Local tourism group winds up after funding woes

“Both myself and the board are absolutely gutted that we had to pull the pin on an organisation that’s been serving our community for many decades,” Mr Santos said.

“(The decision came) after a long period of analysing the options. We looked at every possible option available to us to enable us to continue trading on a viable basis. It just became very apparent that without the major support ... we would not be able to sustain the organisation in any long-term proposition.”

Mr Santos said the major support they needed had traditionally come from both local councils: Campaspe Shire Council and Murray River Council.

“My understanding is that currently both Campaspe and Murray River Council are devising their own plans for tourism promotions. I wish them all the best,” he said.

“I do hope for the sake of our community that they come up with a plan that’s going to ensure that our businesses and our attractions and our retail stores and our accommodation members are all able to benefit from their new services.

“Sadly, my experience is that it’s been (about) 18 months since they started to do research, and there’s been no outcomes to speak of. I’m hoping that they change their attitude regarding the promptness of services, especially now that EMT isn’t going to be there to provide that service.”

In July last year, EMT announced at a members' meeting that due to the ending of a funding agreement with both councils, it would be closing the Visitor Information Centre at its heritage-listed location at 2 Heygarth St, Echuca.

On the final day of the old Visitor Information Centre, the twin town councils released a joint statement announcing that a new one would be developed with Campaspe Port Enterprise (CPE).

Under CPE’s management, the new information centre opened up last September at 41 Murray Esplanade along the Port of Echuca. This agreement is currently in place until June 30, 2025.

Despite cost-cutting measures, Mr Santos said that without that funding stream, the organisation could not be assured of long-term viability.

“We have a duty ... to ensure that the organisation is able to trade into the future, and we could not go to our members and ask for another 12 months support in membership knowing that eventually, the funding would cease to be able to support the organisation,” he said.

“When I was asked to lead the group, my job was to sit down with all the key players, including the shires, and basically try and revive the relationships that appeared to have been lost at that stage.

“We have been able to attract minimal funding, basically hand-to-mouth, which was basically going to allow us to do short-term promotions but nothing ... that enabled us to consider medium- to long-term promotions.

“The time came when we obtained legal and financial advice, and ... at our board meeting last Tuesday, we decided that we could not potentially continue trading only because there was not a long-term or even a medium-term viable proposition for the organisation.”

Mr Santos said that coming to this decision was not something done lightly by the EMT board.

“I think it’s important for the community to realise that it wasn’t an easy decision, and no matter how both Campaspe Shire and Murray River spin their story, it’s very much one where they were able to rectify the situation, but they decided not to,” he said.

“We were able to discharge the function that our members were asking us to do, and we were cut short. We left the board meeting absolutely gutted to come to the realisation that we are no longer a viable proposition for our community.”