Tourism in the Parkes electorate is in the spotlight with Shadow Minister for Trade and Tourism Kevin Hogan in Dubbo to see why the Central West region is among the top tourist destinations in NSW.
Federal Nationals Member for Parkes Mark Coulton said it was fantastic to have Mr Hogan return to the electorate to tour some of Dubbo's major tourist attractions, along with Nationals candidate for Parkes Jamie Chaffey.
"While the Parkes electorate is known for its agricultural dominance, we also have a growing tourism industry which has been experiencing a boom ever since the COVID-19 pandemic," Mr Coulton said.
"In my electorate, Dubbo is the biggest tourist destination with tourism a major contributor to the local economy. Visitors spend approximately $380 million in the Dubbo Region every year which provides a huge economic boost to our local businesses."
Mr Coulton said Taronga Western Plains Zoo is the jewel in Dubbo's tourism crown.
"It's been a while since I've visited the zoo myself, so it was great to get a tour and experience some of the highlights, including the giraffe feeding, the wildlife hospital, and Platypus HQ Rescue.
"Although the zoo is the main drawcard for families and visitors to Dubbo, there are plenty of other great attractions to keep people in town for longer and I'm pleased Kevin and Jamie got a taste of what else is on offer.
"We also visited the Western Plains Cultural Centre where Dubbo's history and world class exhibitions are showcased and the Royal Flying Doctor Visitor Experience which is an impressive interactive exploration of the RFDS."
Mr Hogan, Mr Coulton and Mr Chaffey had the opportunity to catch up with some of the region's biggest exporters during the two-day visit, which included a tour of the Toongi Rare Earth Mine and Ahrens Silos in Gilgandra and meetings with Dubbo Regional Council and Gilgandra Shire Council.
"The visit to Toongi Rare Earth Mine comes off the back of Australian Strategic Minerals this week receiving a $5 million Federal Government grant to fund up to 50 per cent of a study to find more efficient ways of refining rare earths at its mine and processing plant," Mr Coulton said.
Mr Hogan said it was great to see the tourism industry booming in Dubbo.
"The Taronga Western Plains Zoo is a huge drawcard for tourists both domestically and internationally, but that is just the start of it here. The Royal Flying Doctor Service Visitor Experience is a fantastic showcase of the long history of our heroic doctors, nurses, pilots, and outback communities involved," Mr Hogan said.
"The broad range of agricultural powerhouses out here never cease to amaze me. The Toongi Rare Earth Mine and Ahrens Silos in Gilgandra were great to see firsthand and reiterated the fact that regional Australia is the lifeblood of our country. Regional Australia keeps the country running."
Jamie Chaffey said the visit was a good opportunity to meet more local people from Dubbo and Gilgandra and increase his knowledge and understanding of what's most important to the success of these important local government areas.
"Tourism is so important for regional communities where many small businesses rely on dollars from visitors," Mr Chaffey said.
"Dubbo is a key tourist centre in the Parkes electorate and I was pleased to be able to gain further insight into some of the great local attractions.
"It was also great to meet with some of the exporters in this area to discuss their concerns ahead of the next election."
