Yarra Ranges Tourism / About

Yarra Ranges Tourism is the Regional Tourism Board responsible for the promotion of Victoria’s Yarra Valley & Dandenong Ranges tourism region.

 

Established in 2006 with the support of Yarra Ranges Council and the then Tourism Victoria (now Visit Victoria), we are a not for profit company governed by a blended Board of skills based and industry representative Directors.

OUR VISION

To promote and support the region to be Victoria’s premier visitor destination for exceptional wine, food and indulgent short breaks, complemented by nature-based, cultural and village experiences.

Through shared leadership and accountability with our industry partners, we aim to:

  • Increase visitor numbers
  • Increase length of stay
  • Increase visitor spend

 

OUR MISSION

To lead collaborative marketing for the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges. Facilitated by effective partnerships that embrace industry groups and product diversity to attract, service and retain the visitor.

OUR VALUES

Our Assets: our natural beauty, tourism products, and fantastic people throughout our region and need to preserve them.

Our Brand: we believe our brand is world class.

Our region stretches from Westernport bay in the south, to Alexandra in the North, and encompasses key tourism townships including: Lilydale, Yarra Glen, Healesville, Warburton, Marysville, Kinglake, Emerald, Gembrook, Belgrave, Mt Dandenong, Kallista, St Andrews, Hurstbridge, Eltham, Olinda and Sassafras. To see a map of Victoria's Tourism region's click here.

 

Yarra Ranges Tourism have identified the following key opportunities that will form the purpose of working and engaging with industry:

  • Clear Strategic Plan that demonstrates our shared leadership approach with industry and direction for growing our visitor economy.
  • Connectivity with digital distributors and influencers of travel booking  information.
  • Power of Social media and referrals.
  • A high performing Digital platform for the region with interactive itinerary planner, booking functions, Chinese translation and mobile responsive.
  • Supporting the growth of Regional Festivals and Events to drive visitation and create urgency to visit, particularly off-peak and mid-week.
  • Business Events to drive mid week and overnight yield.
  • Service Excellence Support – upgrading of industry skills and servicing.
  • Industry Working Groups - working with our Marketing Partners to create new trails and itinerary packages of bookable integrated experiences
  • Marketing – Focusing on attracting mid-week visitation, the first generation immigrant population of Melbourne and their Visiting Friends and Relatives or 'VFR' market, and prioritising international visitors from Asia.
50

% Visitors ate in the region

30

% Visited family

25

% Sightseeing visitors

12

% Visited wineries

OUR TEAM
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Chief Executive Officer

SIMON O'CALLAGHAN

Simon was appointed CEO in 2016, following three years as the COO. He has held senior roles in the private and public sectors. He is an innovative marketer and business leader and has worked in various positions building economic outcomes with local communities.

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Partnership Manager

SALLY COYLE

Sally brings a wealth of experience and industry knowledge from a range of leadership senior roles in hospitality and tourism. She is a connected lover of Food and Wine and with an enormous depth of expertise on what the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges has to offer the visitor. Sally's key responsibilities include driving our Partnership Program with industry operators and co-ordinating our International trade promotion.

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Tourism Sales Officer

NATALIJA MACKENZIE

Natalija co-ordinates the visitor booking platform on our regional websites and also co-ordinates our work leading Yarra Valley Business Events. Natalija brings to the team her extensive career experience in the areas of sales, corporate and incentive travel and property management. Natalija works extensively with our Accommodation Operators to provide mentoring and leadership in supporting their distribution through online agents.

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Marketing Assistant

RYLEY HEAP

Ryley is a tourism graduate of Monash University.

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Media & Communications

BROOK POWELL

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Digital Specialist

GIO OSTACCHINI

Gio brings over 25 years of digital experience to Yarra Ranges Tourism. She is a strong digital innovator and loves to find solutions to digital needs.

HOW WE PROMOTE THE REGION

Yarra Ranges Tourism undertakes a range of activities and marketing strategies that focus on regional strengths including tourism, wine, food, arts and heritage, wildlife, nature, conferencing and agribusiness designed to promote the region at a local, national and international level.

Essentially we connect local businesses to global markets, showcasing our region as a whole and the unique products it has to the offer the visitor experience. The way we find new visitors is changing from traditional marketing and public relations activities to the power of digital connectivity and we seek to the be at the forefront of the way consumers access travel information online.

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  • Yarra Ranges Tourism office have provided Valley Ranges Getaways with some invaluable support, training and guidance for utilising the Bookeasy Booking Engine. Natalija has been very informative at training sessions and has provided online and hands-on support when it has been needed.

    - Sian Blackman and Peta Rolls, Valley Ranges Getaways

  • What started as networking group for the "Upper Melba Highway" operators has, under the guidance of Yarra Ranges Tourism, developed into a fully fledged and functioning Trail Map, increasing business to participants and improving the regional experience by promoting products that suit the individual interests and tastes of visitors.

    - Kara Hood, De Bortoli Yarra Valley Estate

  • Having seen a substantial increase in the number of Chinese guests on our balloon flights over the past year, we certainly have identified the need for us to understand and service this market better. The "Introduction to Chinese" workshop was a wonderful (and fun) initiative offered by Yarra Ranges Tourism.

    - Kiff Saunders, Global Ballooning

  • Working collectively in region to attract the visitor is really important to us and we see great value in partnering with the activities of Yarra Ranges Tourism

    - Nadine Hutchins, Puffing Billy Railway