Heesco Khosnaran’s silo art at Weethalle. Photo: Heesco Khosnaran.
Travellers passing through West Wyalong are being encouraged to stay a little longer and discover what lies beyond the highway as Bland Shire Council steps up its push to spread visitors across its towns and villages.
The council has launched a new tourism video showcasing the people, landscapes, heritage and attractions of the shire, while two new interactive digital kiosks have also been installed in West Wyalong to help visitors find places to eat, things to do and events happening across the district.
Together, the projects form part of a broader effort to make it easier for travellers to explore Bland Shire rather than simply pass through.
And, rather than placing the tourism video online and hoping visitors find it, council is taking it directly to people who have already arrived.
It will be screened in guest rooms at accommodation businesses across the shire, at the West Wyalong Visitor Information Centre and before selected films at the Tivoli Theatre, as well as at community events, local shows and other venues.
The idea is simple – give visitors who may have planned only an overnight stop enough reasons to add another day, take a detour or explore one of the smaller communities.
Mayor Brian Monaghan said the video brought together the different stories of Bland Shire in a way designed to reflect the district itself.
“Our towns and villages each have their own story to tell, and this video brings those stories together in a way that is genuine, inviting and distinctly Bland Shire,” Cr Monaghan said.
“We wanted to create something that encourages visitors to slow down, explore a little further and experience the people, places and character that make our communities so special.”
That message is being reinforced on the ground through new double-sided digital kiosks installed in West Wyalong’s Main Street and at McCann Park.
Supplied by Just Digital Signage, the kiosks provide information about local events, community notices, food and drink options, attractions and things to do across Bland Shire.
They were funded through Round 9 of the NSW Government’s Resources for Regions program as part of the Bland Shire Community Amenity and Safety Program.
Cr Monaghan said the kiosks were designed to be useful for residents as well as visitors.
“These new digital kiosks are a great addition to our town, providing an easy and accessible way for people to find out what’s happening across Bland Shire,” he said.
One of Bland Shire Council’s new interactive digital kiosks, providing local event, tourism and community information in West Wyalong. Photo: Bland Shire Council.
“Importantly, they’re not just for visitors,” Cr Monaghan said. “They will also be a useful tool for local residents, helping share information about upcoming events, activities, community notices and other important updates.”
The kiosks also give council another way to direct people towards local businesses and attractions at the point when they are deciding what to do next.
“Whether someone is looking for a place to eat, local attractions to explore, or simply wants to know what events are coming up, these kiosks will make that information more visible and accessible,” Cr Monaghan said.
“Projects like this help make our towns more connected, welcoming and informed, while also supporting local businesses, tourism and the wider community.”
West Wyalong is well placed to capture passing travellers, sitting at the intersection of the Newell and Mid Western highways, with Goldfields Way providing another important touring route through the district.
Among the town’s best-known attractions is its famously crooked main street, which grew along an old bullock track during the gold rush rather than being laid out on a conventional grid.
Visitors can explore that history through the West Wyalong Heritage Walk, while the wider shire offers an expanding collection of public art, murals, museums and village attractions.
The Bland Art and Sculpture Trail links communities including West Wyalong, Wyalong, Weethalle, Ungarie, Mirrool and Barmedman and takes in everything from large-scale silo art to sculptures and murals.
At Ungarie, attractions include the town’s war murals and the Big Footy, celebrating its connection with the Daniher family, while West Wyalong’s Our History, Our Future mural depicts the district’s gold mining and agricultural story.
The restored DC-3 Dakota aircraft at Lions Park remains another prominent roadside landmark, while The Wetlands between Wyalong and West Wyalong offers walking areas, birdlife and an Aboriginal open display.
The tourism video was developed collaboratively by council and its production company, drawing on visitor enquiries, established attractions, emerging tourism opportunities and feedback from residents and accommodation providers.
Local residents appear in the production rather than actors, with council saying the aim was to capture the everyday country experiences that sit alongside the shire’s better-known attractions.
The digital kiosks, meanwhile, support council’s Main Street Revitalisation Plan by improving access to information and encouraging people to spend more time in the town centre.
Both projects point to the same tourism challenge – turning a convenient stop on a long road trip into somewhere visitors choose to spend more time.
The video is also available through Bland Shire Council and Visit West Wyalong online channels and at visitor locations across the shire, while the digital kiosks are operational in Main Street and McCann Park.
For council, the hope is that once travellers see what is around them, they may be a little less inclined to hurry on.
Original Article published by Edwina Mason on About Regional.
