What a positive start it’s been to the year with one of our best Tamworth Country Music Festivals on record and recognition of our region’s community achievers with our Community Australia Day Awards. I hope you were able to get out and about to enjoy your favourite parts of our 10-day event which is the largest and longest-lived country music celebration in the southern hemisphere.
The Festival brings a great cash injection to our community. Council invests $2.6m in the Festival and we receive $1.9m income through things like sponsorship, hire fees and ticket sales commissions. Council is out of pocket about $600,000 a year yet there is a boost of about $100m to the regional economy. That’s a good return in anyone’s eyes.
Congratulations to those who have been honoured with Australia Day awards at events around the region. Every winner makes an incredible contribution to our community. Their efforts help to make our region the great place it is. Well done to you all!