{"status": "ok", "message": "Success!", "html": "\u003Cp\u003ETimbertown has a unique heritage and position within the Hastings and Greater Port Macquarie area, and the potential to be a massive attraction for families. It is an all-day facility which offers something completely different to the Glasshouse (Bundy). You can see kids wandering round the art gallery or taking in a Shakespearean play during their school holidays can you? Port Macquarie / Hastings may be \u0026quot;populated\u0026quot; with a high proportion of older people but the tourist industry it catches has a much greater potential to attract families if the facilities are improved. The \u003Ca href=\"http://www.tra.australia.com/content/documents/DVS/First%20Round%20of%20Reports/VPS%20Reports/VPS_Greater_Port_Macquarie_FINAL.pdf\"\u003Ehttp://www.tra.australia.com/content/documents/DVS/First%20Round%20of%20Reports/VPS%20Reports/VPS_Greater_Port_Macquarie_FINAL.pdf\u003C/a\u003E for 2007/8 showed that the shoulder season had 51% of family visitors but the low season (naturally enough given that kids would be at school) was dominated by couples and over 45\u2019s. Only 36% (shoulder) of visitors though it was a great place for families and only 34% visited due to the variety of things to do! Within those stats alone there is huge scope for family activity improvement. Let\u2019s not forget about the people who live in the area either. There are only so many times you can visit the Glasshouse before becoming bored with the whole scene. For the area to be successful it is going to have to rely more and more on tourism. There is no industry in Port Macquarie to support the \u201csupposed\u201d massive influx of people moving to the area (the historical 5 year population growth average is 1.8% per annum) \u003Ca href=\"http://www.portmacquarieinfo.com.au/pages/facts-and-figures/\"\u003Ehttp://www.portmacquarieinfo.com.au/pages/facts-and-figures/\u003C/a\u003E . I can attest personally to the lack of employment opportunities. After 18 months of near unemployment I am having to relocate to Goulburn for a 12 month contract and await the sale of my house in Port as it is clear to me that while it may be a beautiful place to live it is not able to sustain high levels of \u201cquality\u201d employment. It is a town for small business and small time education. Now that Southern Cross University and Charles Sturt have gone their separate ways on a new National Inland University what hope is there for the University of Port Macquarie? There is another massive spending group, students! Teens and people in their early twenties are the highest proportion of visitors to the Gold Coast. Then there is Sovereign Hills (3000 homes with 15,000 people over the next 15 years) or so the rumour goes! \u003Ca href=\"http://www.portnews.com.au/news/local/news/general/were-the-states-boom-town/1557576.aspx\"\u003Ehttp://www.portnews.com.au/news/local/news/general/were-the-states-boom-town/1557576.aspx\u003C/a\u003E Where are they all going to work and play? Or is this going to be Australian\u2019s first purpose built retirement village? An ageing population has higher demands on the medical infrastructure, an infrastructure which is already struggling to cope (\u003Ca href=\"http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA20071127011)\"\u003Ehttp://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA20071127011)\u003C/a\u003E. Besseling and Oakeshott fluffed up their feathers about the potential for airport expansion so that it can accommodate larger jet aircraft and increased visitor numbers. What are they all going to do? The council have to get behind facilities improvements and step up into the real world. Yes Port Macquarie is a beautiful place to live but without tourist dollars where is it\u2019s future? Timbertown is already part way there, is just needs commitment and someone with the skill to sell the ideas. Commission a sensible feasibility study (which does not include the council tripping off on a nice jolly to see what everyone else in Australia is doing at the cost of thousands and thousands) and get on with it. The council has already landed a sizeable chunk of cash for tourism building \u003Ca href=\"http://www.hastings.nsw.gov.au/www/html/4126-10-february-2009-200000-to-build-tourism-demand.asp\"\u003Ehttp://www.hastings.nsw.gov.au/www/html/4126-10-february-2009-200000-to-build-tourism-demand.asp\u003C/a\u003E why not use some of that on real world investigation into what can be achieved on the Timbertown site? \u003C/p\u003E\u0026nbsp;"}