Moorabool’s food and wine industry will directly benefit from a local initiative which is promoting the area’s fresh produce, wine, cafes and restaurants via a new Shire wide website.
Moorabool Shire Council’s Acting CEO David Serpell said the Growing Moorabool website was built by Council in consultation with local producers. He said it aims to celebrate the bountiful food and wine on offer right across the Shire.
“The website – www.growingmoorabool.com.au – follows local fresh produce on a journey from the farm to the table,” David Serpell said. “It assists to deliver part of the Shire’s Tourism Destination Development Plan, adopted by Council late last year, by improving destination marketing and supporting the development the Growing Moorabool brand.”
Local lamb producer Beccara Lloyd said the website makes it easy for every Moorabool business that touches on food or beverage production in one way or another, to finally have a presence on the internet and via one central location.
“It’s a great vehicle for local industry to combine our product strengths and market the region as the fabulous food bowl that it is,” she said. “Ultimately I would love to see our fresh lamb products in more local restaurants, as well as uncovering new opportunities outside the Shire.”
The vision for the website was made possible via Regional Development Victoria’s Make It Happen in Provincial Victoria program.
The group behind the project, the Bacchus Marsh Tourism Association, with the auspice of Council, aims to have at least 50 local businesses on the website before the end of the year.
Bacchus Marsh Tourism Association’s Tina Seirlis said ‘Growing Moorabool’ is an all encompassing brand for fresh food and produce across the Shire.
“It also opens the door for local business to target new markets as they emerge,” she said.
Orchardists Jeff and Glenda Jones see great potential for the new website to help local businesses benefit from the growth in tourism to Moorabool Shire, and to tap into new export markets.
“www.growingmoorabool.com.au will give potential visitors and export partners the opportunity to discover, research and learn about the wealth of food experiences in the Shire,” Glenda Jones said. “If our businesses are not online in this day and age, it would be difficult for our products and the region as a whole, to be on their shopping list.”
Members of the site will receive a wealth of tools to help promote and grow their businesses, including:
- a full web page promoting their business
- a unique web address leading to their
profile page - formatted A4 printable flyers that can be
printed at the click of a button - use of the Growing Moorabool brand
logo - networking opportunities.
For further information contact Tina Seirlis on 0400 145 558.
