More than 30 fire-affected councils in NSW, South Australia, Victoria, and Queensland are to share $7 million in federal grants to invest in tourism drawcards.
The 65 projects being funded under the $10 million Regional Tourism Bushfire Recovery Grants program include food and music festivals, art installations, sporting events, and nature trails – and are intended to encourage visitors back into fire-affected communities.
One of the largest grants ($390,000) is going to the Snowy Valleys Council in NSW to help it stage its next Winter Bites Festival.
Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said tourism-reliant local government areas had been doing it “incredibly tough” as a result not just of bushfires but also of drought and the Covid-19 pandemic.
“These grants will go towards revitalising a range of events that had otherwise been postponed or cancelled, as well as developing new experiences to encourage visitors,” he said.
The Regional Tourism Bushfire Recovery Grants program is being administered by Austrade under the aegis of the Bushfire Recovery Fund.
Click here to see the full list of grant recipients.