Chair’s Quarterly Snapshot
The past quarter has been a full and rewarding one for me as Chair of Destination Goulburn Valley, bringing together governance, advocacy and plenty of time listening to, and learning from, people across our region. Alongside regular Board meetings and strategic conversations, the focus has been on keeping our work practical, connected, and responsive to what’s happening on the ground.
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I’ve really enjoyed welcoming new partners into the Destination Goulburn Valley network this quarter and am looking forward to working closely with them as we continue to strengthen our visitor economy together. There’s so much value in collaboration, and fresh partnerships bring new energy, ideas, and opportunities for the region. It has been particularly pleasing to welcome partners from a broad mix of industries, including hospitality, makers, wellness, experiences and agritourism, each adding strength to the collective story we tell.A key piece of work has been shaping our future direction, particularly through planning for our 2026 marketing and brand activity. Supporting this work, including a dedicated Marketing Strategy Workshop, reinforced how important it is that our destination story remains authentic, confident, and strongly led by community. Alongside campaign delivery, advocacy conversations and ongoing governance, this planning helps ensure Destination Goulburn Valley remains responsive, collaborative and ambitious for the future.
This quarter has also seen the continued impact of our marketing activity. Our December Dependants campaign celebrated many of the businesses, traditions and people locals rely on during the festive season, shining a light on the heart of our region through genuine storytelling and community pride.
Following the summer bushfires, our We’re Open campaign delivered another strong result. With a clear message that the region was open, welcoming and ready for visitors, one reel alone achieved more than 10,800 views, 537 interactions and 142 shares. Across the past 30 days, our social channels have also recorded more than 23,700 views, reached 4,340 accounts and welcomed consistent flow of new followers. Importantly, more than a third of views came from non-followers, meaning our region’s story is continuing to reach fresh audiences and potential future visitors. It is encouraging to see authentic, timely messaging cut through and directly support communities doing it tough.
Advocacy has also been front of mind. I’ve met with local Members of Parliament to stay informed and continue progressing important projects for the region, including Dhurringile Estate. I’ve also had the pleasure of presenting to and engaging with local groups such as the Mooroopna Steering Committee and Goulburn Murray Community Leadership’s Fairley Leadership Cohort. I’m very grateful to each of these groups for the invitation to engage. These conversations are invaluable in shaping strong, community-led outcomes.
This quarter was also a reminder that tourism leadership is deeply connected to community reality. Being involved in regional coordination during changing conditions highlighted once again the importance of strong partnerships, clear communication, and collective preparedness.
Spending time in the Goulburn Valley continues to be one of the most rewarding parts of my role. I genuinely enjoy meeting local leaders and, in the process, discovering new corners of our footprint, including some wonderful surprises like The Tea Stall a Malaysian delight that reminded me just how much richness and diversity our region has to offer. I highly recommend you check it out.
Another recent highlight was visiting Angie Russi at her studio in Rushworth, hearing more about her creative process and the much-loved guinea fowl pieces that have become such a signature of her work. Experiences like these remind me that our region’s greatest strength is its people, their stories, and the originality they bring to place.
Thank you, as always, to our Board, partners, operators and community leaders for their ongoing collaboration, generosity, and shared commitment to the Goulburn Valley. The momentum is building, and I look forward to what comes next.
Eugenie Stragalinos
Chair, Destination Goulburn Valley