Local Tourism & Events NewsThe latest updates on tourism projects, events, and business opportunities relevant to local businesses in the tourism industry.
September certainly lived up to our predictions that Glen Innes was going to experience a solid influx of visitors in spring! Holidaymakers from QLD and NSW were out in force, looking for new regional locations, experiences and a relaxed pace of life.
More extreme weather events continued to detour travellers heading west to seek refuge in Glen Innes, including many caravan and motorhome travellers that had planned to attend events that were flood affected.
The October long weekend saw the return of pre-COVID numbers coming through the Visitor Information Centre with many accommodation providers informing us that they were fully booked. Visitor numbers to Glen Innes from Western Australia and Victoria have also increased.
With the warmer weather upon us, adventure-based experiences and outdoor activities, such as bushwalking and fossicking, continue to be popular for families and those keen to explore the great outdoors.
Be sure to let your customers and visitors know they can view our events calendar and information about local experiences on the Glen Innes Highlands website or encourage them to visit the Glen Innes Visitor Information Centre, where we also stock a range of local products, gifts and souvenirs.
I hope you enjoy our jam-packed newsletter and that we all continue to see an increased number of visitors and positive feedback from travellers to our beautiful town and villages.
Rhonda Bombell
Tourism & Events Officer
Economic Development Team
Glen Innes Severn Council
| | | Local Business Opportunities & Industry Updates | | | Highlands HUB - Open Now! | | Highlands HUB, located at 167 Grey Street, Glen Innes, opened on Monday 26 September. You are welcome to come and check out the space any time between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday to see what the space offers.
Desks and offices in this co-working facility can be booked for an hour, a day, a week or months at a time. The facility also has a training room, boardroom, meeting rooms and a community co-working lounge. Prices vary according to the space and time booked. Hot desks in the community co-working lounge can be booked for just $20 per day, which includes internet, tea & coffee.
Whether you're an established business, a startup, or a community organisation, the HUB provides daily and ongoing plans to suit your needs. Bookings can be made in advance and include after-hours and weekend access.
Locals are commenting that the space is "modern and inspiring and has a wonderful outlook over Grey Street".
Online booking is available through the website.
Staff Training & Development Needs?
Funding received from the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund will enable the HUB to offer subsidised training and workshops during its first year of operation. Whilst regular workshops and training will be programmed, we invite community organisations and local businesses to get in contact to discuss specific training and development needs that we may be able to support. Email [email protected] or visit us in person.
This local economic recovery project is jointly funded by the Commonwealth and the NSW Government under Disaster Funding Arrangements.
| | Connect for SuccessLearn new skills and new ideas to help you navigate the road ahead and connect and collaborate with other small business owners and operators. Organisations are invited to become a NSW Small Business Month Collaborator - register online now. | | | Businesses Urged to Enhance Cyber SecurityCyber security incidents have the potential to be devastating for all businesses, big and small. In response to the heightened cyber threat environment, the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) is urging all Australian businesses to enhance their cyber security to mitigate and reduce the impact of cyber threats. Learn more. | | | Small Business Mediation Service Fee DiscountThe NSW Small Business Commission has slashed the cost of its mediation service by almost half to help more businesses resolve disputes over leases and other business issues quickly and efficiently. Apply here | | | Spotlight on Glen Innes in Australian Traveller MagazineAustralian Traveller Magazine has shone the spotlight on Glen Innes in their latest campaign and there is no better travel writer to do so than local Amanda Woods to give them the scoop on what to see and do in our beautiful town and villages. | | | | From unique accommodation and points of interest, Amanda leads our potential visitors through some of the highlights. Your Ultimate Guide to Glen Innes - read now. | | Wildflower Season The coming weeks will see wildflower season in full swing with plenty of opportunities for keen botanical enthusiasts and photographers in our national parks and nature reserves. Discover the various campgrounds, picnic areas, lookouts and walking tracks in our very own backyard and share these experiences with your visitors. Learn more. | | | Increase in Non-Urban Airbnb BookingsAs the travel revolution continues to unfold, the benefits of tourism are spreading further afield into regional Australia and New Zealand, and empowering locals to earn a living and make ends meet. Learn more. | | | Hospitality Spending Surges in NSWAustralian Bureau of Statistics data reveals NSW had the highest increase in hotel, café and restaurant spending in Australia, seeing an 18.4 per cent increase in July 2022, compared to the same time last year Learn more. | | | EV Charging Grant Application Deadline ExtendedAs the number of EV drivers has tripled in