AFL fan-fare

Thursday June 22, 2023

By Lechelle Earl

Independent Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell is pushing for the Limestone Coast to benefit from the AFL’s Adelaide Gather Round next April – despite no games being allocated to the region.

The AFL announced the Adelaide Gather Round will be played from April 4-7 and it is understood three grounds in the Barossa Valley and Adelaide Hills are being considered to host regional games as part of the ground, with none allocated to the Limestone Coast.

While Mr Bell is disappointed the region has been left out, he has plans to ensure the Limestone Coast benefits in a different manner from both the Gather Round and the LIV Golf tournament, held a week later.

“Obviously we are not in line to receive an AFL game as part of Gather Round,” he said.

“From conversations I have had it’s a decision stemming from the AFL, not the State Government.

“However, we need the State Government to assist us in attracting Victorians who are going to Adelaide for the Gather Round, we need to give them a reason to come through Mount Gambier.”

“I’m looking for State Government assistance to do that, I’m talking about promotion but also about putting on a major event so that people have a reason to come through Mount Gambier on the way to Adelaide, and for those who do not do that, to come back through Mount Gambier on their way home to Victoria,” Mr Bell said.

He has had discussions with local stock agent Sam O’Connor, who has suggested hosting an event such as Tasting Australia, to showcase the Limestone Coast’s produce.

“I have been putting things together around this, we need a major event in Mount Gambier the week between Gather Round and LIV Golf and I’m looking at putting on Tasting Australia, like what they do in Adelaide but having Tasting Australia in Mount Gambier,” he said.

“This would be combining obviously a variety of goods, celebrity chefs, opportunities to incorporate Coonawarra, Mayura Station, obviously The Barn, seafood, all of that type of stuff in Mount Gambier for the week between Gather Round and LIV Golf.

“We would probably start it on April 3 for a week so that people who are going through Mount Gambier can take part.

“As well a lot of people will be flying into Adelaide who stay on for the week up until LIV Golf, I want to give them a reason to come to Mount Gambier for a couple of days.”

Mr Bell is calling on the State Government to subsidise flights into Mount Gambier for visitors, to ensure the Limestone Coast is easily and affordably accessed during the week.

“I want the government to offer 500 return flights for $250 – if you are in Adelaide you can fly to Mount Gambier and return for $250 but the condition is you have to spend a night in Mount Gambier,” he said.

“We will do a deal with Qantas and REX to subsidise 250 flights each and the condition is you spend the night in Mount Gambier.

“Our accommodation providers and our hospitality providers would get a real boost out of the Gather Round and the LIV Golf, attracting all the people who want to come down and see the Blue Lake and come to Tasting Australia.

“They might have come from Sydney, for LIV Golf they may have come from overseas, so I want to do packages and I have already started speaking to people, to encourage visitors to come down for Tasting Australia, play three rounds of golf, visit the Coonawarra and all of our attractions.”

Mr Bell said he had started conversations with government, with the SA Tourism Commission also to become involved.

“We can put a cap on it, so the State Government knows what the cost is,” he said.

“We are going to go full steam ahead on this, we have to fight to get a share of these tourism dollars and I see this as a great way, this is hard for me to say, there might be people in Adelaide who do not like football or golf and want to get out of Adelaide.

“Well here is an opportunity to get out of Adelaide and come to Mount Gambier and rent your house out for an exorbitant amount, and give them an opportunity to visit.

“The opportunities are huge, we have to think a bit more strategic, we could be disappointed that we did not get a game and take our bat and ball and go home but we need to think how the State Government can assist us to get dollars in to our community.

“I think this is one very good way to do, it brings a major event such as Tasting Australia here to us.”

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