Thank-You For Visiting Our Town

RAELEE Brier will leave Longreach tomorrow after striving for seven months to see the town’s tourism industry succeed and thrive.

Ms Brier’s determination and commitment to regional tourism has seen the local tourism association come to life and a new-look visitors’ guide created.

Yet Ms Brier said the future of the position of tourism officer had always been uncertain.

“If the position of Tourism Development Officer was a definite one for an additional 12 months to two years, I would have more than likely have reconsidered my decision to move on,” she said.

“However tourism has been a fairly low priority here for many years and it is difficult to change this in a matter of months.

“I am passionate about this town and would have loved to have taken it to the next level in tourism.

“I am confident that the momentum that has built up over the past few months will ensure tourism becomes more prominent on the council agenda in the future.”

Ms Brier believes there needs to be a re-focus of several issues in the tourism officer position to ensure it worked.

“The key to achieving things in Longreach has always been to gain support for new ideas,” she said.

Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame (ASHOF) general manager Victoria Kerrisk is aghast at the loss of the tourism officer in Longreach, especially one who has achieved so much in such a short time.

Mrs Kerrisk said with Ms Brier leaving town, the promotion of the region would again be left up to struggling businesses.

“Raelee’s loss is very frustrating from a business point of view,” she said.

“We all benefit from tourism but a few people can’t do all that is needed for the industry to thrive.”

Mrs Kerrisk explained that Ms Brier had brought the town together for the first time and presented a professional front to visitors and tourists.

“Raelee has taken tourism in this town to a new level and kept local businesses in line with what is happening in this industry,” she said.

“It is because of her efforts that the Outback Queensland Tourism Authority (OQTA) awards will be held in Longreach this year.”

Mrs Kerrisk said the town would need Council’s help to ensure that the momentum generated by Ms Brier continued.

“I know Cr Tanks supports tourism and listens to new ideas and I hope councillors will see the benefits of a tourism officer,” she said.

“Other regions have really developed tourism and have tourism officers so why can’t we have all this too?”

Longreach Shire Council chief executive officer Fred de Waard admitted that the funding and resources that Council have committed to provide to the local tourism industry was limited.

“There is certainly a need for someone to drive the area of tourism in this town but I cannot say for certain when someone else will be appointed to the position of tourism officer,” Mr de Waard said.

“Ms Brier has been a fantastic resource to Longreach. She has gotten the tourism ball rolling in this town.

“The main challenge now is to be very strategic in the way we do things and how we use our resources.”

Longreach Mayor Pat Tanks agreed that Ms Brier had made a big contribution to tourism in the region but denied the loss of this contribution had anything to do with budgetary constraints.

“We are very sorry to lose Raelee and would love her to stay,” Cr Tanks said.

“But as I understand it, it was her decision to leave and had nothing to do with any budget issues related to the position of tourism officer.”

While Ms Brier said she was sad to leave the town into which she had put so much hard work, she was optimistic about her new life in Charleville working as a Communication and Education Officer.

“A lot of progress has been made in my time here and the groundwork has now been laid so Longreach has a lot of momentum to carry it through the coming year.”