Baw Baw Shire Council has partnered with Storytowns to develop The Baw Baw Audio Tour, a series of guided audio tours showcasing unique attractions throughout the Shire and featuring the voices and stories of local people who know the area best.
The 13-part series takes on an immersive podcast-style format and features town tours including Noojee, Trafalgar and Walhalla, attractions including Toorongo Falls and the Walhalla Cricket Ground, as well as 9 short-form signposts including Blue Rock Lake, Mt Worth State Park and Narracan Falls.
The tours are designed to guide the traveller on a deep dive through the area, uncovering intriguing sites and stories guided by the geo-located Storytowns App, which plays stories automatically as you near the various attractions.
One of the many towns featured is Neerim South, home of the famous Bower Bird sculpture – an eye-catching swoop of brilliant blue framing the entrance to the town that was created by local artists Phil Henshall, Christine Crochran and Keith Graham. "It's a welcoming thing," says Henshall. "We sort of hope it's going to be here for 50, 60, 70 years."
Other attractions featured in the series include Trafalgar's Holden Museum, one of the world's largest museums of its kind, Walhalla's historic cemetery filled with peculiar stories and characters, and the Noojee dinosaur, a local icon which travellers can't miss.
The "Baw Baw Audio Tour" podcast is available now on the Storytowns app. Download it free at https://storytowns.app/.
This project was made possible with a $10,000 grant from the Federal Government's Regional Arts Fund under the Targeted Marketing scheme through the Cultural Tourism Activation Fund in addition to a Council contribution of $10,000.
Quote attributable to Mayor Cr Annemarie McCabe
"We're excited to partner with Storytowns App to create the Baw Baw Audio Tour. This creative platform will not only support visitation to the different attractions and sites we have here in Baw Baw Shire, but it will enhance awareness of the local creative and cultural experiences through the voices of locals.
As the weather warms up and we begin planning our summer holiday trips, I highly encourage visitors and locals to download the free Storytowns app and check them out."
