Night of nights for Bass Coast business and tourism

IT’S the night of nights for the Bass Coast business community at the magnificent Cape Paterson Surf Lifesaving Club tonight, against the backdrop of the Bunurong Marine National Park.

The room is packed out with one of the biggest-ever turnouts for the annual Bass Coast Business Awards which is hardly surprising with 54 businesses entering the awards, including 25 first-time businesses.

Manager of Maru Koala and Animal Park, Neroli Heffer, a regular at the awards, said the turnout was indicative of the buoyancy in the industry at the moment.

“The mood in the industry at the moment is fantastic, people are on the move, the internationals are back and we’ve got some of the best figures we’ve ever had and we haven’t got to Christmas yet,” said Neroli.

“But the product is terrific down here. Everyone is really trying hard and the level of co-operation is great to see.

“It’s all about giving people a great time while they’re down here and everyone is on the same page with that.

“We’ve got a lot of great things happening down here, but obviously, the proximity to a fast-growing metro area is the big thing.”

The night was started in style with a powerful, thought-provoking welcome to country by Mark Brown from the Bunurong Land Council who revealed a little-known fact that the lands of the Bunurong even extend south to Tasmania.

Mayor Cr Michael Whelan also welcomed the local business operators and sponsors to the night, delighted with the support for the awards.

As well as thanking Mark Brown for his generous welcome, he also highlighted the development of a regenerative tourism strategy why Destination Phillip Island, which among other things, would embrace the cultural heritage of our First Nations’ People, something that visitors to the area wanted to see.

He praised those businesses prepared to put themselves out there for the awards, promising that the rewards would be there in improved networks and sharing of information, if not in the awards announced on the night.

He said the awards event had used all local products, where possible, in putting on the night, the food and drink, and also with the prizes offered to award winners.