If elected in March, NSW Labor will provide $600,000 over three years to grow the Narooma Oyster Festival into one of the state's flagship events alongside the Parkes Elvis Festival and Byron Bay Bluesfest that will attract national and international visitors.
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The bigger festival would pump money into the economy and support regional jobs.
Bega MP Dr Michael Holland and Davis Harris MP, shadow minister for jobs, investment and tourism, announced the commitment at Wagonga Inlet on Friday, March 10.
Cath Peachey, chair of Narooma Rocks which has been delivering the festival for 15 years, said last year's festival attracted just over 10,000 people and generated at least $3 million for the local economy.
She welcomed the commitment.
"With the funding we can take the festival to the next level, make it bigger so neighbouring towns also benefit and showcase the wonderful produce of rock oyster country as we like to call it," Ms Peachey said.
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Needs professional expertise
Once festivals reach the scale of 10,000 festival-goers, they become significant so need expertise in areas such as project management and marketing.
The $600,000 funding will be allocated as follows:
$270,00 over three years to employ a full-time coordinator and marketing manager for the festival;
$180,000 to lease a premises for office space, to display produce and souvenirs and talk about the festival to drive interest 365 days a year, not just the weeks leading up to the festival;
$150,000 to put the festival on.
"We are told that as festivals grow, they become more expensive to put on each year so this will ensure we can put on the very best festival," Mr Harris said.
Benefits radiate beyond Narooma
Ms Peachey said the event attracts media, particularly food and travel writers, and some of the finest chefs.
One of the chefs coming to this year's festival will be judging at the oyster competition in Sydney at Easter.
Another big part of the festival is the shucking competition.
"It isn't every day a town the size of Narooma has a national competition," she said.
"We send the winner to Galway in September and we may even have a bookie at the festival this year."
She said 90 percent of festival-goers say they will return and 60 percent of last year's festival-goers were first-time visitors "so it is an impetus to come to the South Coast".
Dr Holland said it is a major event for the Bega electorate's economy.
"Festival-goers appreciate the beauty of the region so it radiates out, employs local people, supports local accommodation providers and encourages people to train in hospitality so the benefits are widespread," he said.
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