Regional tourism has enjoyed a renaissance since the COVID-19 pandemic, as more travellers embraced local destinations, supported by strong financial support from various State Government funds. However, we are now returning to pre-pandemic visitation and spend levels, and urgent Government action is needed to ensure visitation to regional Victoria does not decline amid ongoing economic uncertainty. As visitor numbers to regional Victoria soften, Destination Central Victoria (DCV) is calling for targeted investment ahead of the 2026 State Election to protect jobs, support local businesses, and drive sustainable growth.
Tourism is a cornerstone of Central Victoria’s economy: it creates jobs, supports small businesses, and brings visitors to our towns through all the seasons. Recent trends show fewer people travelling to regional areas, putting pressure on local operators and the communities that rely on visitor spending. This marks the first year in a decade without additional tourism funding, leaving organisations like DCV with limited resources needed to drive visitation, expenditure and regional growth. This matters.
Through enabling DCV to deliver on its mandate with appropriate scale and capacity, our priorities are designed to directly support operators, accommodation providers, hospitality, retail, event organisers and tourism businesses across the region. Simply put, investing in the region and in DCV supports industry and the visitor economy. We have doubled our geographical footprint and now have a visitor economy worth over $1 billion annually, representing over 1,500 tourism businesses and welcoming more than 4 million visitors each year. Without adequate investment, the success of our tourism businesses is at risk.
DCV is urging all sides of government to focus on practical actions and priorities that will attract more visitors to the region and make it easier for them to get here, stay longer, and spend more. We need statewide investment in projects including the creation of a statewide Visitor Economy strategy bringing together both supply and demand drivers.
DCV is calling for increased funding for Visit Victoria to promote regional destinations.
Right now, many Victorians are not travelling outside Melbourne, so stronger marketing will help promote the local government areas of Hepburn, Macedon Ranges, Mount Alexander, and Central Goldfields, driving visitation and spend to accommodation providers and local businesses.
A proposed 10-year Visitor Economy Tourism Supply and Demand Strategy would give the industry a clear roadmap for growth.
This includes refreshed Destination Management Plans for regions from 2030 aligned to the State, with agreed planning for infrastructure, workforce needs, accommodation, and new experiences, helping businesses invest with confidence and align with state priorities.
DCV is seeking continued and increased funding for VEPs, which play a key role in regional tourism planning and promotion.
Stable funding means stronger industry support, better collaboration, and more opportunities for businesses to be involved in regional initiatives. Three-year agreements should be extended to four to ensure longevity in planning, activity and support to industry.
The inclusion of Industry Strengthening funds in core funding would provide a direct benefit to local businesses, provide continuity and improve regional product and visitor experiences.
Destination Central Victoria represents one of the most significant and complex VEP transitions undertaken since the framework’s introduction, following the 2019 Regional Tourism Review and updated 2021Visitor Economy Recovery and Reform Plan.
Our transformation has expanded us from two to four Local Government Areas, effectively doubling our geographic footprint and responsibility for managing a visitor economy worth over $1 billion in annual visitor spend.
DCV seeks additional short-term funding of $200,000 over the next two years to address VEP transition and brand establishment requirements, alongside ongoing structural funding to set DCV up for success in our expanded capacity.
Activation funding ($2 million) to progress the Hanging Rock Masterplan through a staged and costed rollout, with comprehensive consultation.
Hanging Rock is a site of immense cultural, historical, and economic significance to the Macedon Ranges region. A masterplan implementation approach should honour its heritage while unlocking sustainable regional development.
Detailed design, costing and approvals from the many stakeholders required to activate the Masterplan are not yet in place. Traditional Owner consultation and the need to ensure environmental compliance and sustainability is a high priority. This funding request can also deliver tangible on-the-ground improvements to the visitor experience through collaborative initiatives. These could include new interpretive signage and a clearer presentation of the site’s cultural significance within the Discovery Centre. The fund could contribute to new immersive and state of the art digital activations within the Discovery Centre, that could be easily reinstalled in the new Discovery Centre, once built.
The Visitor Information Centre inside the station has direct access from the platform, and through the Station Café Bar & Restaurant. A perfect opportunity for visitors arriving by train to be inspired. The station is a grand and famous landmark built in the gold rush era that opened on 7 July 1874. Funding for Stage 5 of the Maryborough Railway Station precinct is requested to broaden the storytelling capability of the existing multimedia infrastructure in the Visitor Information Centre to support the World Heritage Goldfields Bid.
Increased train services and connecting coaches would further stimulate visitation and support surrounding businesses.
The free public transport initiative introduced in April 2026 resulted in unprecedented increases in visitation, however services were often at capacity as service numbers weren’t increased. Improved rail services on the Ballarat, Maryborough, and Bendigo lines are a key ask.
More frequent trains, connecting coaches, later services, and extra capacity during peak times and major events would make it easier for visitors to travel to the region, helping businesses attract day-trippers and overnight guests.
The Harcourt fires in January 2026 were devastating for our region. More than 150 businesses were affected by the fire, with initial losses exceeding $25 million. Tourism and hospitality businesses have been hit hard and continue to feel the effects as visitor numbers fall. One of the most significant blows was the destruction of the Harcourt Coolstore, a facility relied upon by over 80 businesses from Mount Alexander Shire and beyond.
Having a dedicated bushfire marketing fund that supports and promotes local Harcourt and surrounding businesses will go a long way into restoring visitor and business confidence.
The Victorian Miniature Railway (VMR) in Harcourt opened on first weekend in December with 3,000 visitors each day.
Within a month VMR lost extensive equipment and some trains but helped defend their infrastructure and the town centre during the bushfires. They lost critical momentum from their opening and school holiday / summer patronage as a result of the fires.
Despite extensive media coverage and support by DCV, visitor numbers have still not recovered with less than 25% of the original December figures now being recorded
Potholes on the regions many connecting roads are getting worse. A connector to our unique villages, we need these progressively fixed and signs erected to warn visitors of poor road conditions ahead. The road between Trentham and Daylesford for example is full of potholes as well as many of the arterial roads leading into our region. These current conditions can cause serious damage to motor vehicles and result in accidents.
DCV will continue to advocate for these priorities in the lead-up to the election, working to ensure the needs of regional tourism businesses are heard and supported.
