By RUSSELL BENNETT
ARGUABLY the hills’ biggest tourist attraction, Puffing Billy fittingly played host to the launch of Casey Cardinia Tourism recently.
The Gembrook station of the iconic railway is just one of a range of destinations across the south-east that will be showcased under the new tourism body.
Casey and Cardinia shire councillors were joined by Victorian state politicians and local business identities at the launch of the membership body for tourism operators located within both shire boundaries.
Casey Cardinia Tourism’s aim is to partner local tourism operators, government and allied associations together and market the local region to achieve business growth for its members and achieve economic prosperity for the region.
Speaking at the opening, chairman Ken Aldred acknowledged Casey Cardinia as “the great untapped tourist treasure of the state of Victoria” adding “we have a diverse range of wine and good food production, (and) iconic tourist attractions such as Puffing Billy here in the Dandenong Ranges through to the Royal Botanical Gardens at Cranbourne”.
A small group banded together to form Cardinia Tourism in March 2005 and over recent months – with the encouragement and support of both shire councils – it extended to become Casey Cardinia Tourism.
“As so much of the tourist industry is based around the small business sector, it is very appropriate that Casey Cardinia Tourism should be launched by the Victorian Small Business Minister, the Honourable Russell Northe, MLA,” Mr Aldred said.
In officially launching the tourism body, Mr Northe said it would “promote some of the most picturesque pockets of Victoria, stretching from the southern hills of the Dandenong Ranges to the lower plains of Westernport Bay”.
Gembrook MP Brad Battin also attended the launch.
He said: “Tourism is an important economic driver of small business in the Casey Cardinia region and showcases (its) enormous potential for investment and business growth.”
Puffing Billy Railway CEO John Robinson said his organisation was thrilled with the launch of Casey Cardinia Tourism.
“We see enormous potential for this whole region and we hope to be a large part of helping all of the members of Casey Cardinia Tourism to grow that organisation into a much stronger tourism presence in the region,” he said.
The Casey Cardinia Tourism website will soon be officially launched at: www.caseycardiniatourism.org.au.
