‘Where Wonder Runs Deep’ is the exciting tagline for a new tourism brand to attract visitors to discover the hidden gem that is the Waterfall Way and promote the journey from Armidale to Bellingen as a potential rival to the iconic Great Ocean Road in Victoria.
The new brand, was launched by Armidale Regional Council on Friday 28 October in the pretty and historic village of Wollomombi, home of the spectacular Wollomombi Falls, the highest waterfall in NSW and one of the iconic locations encountered along the scenic tourist drive.
The brand includes an emotive new website mywaterfallway.com.au , a national advertising campaign in the Australian Traveller magazine and digital media campaigns by social influencers We are Explorers. There will also be themed billboards on the New England Highway, a giant branded truck curtain on the New England Freightliners semi-trailer and banners in the Armidale CBD.
Armidale Regional Mayor Sam Coupland said the Waterfall Way brand will work hard to increase visitation to the region east of Armidale that was severely impacted by bushfires and the drought through the use of strategic marketing campaigns.
“The Waterfall Way scenic drive not only showcases the stunning waterfalls along the 2.5 hour journey but traverses some of the most stunning and varied landscapes within national parks and quaint historic villages and towns the New England High Country has to offer,” said Mayor Coupland.
“Tourism and the visitor economy is a key activation of our jobs and growth strategy and the new brand will stimulate growth across our region and in particular the villages of Hillgrove, Wollomombi and Ebor will benefit from increased visitation.”
Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce, said the Waterfall Way offers some of the best sights New England and New South Wales has to offer for tourists across the nation and overseas.
“This will be a great concept for Armidale and the surrounding areas of the New England, attracting more visitors and bringing vital business to our communities,” Mr Joyce said.
The Waterfall Way brand has been made possible by Council’s successful application for $100,000 in funding under the Australian Government’s Black Summers Bushfires Grant for economic recovery for the fire-affected areas.
Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall welcomed the tourism initiative and thanked Armidale Regional Council for enhancing the tourism potential of the iconic Waterfall Way and stimulating the economy of the surrounding villages post bushfires and drought.