Shoalhaven City Council launch Event Support Program

Shoalhaven City Council is calling event organisers to host their Event in the Shoalhaven this Year. From January 17, 2022, event owners from across the country can apply for up to $20,000 in funding if they can prove their event will encourage visitors to come and experience the treasures of the Shoalhaven in autumn, winter, or spring.

Situated just 2 hours from Sydney and Canberra on the wonderful South Coast, the Shoalhaven boasts a variety of venue options including wide open parks to scenic showgrounds and sporting venues, as well as heritage halls, acclaimed restaurants, and state-of-the-art conference spaces.

With its picture-perfect backdrop and exciting venue options, the region is already home to hundreds of events annually including the Huskisson Triathlon, The Viking Festival, Fairgrounds Festival and The South Coast Food and Wine Festival.

Shoalhaven City Council’s Tourism Manager Coralie Bell said, “Tourism is a leading source of employment in the region, and in 2019 the Shoalhaven’s total tourism expenditure surpassed 1 billion dollars”.

“The past two years have been particularly challenging for the tourism and events industry, who among many things, have been forced to deal with loss of income and numerous event postponements and cancellations”.

“Through attracting events at times that are typically quieter, this program is designed to attract new visitors to the Shoalhaven and increase the supply of year-round local jobs, helping to prevent employers from laying off summer staff”.

“We encourage event organisers everywhere to consider the beautiful Shoalhaven for their next event. Surrounded by mountains, national parks, and magnificent white sand beaches, you are choosing a world-class destination when you choose the Shoalhaven” said Mrs Bell.

The Event Support Program is open bi-annually and all applications will be assessed based on their economic impact, ability to drive visitation to the region, benefit they can offer the local community and marketing reach.

Applications can be completed online and are open from 17 January until 16 February 2022. If you miss this round, the next round will open in July 2022.

For more information visit the Shoalhaven Tourism Event support page or email [email protected]