A Gordon cafe owner wants to hear from people in the western half of the Moorabool Shire with great ideas for a tourist trail.
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Scott Graham said it was time for the community to do something about visitation, rather than wait for the Council.
"This is not necessarily about food tourism or eco-tourism. It needs to be something more," he said.
"Since COVID, people have been more interested in what I call 'low key' trips where there are fewer people.
"We get people who discover Gordon because they don't like the crowds in the Hepburn area.
"I think people are enjoying a sense of space and discovery now."
The Gordons at Gordon co-proprietor said he was keen to form a working group that could promote the area roughly including Warrenheip, Dunnstown, Yendon, Lal Lal, Elaine, Mount Egerton and Millbrook.
"This area has a lot to offer tourists - including fresh produce, walnuts, the gold battery at Mt Egerton, the Captain Moonlite (bushranger) story and the mining era," Mr Graham said.
"The town of Lal Lal also has quite an attractive setting - and one of the biggest things that's happened for tourism in our area is the sunflower farm at Dunnstown.
"Add to that cold climate olive oil, beekeeping, farmgate experiences, organic products and more.
"It could include nature walks and some aboriginal heritage appreciation.
"There's a whole series of people doing a lot of creative stuff."
He said the working group would develop a strategy, starting with a mapping exercise.
"We're going to devote our Gordon's at Gordon noticeboard to the bringing together of ideas.
"It'll be a working space that anyone can contribute to."
He said lack of Department of Transport signage on the Western Freeway and Midland Highway was a huge issue for tourism in the shire's west.
"There is nothing at the Wallace or Gordon interchanges that encourages you to get off and explore those towns.
"Moorabool has been treated like a place to move through to get somewhere else rather than a destination." Mr Graham said.
The noticeboard is at Gordon's at Gordon, which is open Thursday to Sunday.
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Gabrielle Hodson
'All-rounder' journalist since 1993. I've worked in print, radio, TV & online as well as radio & TV producing and radio presenting. Working on Wadawurrung land. There are 7.9 billion stories out there. I'd love to hear yours...
'All-rounder' journalist since 1993. I've worked in print, radio, TV & online as well as radio & TV producing and radio presenting. Working on Wadawurrung land. There are 7.9 billion stories out there. I'd love to hear yours...
