WHAT looked like a potential tussle over who will live in the Nambucca Visitor Information Centre space when its current tenant moves on, bypassed in the new age of digital-bookings, marketing and the highway bypass itself, went nowhere … in the short term.
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Having asked for expressions of interest from potential tenants with rent set at $325 per week and receiving nothing prior to the closing date, Nambucca Shire Council now has three interested parties, all of them offering only a small percentage of the original rent.
Jacky Ashcroft of Nambucca Valley Craft and Art Inc and Robert Kennedy of Nambucca River Houseboats both put their cases to the councillors at the October 13 meeting.
Eleanora Snart of the Nambucca Valley Tourism Association also spoke, requesting a deferral of any decision given the approach of the busy tourist season.
Cr David Jones was the first to speak after the presentations, suggesting a suspension of three to six months.
“Let’s see what develops – let’s see what happens with the new service centre,” Cr Jones said.
Cr Brian Finlayson cemented the motion, calling for a deferral until March 2016. The motion was passed.
The General Manager, Michael Coulter, clarified the deferral meant Tourism Co-ordinator, Maita van Stockum, would remain based at the centre to oversee volunteers and its daily running for now.
Cr Anne Smyth said she hoped other interested parties would be made aware of the new situation.
“We now have three expressions of interest and none of them are offering what we asked for,” Cr Smyth said.
“Perhaps there are other interested parties – it is not fair that these three have had the opportunity to come in under the advertised price.”
Cr Rhonda Hoban suggested that interested parties could get together between now and March and talk about the shared use of the space.
“It would be good to see the space used to support the volunteers and support the valley,” Cr Hoban said.
