One long-time Bega local has started a campaign to bring a special kind of sign to the Princes Highway as part of a proposal to liven up his hometown’s CBD. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
When you’re driving around, what catches your eye? Well, hopefully, you’re keeping your eyes on the road.
Bega local Darryl wants a new kind of sign installed near his town — a Bypassed Towns sign.
He believes the new signs, first promised in 2019, could attract more visitors and support businesses in his town.
Wait — what kind of sign?
According to the Transport for NSW (TfNSW) website, Bypassed Town signage is installed at the northbound and southbound approaches to a town.
Bega is also listed as one of four spots along the Princes Highway set to receive the signs during the rollout’s first stage.
Bega is currently listed as a priority place for the signs — but there’s been no indication of a timeline. Image: Transport for NSW website/Screenshot.
The specially designed signs are intended to grab motorists’ attention as they drive past, and feature colour images to represent (and promote) the town.
“The Bypassed Town signs are the largest NSW directional signs manufactured for tourism. The signs aim to help towns and regional areas drive economic activity once a highway bypass opens to traffic,” the TfNSW website says.
They’re also reflective (meaning they can be seen at night).
What would they mean for Bega?
Long-time local Darryl said he first saw similar signs when travelling around North Queensland.
“My wife and I have been travelling quite a bit over the last 18 months or so, doing quite a few road trips to Brisbane, North Queensland and that [area],” he told Region.
“They encourage people to get off the bypass and back into the town.”
After returning home, he did some research and discovered that Bega was in line to have the signs installed, as of 2019.
“Seven years down the track, we haven’t got these signs up at our front door,” he said.
For Darryl, the signs could be the first step in resolving the “retail turnaround” facing the town.
He first moved to Bega in 1989, and said the past four decades had seen “quite a bit of change” in the CBD.
“I’ve noticed that there’s around a 13 per cent vacancy rate for the street-level businesses in the CBD.
“I’ve got no idea how many first-floor businesses are vacant.”
He said that, since the opening of the Bega bypass, much of the traffic through the town’s centre had fallen away.
“It’s done a great job of getting the trucks off the road, off the main street of Bega, but it’s also dragged those tourist numbers away.”
What do we know about the signs’ impacts?
During a TfNSW trial of the signs, 85 per cent of survey respondents saw their size as being highly effective, with many saying the images caught their attention.
However, the survey found that only half the respondents actually stopped, although some said they would make a return trip and visit.
What’s next?
In a statement to Region, TfNSW appeared to put the brakes on the project indefinitely.
A spokesperson said there were “no plans” to install the signs.
“Bypassed Town signage is a NSW Government initiative which aims to encourage travellers to stop and visit bypassed towns in rural and regional NSW,” they said.
“In 2019, Bega was identified as a potential location for this initiative. Installation of signage was not funded.”
