More southern visitors expected as winter touring season starts

2018-06-14

Fraser Coast Visitor Information Centre staff and volunteers have seen an upswing in activity this week as they prepare to welcome more tourists from further south as temperatures drop.

Fraser Coast Tourism & Events VIC coordinator Andrew Ellis said the Maryborough centre was buzzing on Thursday with more than double the number of recent visitors through the door.

He attributed the increase in traffic to the sunny weather and the Maryborough Markets drawing crowds into the central business district.

“We’re finding tourists are really interested in Maryborough’s heritage and many don’t realise just how much history the city has to offer,” Mr Ellis said.

“Mary Poppins is becoming very popular with a lot of people keen to have a photo with the statue and see the themed pedestrian lights.

“They can then continue their stroll through the Portside Precinct and Queens Park.

“Maryborough’s events are also appealing to a range of visitors with PubFest, the Relish Food and Wine Festival and the Mary Poppins Festival fast approaching.”

He said more tourists escaping the southern winter were expected to start appearing in the next fortnight.

Mr Ellis said even this week the number of RVs using the free parking behind the Hervey Bay VIC had risen from about one vehicle a night to three or four.

 “When the cold weather really starts to bite we’d expect to see more southerners coming for extended stays either on their journey further north or on their way home,” he said.

“Last year, because of an extended period of cold temperatures further south, we found travellers didn’t want to return home and were extending their stays in the region.”

Mr Ellis said the number of inquiries about whale watching was also increasing with people starting to plan their trips around the whale season from late July to early November.

“We’ve noticed quite a few locals coming in wanting information for family and friends who are visiting during whale season which is encouraging,” he said.

Mr Ellis said this year there hadn’t been much overlap between Queensland’s Easter school holiday period and the New South Wales school holidays, which began on the final weekend of the Queensland break.

He said wet weather had affected the Easter holidays as ex-Tropical Cyclone Iris hovered off the coast but following the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, travellers were back on the road.

For more information about tourism on the Fraser Coast, go to visitfrasercoast.com.

ENDS

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