Peter Noble is right in saying Byron shire needs to promote itself as the Regional Arts and Festival Capital of Australia. And he’s also right in asking what is ‘the Byron brand?’
Indeed. What do day trippers know about Byron core values? Environmentalism, arts, creativity, nature, care for others, wellness and locally grown food markets. With ‘three bin’ recycling schemes and a litter-free, plastic bag free nature everywhere around us!
Increasing numbers come to sashay around the Bay, to see, and be seen, on our beautiful beach fronts and coast line. Do these same visitors know or care that we have a remarkable Byron Theatre, restored Pig House Flicks, beautifully upgraded Mullumbimby Drill Hall Theatre, the Bruns Picture House, 100-year halls dotted about the Shire? And our theatre, music, dances, cabarets, local cinema, literature, philosophy, poetry and political discussion groups that fill them?
I served on Byron Shire Council’s Tourism Advisory Committee for four years (2010-2013). After determining our shire’s Core Values, the TAC developed a brilliant tourism campaign with a slogan (Don’t Spoil Us – We’ll Spoil You), using striking, yet humorous, images. All with one uniform text which read: ‘We’ll spoil you with our beaches, rolling green hills, local markets, colourful villages, vibrant people and music. Our communities have been protecting the shire from over-development, loggers and out of town politics. That’s why we love our shire with all our heart and soul’.
All we’ve seen over the last four years is a dumbed-down version with a few images and the slogan. Who we really are, and why we love our shire was deleted.
An introductory website and promotional materials to explain our core values and culture, what is asked of visitors to our shire is badly needed.
Peter Noble was also a member of that TAC committee. So Let’s pick up the pieces again and promote that Byron brand.
Ready to serve – again.
Jim Beatson, Byron Bay
