Destination Country and Outback NSW, a reform of Tourism for NSW, hosted the workshop to gather insight and engagement for an overarching development management action plan.

Moree was one of 11 key areas chosen to host the gathering, and boasted the highest and broadest range of stakeholder participants on the day.

Not only were there representatives from the Aboriginal Lands Council but also Chamber of Commerce, Moree Plains Shire Council, Moree Tourism, Moree Plains Gallery, the hospitality industry, Moree Race Club, and travellers from Narrabri and Lightning Ridge.

Destination Country and Outback NSW business development manager Nicola Chandler said the final plan will become a to do list for the success of helping regions with the development of new products, lobbying government for resources and education training for industry.

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Key topics discussed during the workshop were the strengths and weaknesses of Moree, Narrabri and Lightning Ridge, what has and hasn’t worked for each in the past and what results each destination would like to see.

Tourism Moree chief executive Tammy Elbourne said there was a lot of commonality in the room with the three townships.

“We all have our own heroes in each community but we can have a stronger, louder voice from funding perspectives if we work together and collectively,” she said.

Stakeholders also identified the amazing potential product in indigenous tourism and discussed with Outback NSW how the ideas can be put into planning stages and total outcomes.

Mrs Elbourne said indigenous tourism had been spoken about a lot of times through various government bodies in the past but no action or results had come from that.

“We want action and results.”

“Another big topic was communication and when going in to apply for funding we should work together collectively rather than competing against each other for the same dollar,” she said.

The draft plan will be completed before Christmas and for the first time ever, the document will be sent back out to the communities and stakeholders for further input and tweaking.

“We will gather the feedback to compile our final plan. It will then become a living document and a to do list for the network. There will be no fear that it will be collecting dust on a shelf,” Ms Chandler said.

The Outback NSW team shared important tourism research from their consultants about international trends.

Moree, Lightning Ridge and Narrabri were able to take down the information and brainstorm ways to capitalise on them. For example 90 per cent of women make travel decisions and there has been an increase in groups of women travelling together.

“The leverage point comes when they returm home and encourage their families to return for a more diverse experience. We’ve also talked about extending length of stay, gathering indigenous focused tourism attractions, night sky experience, the evolved grey nomad and much more,” she said.

Destination Country and Outback NSW chairperson Stephen Bartlett stressed the importance of word of mouth as the number one marketing tool.

“There needs to be a love of Moree by the people who live here. Love your community and everyone coming out of Moree needs spread the universal message that the town is a great place,” he said.

Mrs Elbourne said it was a fitting time for Outback NSW to visit town, as Tourism Moree prepared for its own annual development and planning workshop in Moree.

“Stakeholders and the wider community will be invited in the coming months to be part of our D and P.”