VISITORS to this year’s AgQuip field days are set to benefit after plans to set up temporary accommodation on council land received the go-ahead.
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Gunnedah Shire Council (GSC) gave the tick of approval to Tent City to provide an accommodation option to AgQuip visitors at Wednesday’s April council meeting.
The site on a vacant block of land opposite Donnelly Playing Fields, will offer visitors basic amenities such as tents, showers and toilets over the three days of the event.
“I think it’s important for our organisation to trumpet the good work done by our local community groups,” Cr O’Keefe said.
“For me this would be an excellent opportunity for our community groups to provide things like a barbecue breakfast as a way of doing what they do best, raise funds.”
Cr Luke agreed with supporting the proposal and in turn Tent City supporting local businesses.
“I’m just thinking of the local benefit of this sort of thing,” Cr Luke said.
“While I’m in favour of supporting Tent City in helping ease the demand for accommodation during AgQuip, I would like for them to be encouraged to use local businesses and services such as waste removal for example, throughout the event.”
GSC director of services and planning Andrew Johns told the meeting local accommodation providers would not be affected by Tent City. “In putting together this report we did in fact contact every motel to gauge the impact this would have,” Mr Johns said.
“Most motels we spoke to said they were in favour of the idea and even asked to be kept informed of the details so as to refer people to the Tent City if the need arises.
“One motel even told us the were booked out for the next 20-years over AgQuip which shows the need for further accommodation options.”
Mayor Jamie Chaffey said the event would be a major economic benefit to the region.
“It is and has been a significant on-going event for our region for some years now and I much prefer to see our local benefit economically from this event,” Cr Chaffey said.
More than 100,000 people are expected to attend this years AgQuip in Gunnedah between August 21-23.
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
