New South Wales Sport and Recreation Minister, Sandra Nori, has praised the Balranald community for using the southern bell frog to attract more tourists to the region. The Minister inspected Frogs with Attitude at the Visitor Information Centre during a visit to Balranald in June.
“The Balranald community has thought outside the box to position itself as a must see destination for anyone interested in frogs – animals that we sadly don’t see enough of in the wild or in our urban settings,” she said. “The southern bell frog is a threatened species but appears in large numbers in the region,” Minister Nori said.
“The people of Balranald have shown great initiative to recognise the potential of the southern bell frog to attract visitors to their region. During my visit I was told tourists had formed a queue outside the Visitor Information Centre over the Easter break. That is great news and shows what can be done when the community gets behind projects like Frogs with Attitude and the work of local panel beater Roy Mann.”
Minister Nori praised Balranald businesses for collecting money to help fund some large frog sculptures for the town. She said Balranald was a great example of how tourism can be used to educate people about conservation.
“Souvenirs like frog tiles, key rings, T-shirts, frog fountains and sculptures encourage people to learn more about animals like the southern bell frog,” the Minister said. “Balranald is not just the gateway to Mungo National Park but an attraction in its own right through the hard work of those who have recognised the value of the southern bell frog to the tourism industry.”
