ON Monday, the Dunkeld Information Centre commemorated its 30th anniversary, and thanked all of the volunteers who have primarily contributed and ran the centre since its opening in 1994.

The centre is open every day of the year except Christmas Day and run by volunteers six days a week, with staff from the Hamilton Visitor Centre facilitating the centre on Wednesdays.

Over the course of 30 years, the centre has welcomed visitors from over 150 countries across the world.

Southern Grampians Shire Council (SGSC) councillor, Mary-Ann Brown, who has been a volunteer of the centre for almost 30 years, paid a visit this week with SGSC chief executive, Tony Doyle to appreciate the important history of the established community information centre located in the heart of Dunkeld.

“I started volunteering in 1995, and I think the fundamentals (of the centre) are still the same, because you are providing information to visitors,” Cr Brown said.

“I think it’s been a great partnership between Council and the community.

“Council manage the facility, they maintain it and they’ve invested money in conjunction with the state and federal government in terms of improving the facility.”

“Also, that investment by Council has encouraged people to set up businesses in hospitality and accommodation business which again provides employment.”

In December last year, Council along with the Federal Government and a $450,000 investment from the State Government upgraded the Dunkeld Visitor Hub, located at the back of the Information Centre and included a new covered platform, almost 1.5 kilometres of new pathways and signs linking the trailhead, information centre, public toilets and Memorial Park.

“As a Council, we would like tourism to be very important to our economy,” Mr Doyle said.

“There will always be future opportunities, that’s one of the benefits to having so many in the community invested in tourism by volunteering here you are likely to get a constant flow of suggestions of things that we should be doing.”

For 30 years, the centre has embraced all aspects of local tourism, promoting the region to visitors from all over the world, and even more local visitors in recent years since the pandemic.

“What we have seen in the Southern Grampians for 30 plus years… is a growth in tourism,” Cr Brown said.

“(In COVID), people were restricted where they could travel, (but) places like Dunkeld were still quite busy.  

“We had Victorians coming in saying, ‘I’ve never been to this part of Victoria before’.”

There has been many wonderful stories from volunteers and visitors to the centre, particularly in helping visitors discover their family history in the area, and many friendships formed through engaging interactions.

More predominately in previous times, volunteers have struck a friendship with visitors and even offered a night’s stay when accommodation was limited.

“It’s been that really strong, welcoming presence,” Cr Brown said.

“People talk about access to digital information, having been a volunteer here people still like that local connection.

“It’s a good partnership, and the volunteers are proud of what they do.”

Volunteers at the centre each have been trained to be consistent and accurate in the information they provide, and also come with their own unique skillsets, whether that be being particularly knowledgeable about the walks around Dunkeld or good knowledge about the flora.

The Royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld was redeveloped in 1997, three years after the Dunkeld Information Centre’s opening, and has been fundamental in promoting hospitality, accommodation, and employment opportunities as well as the natural environment.

“It changes the dynamic of the town, it’s still a strong agriculture area, but you’ve got this really significant other strand that provides opportunities as well,” Cr Brown said.

“Promoting your community, from a volunteer perspective; it is a really rewarding experience.

“It’s the best volunteer gig around, you pick when you do it, you don’t have to do any fundraising, you don’t have to go to any meetings and by and large the people you deal with are very happy and pleasant.”

“Digital (information) is really important, but so is a warm and welcoming face that can bring the opportunities here to life,” Mr Doyle agreed.

“(Visitors) get that warm welcome, they get that knowledge, and you are just putting your very best foot forward in terms of hoping that people will come back again.

“I think the moral itself here is something to be really proud of.. it’s community as its best, the fact we have such a strong volunteer community base here providing a service to visitors for the betterment of everyone.”