General News
25 July, 2025
Lease endorsed for tourist centre
The official building lease agreement for the Warracknabeal Tourist Information Centre was unanimously approved by Yarriambiack councillors, establishing an official partnership between the Warracknabeal Action Group, the Yarriambiack Shire Council, and the Warracknabeal Tourist Information Centre.
The centre was previously managed by the Warracknabeal and District Historical Society and grew the business into what it's known for today, as they collated numerous tourist informational materials, built relationships with souvenir suppliers, and led projects that saw improvements to the facility.
In 2024, the historical society decided to separate from the tourist centre due to other initiatives they manage across the town, which soon led to the establishment of the Tourist Information Centre Committee of Management by WAG.
WAG president Dianne Marchment said they haven't promoted the takeover "too much at the moment".
"We have just been fine-tuning our systems and adding some more stock and working out volunteers," she said.
"We are having a WAG open meeting on August 12, and we will let people know what's going on then."
Looking back over the past year, Yarriambiack Shire Council's involvement in Grampians Wimmera Mallee Tourism's Visitor Economy Partnership (VEP) has been a key focus.
Chief Executive Tammy Smith noted that their participation in the partnership has provided an impactful platform for collaboration with tourism stakeholders to enhance visibility.
"Together with the VEP, our region can access funding, programs and support that otherwise would not be available," she said.
The municipality has been involved in multiple initiatives organised by GWM Tourism, including the Partnerships Program, the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW), the newly launched visitor app, and most recently, the Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) campaign.
“The biggest tourist attraction in the Yarriambiack Shire is the people who live here – especially those who share the rich history and natural attractions in our region’s backyard," Mrs Smith said.
“The VFR campaign concept celebrates local knowledge and identity; it encourages us to showcase travel itineraries for things to see and do, eat and drink, where to stay, and the unique attractions that tourists can discover."
The Warracknabeal Tourist Information Centre is located at 119 Scott Street, Warracknabeal, and is run by dedicated volunteers with WAG ready to add more to the team.
It is open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, and 9am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday.