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Next meeting

Dear Members and prospective members, our next general meeting will be held at the Spring Bay Hotel in the front dining room on the 27th May 2010. We hope you can attend.

AGENDA:
Attendance/Apologies
Previous Minutes - December 18th 2009
Business arising from the Minutes
Treasurer's Report
Local Tourism Report - Maria Island, Wielangta Road closure, general discussion and update
2010 Priorities
General business - discussion and actions for items of interest and concern to members
Next meeting - venue and time.

President’s report 2008-09

Many thanks to the individuals and businesses that have supported our Chamber during the past year. We have 38 members, which is significant, but we will endeavour to build upon that base into the future, as increased membership gives us the imprimatur to represent the views of this sector of our community.

During the year we have held 4 general meetings, but additionally our executive has met many times to facilitate actions and clarity our stance on issues as they have arisen that effect our region.

I would like to thank Mick Fama, John Cole-Cook and Liza Gadd who have given their time to represent this part of the municipality on the Freycinet Coast Tourism Board. Our Chamber has consistently, over a long period of time, maintained that greater promotion of this area as a tourist venue is needed. This is reflected most evidently in visitor numbers to Maria Island, which are currently only 25% of those of the early 1980’s.

Executive members Tony Wright and Denis Bignold have both done a considerable amount of work in the past on proposals to make the island more ‘user friendly’ and we will continue to develop a contemporary plan to present to government which, if implemented, would improve those statistics considerably.

We trust that member John Cole- Cook’s current initiatives, along with those of the dive-tour operators, will successfully raise the profile of the island and the Troy- D artificial dive reef.

Business signage removal has become a significant issue and concern for many members. We have met with our local Council General Manager and Planner on two occasions to discuss a proposal to establish two roadside pull-over areas, one on the northern side of Triabunna and another near the day-use area of Raspin’s Beach, outlining activities and services available. We acknowledge there are some problems with some signage, but a positive, attractive alternative needs to be developed before roadside signage is removed.

During this year we have worked with the Department of Economic Development in relation to the Troy D Artificial Dive Reef, which is owned by the State Government. Numbers of divers has been less than anticipated, and our Chamber, which initiated this project, will be working with the DED to improve direct marketing of the dive site. The potential of this dive wreck to attract visitors and their families to our region cannot be underestimated, and we need to ensure that many of the existing impediments are resolved to bring benefits to our area.

I would also like to acknowledge the hard work of Chamber member Chris Dillon, along with Don Paton, who gained funding to ensure the channel into the Prosser River was opened so that boats could again access the bay.

We are fortunate that we have also had the wettest year since the early 1950’s and the channel has been continually flushed.

However, it is obvious there is still much work to do to promote our area and the benefits that will bring.

Many thanks to all our executive members, Carl Bresnehan, Kathy Freeman, John Cole-Cook, Mick Fama, John Hall, Denis Bignold, and Tony Wright, along with the membership who have attended meetings and given their time to ensure that our Chamber’s views are represented so that the economic and social benefits of good decision making benefit our entire community.

Dale Pearce
President.
18/12/09