In Gresford, a series of four community workshops were recently conducted by Peter Kenyon, a self-proclaimed community enthusiast and social capitalist from the Bank of Ideas. These workshops aimed to foster discussions about the community’s aspirations and desired directions for the region. Various topics were covered, including community well-being, economic issues, tourism, and recreation.
One particular workshop, organized by Arts Upper Hunter, focused on Arts and Cultural Tourism and drew a crowd of over 40 individuals from as far as Murrurundi. Overall, more than 200 people attended the workshops, bringing forth a wealth of creative ideas and suggestions. Some of the proposed ideas included enhancing bush cultural tours, maximizing the utilization of community halls, promoting “forest bathing,” fostering creative interactions with National Parks, embracing regenerative farming practices, and establishing a red cedar history trail.
Peter Kenyon’s extensive experience spans over 2,000 communities across Australia, New Zealand, Southern Africa, and North America. With a track record of empowering communities in 63 countries, he has been instrumental in helping them unlock their potential and work towards sustainable futures. Having the privilege of Peter Kenyon’s participation in facilitating these workshops, the community hopes to witness positive outcomes emerge from this event.
Looking ahead, the next step involves initiating a broader region-wide discussion and collaboration concerning Arts and Cultural Tourism. Updates will be provided as we progress with this strategy. If you would like to have a say on Arts and Cultural Tourism in the region you can still do so by completing the following survey https://culturecounts.cc/s/Bd46h
The Rural Aid organisation, in collaboration with the Gresford community, Dungog Chamber of Commerce, Dungog Council, and Arts Upper Hunter, facilitated this workshop.
Image taken by Suzannah Jones.