Australian Community Media to promote tourism on the NSW South Coast with vintage posters
Regional news publisher Australian Community Media (ACM) will be running a tourism campaign in The Canberra Times and 50 of its regional newspapers across NSW in order to promote the South Coast region of News South Wales that was badly affected by the bushfires.
The Canberra Times cartoonist, David Pope, has created a series of specially-commissioned artworks for the campaign that take the form of retro tourism posters. The South Coast regions featured include Cobargo in the Bega Valley, Batemans Bay, Narooma, Conjola in the Shoalhaven, Mogo, Nelligen on the Clyde River, Murramarang National Park and Clyde Mountain.
The campaign promotes the tourist information websites of the South Coast’s main regional councils: eurobodalla.com.au, sapphirecoast.com.au and shoalhaven.com.
Following the ‘South Coast is Calling’ campaign, prints of the posters will be for sale to raise money for the bushfire recovery in the region.
ACM chief executive, Allen Williams, said: “We have a number of employees and publications in these fire-affected areas who have done remarkable work through the summer emergency keeping their communities informed and connected and this creative initiative is ACM’s next phase of support for the region.
“Like our journalists, photographers and editors, David Pope is a storyteller through his Canberra Times cartoons and these illustrations show his deep affection for these coastal communities, as well as some of his trademark wit and whimsy.
“These are beautiful pieces of work by David. ACM feels strongly that audiences will warm to his depictions of the NSW South Coast and respond to our message, which is to get down to the coast for a holiday and help these towns and small businesses get back on their feet.”
I’ve drawn some posters of NSW South Coast places, in the aftermath of the Australian bushfires. They’ll appear in ACM newspapers as part of a tourism campaign, then be available for sale as prints and posters to raise recovery $$ pic.twitter.com/zgzdZeo5tH
— David Pope (@davpope) March 5, 2020
Bega Valley Shire Council Mayor, Kristy McBain, welcomed the campaign.
“Holidaying here has taken on new meaning and depth. Many have asked ‘What can we do to help?’ My response is come and spend some time in my community, you won’t regret it,” McBain said.
“We need the people who love holidaying here to return and we need new people to discover what a great place this is to visit and holiday. Without those people our recovery and rebuild challenge is greater.
“The role business has played during this testing time has been key in the strength we see across our community and this promotion from ACM is the latest example of that generosity.”
Eurobodalla Shire houses some of the areas hit the hardest by the fires. Mayor Liz Innes said: “Eurobodalla residents valued their local papers as a source of information and comfort during the
fires.
“Now this beautiful campaign will help us welcome our Canberra friends back, and remind people in Wollongong and Sydney what a magical place the South Coast is.”
Shoalhaven City Mayor, Amanda Findley, commented: “International uncertainty also makes the timing of the campaign perfect.”
