The Shire of Ashburton has harnessed an online audience of over 600,000 with Ronny Dahl and 4 Wheeling Australia.
With border restrictions increasing in 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Shire of Ashburton recognised a need for engaging, adventure-based tourism opportunities in Western Australia.
The Shire knew their vast landscapes, stunning gorges and coasts, and key destinations such as Karijini National Park were the perfect answer for those looking for an adventure in their own backyard.
To showcase this, in early 2021 the Shire of Ashburton engaged 4 Wheeling Australia and 4WD enthusiast Ronny Dahl to produce a ‘4 Wheeling Ashburton’ feature on their YouTube channel and collaboration across Facebook and Instagram platforms.
Ronny Dahl and the 4 Wheeling Australia team were invited to bring their cameras and explore the four towns of the Ashburton Shire and all the amazing stops in between. With a combined social media following of over 570 thousand, the team are well known and well
respected in their field.
The result was a ten-part series showcasing a trip throughout the Shire, the creation of a 4WD trail map, a live show in Tom Price that was live-streamed to an audience of over 15,000, and a lasting working relationship between the 4 Wheeling Australia and Shire of Ashburton teams.
Through the collaboration, the Shire was able to reach a new and relevant audience of over 600,000 that was introduced to the Ashburton region and encouraged to come and explore it for themselves.
The collaboration also provided the Shire with an extensive backlog of relevant video content and imagery that could be harnessed throughout the tourist season across their dedicated Visit Ashburton tourism accounts.
The Shire of Ashburton will be reconvening with Ronny Dahl and the team from 4 Wheeling Australia as part of Australian 4WD & Adventure Show.
