The Tilba Festival attracts thousands of visitors to the area. Photo: Tilba Festival website.
The Federal Government has announced the Tilba Festival and the Welcome to the Snowy Mountains 2021 Concert will receive Regional Tourism Bushfire Recovery Grants.
Funding of $20,000 to the Welcome to the Snowy Mountains 2021 Concert, and $30,000 to the Tilba Festival 2021, will help boost domestic visitors to the Eden-Monaro region and support the local tourism industry in response to the Black Summer bushfires and COVID-19.
The grants are from the $10 million Regional Tourism Bushfire Recovery fund for fire-affected events and projects in South Australia, Victoria, NSW and Queensland. The grants are part of a $76 million tourism bushfire recovery package to protect jobs, small businesses and local economies.
NSW Senator Jim Molan said the 2021 concert in Jindabyne is part of the Flowing Festival, a two-day event which is held at Lake Jindabyne, in Banjo Paterson Park, and will feature dragon boat racing, a community concert, food and drink stalls, market stalls and carnival rides.
The Tilba Festival has been operating for 35 years, and is held on the main street of Central Tilba on Easter Saturday, providing a full day of entertainment.
“It features family activities, live music, street performers, street games with prizes, arts and crafts, maker demonstrations, market stalls, food and drink stalls, buskers, street theatre and a reptile awareness show,” said Senator Molan.
“The Tilba Festival is a major tourist attraction for the region. On average, it attracts 10,000 visitors.”
Assistant Minister for Regional Tourism Jonno Duniam said the events – including a vintage motoring run, art trail, cycling event, concert and food festival – would assist in boosting the number of domestic visitors to regional areas when the time is right.
“With restrictions easing in some states and planning for events starting again, it’s great to be able to announce the latest round of grants that will help to breathe life back into our regional tourism industry,” said Assistant Minister Duniam.
“These community events and projects are all about encouraging Australians back into our regions to keep struggling tourism businesses alive by putting dollars into the hands of local vendors and operators.
“Each year, Australia attracts close to nine million international arrivals and with no immediate return to international travel in sight, it’s more important than ever that Australians support regional tourism and enjoy the best of what we have in our own backyard.
“This year has been as tough as it gets for so many of our regional communities that have been hit hard by the combined impact of bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is not only an opportunity to give visitors a new reason to visit our regions, it is an important chance for communities to come together and focus on something positive and celebrate what’s unique about their region.
“I’m urging all Aussies to consider taking a holiday right here, when it’s safe to do so. You’ll be doing yourself and the locals a huge favour.”
For more information and to apply for the Regional Tourism Bushfire Recovery Grants program, visit the Austrade website.
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