the past 12 months alone, if your tourism business is looking for a way to support travel throughout regional NSW, there is no better time to access funding, as the application deadline has been extended to Friday 11 November. Learn more. | | | Glen Innes Highlands Event CalendarCalendar dates are quickly filling up each weekend! Our online events calendar is your 'go-to' to check peak times, avoid date clashes, share information with your visitors, or discover local events to attend yourself or with family and friends. | | | | Event details that appear on the calendar feed through from events listed via the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW). Our team can also assist in listing your event - email us at [email protected]. | | 2023 Australian Celtic Festival Trader/Stallholder Applications Open NowLocal businesses who have a food van or market stall are invited to apply for a site at next year's Australian Celtic Festival. The Year of Scotland always brings big visitor numbers to Glen Innes. Apply online now. | | | High Country Writers Festival Launch: 8 OctThe official launch of the High Country Writers Festival will kick off at the Glen Innes District Services Club with a full day of entertainment, including workshops and comedy from George Catsi and Mandy Nolan. You can attend each event individually or take advantage of special packages. Book now. | | Rural Women's Day Events: 13 & 14 OctGlenrac is organising a Rural Woman's Evening, on Thursday 13 October at the Glen Innes Chapel Theatre, and Rural Women's Day event, on Friday 14 October at the Ben Lomond Hall. | | Celebrating 120 Years Of Research: 15 OctThe Glen Innes Agricultural Research and Advisory Station is putting on a special family-friendly day of markets (over 40 stalls), food vans, trade & machinery displays, site tours and loads more from 8.30am to 3.30pm on Saturday 15 October. Locals and visitors are encouraged to attend this rare opportunity to visit and see this historic facility first-hand. There will be buses coming from town to the site and then there will be bus tours to 4 relevant research sites at the station (cattle, sheep, legumes & trees). Each of these will feature a talk from relevant project experts. There will be two bus sessions in the morning and two in the afternoon.Come along and celebrate this very special occasion. | | Dance Create Evolve Weekend: 15 & 16 OctShimmy in the Glen have evolved from a small community group into a confident and competent performance troupe that embraces all things that sparkle and shake. They are having a weekend of workshops, as well as a Dinner & Dance evening on Saturday 16 October, which will surely be a fun night out in Glen Innes. For more details, contact the organiser on 0434 518 951. | | | The Chapel Theatre Presents Bowie: 29 OctThe Chapel Theatre will screen the latest Bowie movie, Moonage Daydream, at 4pm on Saturday 29 October, followed by supper and a night of tributes by local bands to musical legend, the late great Bowie. Tickets are $25 - book now. For any dietary requests, contact Ziggy on 0404 966 792. | | | Oiche Shamhna (Halloween)
at The Croft: 31 OctJoin revellers and celebrate the traditional Celtic holiday that has become Halloween. There will be poetry, food and spookiness. Tickets are $40. BYO. Bookings available via email or phone 0421 470 900. Learn more. | | | Red Cross Annual Fundraising Christmas Tree DisplayPlanning is everything and we want you to have plenty of time to get your entry together for the Red Cross Annual Christmas Tree Display at the Glen Innes Town Hall. | | | | This yearly showstopper launches the night of the Christmas in the Highlands community event, Thursday 24 November 2022. There are cash prizes for 1st and 2nd place in each category and businesses and community groups are encouraged to enter. Contact Jo Cameron on 0488 193 381 or visit the Glen Innes Visitor Information Centre for an entry form, which must be lodged by Monday 21 November. | | Arts North West ConnectDo you have a creative practice or run workshops in Glen Innes? Arts North West Connect is an online registry promoting creatives, venues, organisations and technical skills in the New England North West - register here. There is also an opportunity to have your say as a community creative to help guide their next Strategic Plan for 2023 - 2024. | | | | Local Marketing & Promotion Opportunities | | |  | Be Seen by More Travellers!We encourage all accommodation providers, event organisers and tourism businesses to register with the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW) to list their own businesses, experiences and events. It's FREE and allows you to easily increase your online exposure and have your business seen by more travellers. Listing your accommodation and event with ATDW also ensures this information displays on the Glen Innes Highlands website. If you require assistance with this process, email our team at [email protected]. | | Glen Innes Highlands on Social Media If you are sharing content on social media that is relevant to our visitors, businesses, and community, be sure to tag us in your posts, as we regularly share local content via our Glen Innes Highlands Facebook and Instagram accounts. | | | | Include the following tags in your social media posts: Facebook: @GlenInnesHighlands
Instagram: @gleninneshighland #gleninneshighlands
To leverage a wider regional audience, tag New England High Country:
Facebook: @newenglandhighcountry
Instagram: @nehighcountry #newenglandhighcountry | | Glen Innes Highlands, Where You'd Rather BeDiscover a place that's ready to embrace your dreams, cultivate your ideas and celebrate your success. | | | |
