Through a successful grant application and collaboration between Balloon Aloft, the Government of NSW and the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, NSW’s first accessible hot air balloon is now flying high above the Cessnock LGA.
The historic first flight had Parliamentary Secretary for Disability Inclusion Liesl Tesch and Hunter Valley local and Vietnam veteran David Le Brocque onboard.
“Dignified and equitable tourism experiences benefit the individual and also their support networks, who will now be able to share an unforgettable experience together, and that will go a long way in making life more inclusive for people with disability in NSW,” Ms Tesch said.
“Too often, people with disability miss out on the joys of tourism and I am thrilled to see more equitable experiences across our regions.”
The balloon is the first of its kind in NSW and has been supported by the NSW Government and Cessnock City Council, in partnership with operator Balloon Aloft in the Hunter Valley.
The project itself was an amazing feat, and we were thrilled to hear that the balloon had been chosen as a finalist in the category Partnerships and Collaboration – Under 150,000 in the 2024 NSW Local Government Excellence Awards.
This project was a first for NSW, a wonderful example of inclusion and accessibility in the Hunter Valley tourism industry and a standout example of public, private partnership, collaboration, and team work.
Funded through the Black Summer Bushfire Grant Program to the value of $150,000, the Support Local & Product Champion Program has been very effective in giving 100 local businesses personalised promotion to the local community. This has been greatly appreciated after all the adversity local businesses have had to face with bushfires, floods and COVID-19. The additional exposure through the paid Facebook sponsorship for the Support Local competition and promotion of the Advance Cessnock Facebook Page has meant that our team is more effective to disperse any disaster or grant funding opportunities to the business community which increases uptake of these initiatives.
Increased businesses following our website and social media pages and eNewsletter allows our LGA to be more strategic in our approach to solving some of the industry skills shortages currently being faced by our area with lots of training opportunities and employment positions being shared on the Jobs Portal of the advancecessnock.com.au website.
Support Local Product Champion Outcomes achieved include:
A second grant was funded through APA Kurri Kurri Lateral Gas Pipeline to fund an additional 25 short Support Local videos which will be made and released in 2024.
Cessnock City Council has the opportunity to positively influence the economic wellbeing and prosperity of our community. The Greater Cessnock Jobs Strategy 2036 has been designed to bringing together diverse community interests in ways that will stimulate enterprise and investment. The Strategy looks to create and maintain a conducive business and social environment through our delivery of services, infrastructure and facilities.
The Greater Cessnock Jobs Strategy 2036 provides a direction and framework guiding us to make decisions and identify opportunities to generate positive economic development. The Strategy was created in collaboration with government agencies, industry associations, local businesses and service providers, as well as the broader community. The Jobs Strategy has four economic themes: Productivity, Investment, Innovation and People, which are used to articulate the opportunities for the Cessnock LGA to strengthen its position as a desired place of residence, visitation and employment.
Download our Jobs Strategy PDF
Council worked with Wollombi Business Chamber and a design consultant to create a fresh brand and marketing collateral for Tourist Drive 33. The new design incorporated iconic attractions along the drive from Calga, via Laguna to Branxton. This is one example where Council has worked with a local business chamber to support local ideas and initiatives.
In March 2020, Council commenced developing the Hunter Valley Visitor Information Centre Business Plan for the purpose of identifying process improvements, service delivery improvements, cost savings and financial opportunities. The business planning process identified considerable duplication with Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism Association (HVWTA) that was not consistent with our joint objectives. A proposal was created to collaborate with HVWTA to provide a joint tourism service that delivers improved outcomes for tourism operators, increase visitation and a unified approach to promotion and marketing.
A formal agreement was reached in May 2021 to improve collaboration and reduce duplication between the organisations. Improved collaborations between Cessnock City Council, HVWTA, Singleton Council and Destination Sydney Surrounds North has resulted in over $15 million in grant funding received for tourism related projects between 2020 and 2023.
$287,582 in Reconnecting Regional NSW – Community Events Program funding was obtained for the purpose of boosting events and community activities within the Cessnock Local Government Area following COVID-19 travel restrictions. This program was delivered in 9 months and supported 10 local events including STOMP Festival 2022, Nostalgia Festival 2022, Sculptures in the Vineyards 2022, 2022 Postie Bike GP, Bimbadgen Outdoor Cinema and Huntlee Park Opening Event.
Cessnock LGA based Job Active Providers were surveyed regarding barriers to employment and the results indicated that part of the problem in filling available positions was a lack of transportation to work or assistance obtaining drivers licences. Following this survey Cessnock City Council created the concept of a Youth Driver Training Program to assist young people in obtaining their provisional drivers licence. Council successfully received $100,000 from the Resources for Regions grant program to deliver 1500 hours of paid driver training to disadvantaged residents. The program assisted 157 applicants and paid for 1541 hours of driver training. Youth Express have been the driving force behind identifying the program applicants and facilitating the driver training bookings with RGH Driver Training.
Cessnock City Council brought together ideas from the community, Mindaribba Local Aboriginal Land Council, Cessnock Business Chamber and Hunter Water in the desire to create an iconic tourism gateway that includes local cultural history. Apex Park is located at the intersection of Wollombi Road, Allandale Road, Maitland Road and Vincent Street where over 20,000 cars pass every day. The feature statement in the form of a Aboriginal storytelling, interpretive art, naturalised waterways and a modern meeting place will signal the entrance to Cessnock and to Hunter Valley Wine Country when travelling north. Apex Park will become and icon with visitors and has the potential to be part of the Town Centre’s branding and story.
Cessnock City Council are currently seeking grant funding to enable the construction of Apex Park Masterplan.
The new park, amphitheatre and outdoor cinema was designed to provide a multipurpose outdoor space for the community and visitors to enjoy. The new park incorporates a labyrinth for kids play, an entry shelter, picnic seats, trees for shade, sculptures and an outdoor concert area suitable for outdoor cinemas. Cessnock City Council received $602,421 in funding from the NSW Government Resources for Regions Program Round 9 to complete the project. The park was officially opened on 9 December 2023 with live music and a movie under the stars.
Cessnock City Council developed the first ever Hunter Valley Monopoly Board Game following the community survey that received over 650 responses.
The Hunter Valley Monopoly edition is a unique way to promote the Cessnock Local Government Area as a must-see visitor destination. With a focus on showcasing the Hunter Valley’s exceptional tourist attractions, Hunter Valley Monopoly is a window into the region’s rich heritage and remarkable visitor experiences.
The game features locations from Laguna, Wollombi, Cessnock, Kurri Kurri, Neath, Pokolbin, Singleton and Lake St Clair.