As a microcosm of Tasmania, Flinders is suffering a loss of young people with its demographic profile showing a marked drop in the proportion of people aged 15-34 years. To help turn this situation around, the Area Marketing and Development Office (AMDO) was established early last year.
Marketing consultant, David Sell, was employed by Council to put in place its economic development strategy through assisting current businesses to expand their operations, and creating new job opportunities by attracting outside investment.
AMDO achievements to date
- Helped a small tourism services business start up
- Been the information conduit for travellers, intending residents, and potential investors to the region
- Held business improvement seminars where local business people have had access to expertise from all over Tasmania and Victoria
- Helped produce an update and new printing of a bush walking guide to the region
- Developed a bird spotter’s guide to the region
- Become an island based information office for the tourism sector
- Helped build the new web site www.flindersislandonline.com.au
- Invited developers to the region to look at the potential for an ecotourism development
- Developed a library of photos for journalists, Tourism Tasmania, Gateway and many others to use
- Coordinated the regular visiting of three mentors from Mentor Resources Tasmania (three times a year) to the region.
- Had a number of articles printed in media ranging from the local newspaper to Golf World, Europe’s premier golf magazine.
Current projects
- Helping a number of other small entrepreneurs turn their ideas into businesses
- Training some of the local school students in the skills of freelance journalism
- Working towards our next business skills seminar which will involve AusTrade and look at tourism and aquaculture as export industries
- Conducting an audit of Flinders Island using the Invest Australia blueprint
- Helping the Furneaux Enterprise Centre publicise the results of their recent aquaculture studies
- Working with David Bartlett at DSD to bring a part of the Innovations program and a patent attorney to Flinders Island
- Continuing to work with various media to keep events from our region in the news
- Working with a freelance journalist to get more feature stories out in 2002
AMDO’s future goals
- Help and encourage the Aquaculture Tasmania development to go ahead (25 FTE jobs)
- Help and encourage two other aquaculture developments to go ahead (50 FTE jobs)
- Help and encourage one ecotourism venture to go ahead (25 FTE jobs)
It believes these goals can be achieved within a five year timeframe, giving the region significant growth in population, skills, employment and hope for the future.
Ongoing AMDO services
- Help and encourage all local entrepreneurs to develop their ideas
- Improve the business skills base of the region
- Work with investment advisers to find the best people to invest in our region
- Work closely with the major airlines to help Flinders Island become a destination for them
