interstate market for both visitors and nights.

Holiday and leisure at 58.7. per cent was the largest purpose for visitors to the region followed by visiting friends and relatives at 31.9 per cent and 6.1 per cent for business. Holiday or leisure was the largest purpose in terms of nights in the region at 66.7 per cent. Belinda Novicky, Executive Officer for the Mid North Coast believes that these figures represent excellent growth for our region.

Our next tourism meeting will be held on Thu the 17th November at the NEW Plantation Hotel which opens under guidance of Harry Barry next Tues.

Please diarise 17:30 for an 18:00 start where the new branding for the region will be unveiled.

Regards

Tracey Adendorff

Executive Officer

Ph: 6651 7766

www.coffstourism.com

The aim of the survey is to access the economic impacts of Rally Australia 2011 as experienced by local businesses.  In particular to examine business preparedness, post event outcomes and identify possible increases in short term employment due to the event.

This will be important information for future events and everyone is encouraged to take the time to complete the survey.

Link for the survey:https://scutourism.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_7QG5E52mSRxlz0g

The conference program includes 36 local, national and international speakers will discuss how leadership is fundamental to the growth and revitalisation of regional and urban communities and why innovation encourages growth and investment in new industries, media, social capital and the new regional society. There is also a separately bookable pre-conference workshop on 17 November where delegates will have the opportunity to discuss issues with some of the conference key speakers. The conference and workshop agenda is attached  Strategic Regional Leadership Conference & Workshop Program and you can also view it online at www.regionalleadership.net.au.

Tiffany Slack-Smith

Regional Development Australia – Mid North Coast

Tel: 02 6583 8641

Email: tiffanys@rdamidnorthcoast.org.au