CBD in It’s our line for Alice facelift fileTed Egan ‘‘It’s the diverse and wonderful...
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Centralian Advocate, Friday, June 21, 2013 — 9 PUB: CADV DATE: 21-JUN-2013 PAGE: 9 COLOR: C M YK NEWS Vibrant, quirky character envied ALICE Springs has been the envy of country towns across the country at a nat- ional assembly in Canberra this week. Mayor Damien Ryan said local government leaders were absolutely stunned the English Cricket team had selected the tiny Outback town as the venue for a match later this year. ‘‘They said, how did we do it? We do get a lot of wonder- ful things,’’ Mr Ryan said from the National General Assembly of Local Govern- ment conference. ‘‘I am regularly asked, ‘how does your town get so many events’?’’ Mr Ryan said the vibrant atmosphere in Alice Springs as it entered its events season could hardly be de- scribed as ‘‘a little bit sad’’. ‘‘I would think that our town is the capital of quirk, really,’’ Mr Ryan said. He said the town looked forward to events planned for the official opening of the northern section of the Todd Mall in July. Minister for Central Aust- ralia Matt Conlan described the town he called home as ‘‘King of the Outback’’. He said the vibrant and cosmopolitan town had a bright future and was a very important tourism desti- nation for the Territory. ‘‘It is the gateway to Uluru, which is recognised as one of the great icons of the world and there is noth- ing sad about that,’’ he said. Former NT Australian of the Year Dr John Boffa said Alice Springs was a great place to live and have inter- esting conversations with people. He said the town had one of the highest number of people per capita holding university degrees. Dr Boffa said extreme poverty on the streets was confronting but made people face an important social issue. Folk musician Ted Egan said he chose to live in Alice Springs because it had so many diverse and wonder- ful cultures, perfect weather and interesting characters. In a statement, Lonely Planet said it hoped its com- ments about Alice Springs would spur on local author- ities to make improvements. ‘‘If so, next time we visit we’ll notice. Not every place is a good tourist destination, even if it makes a great home,’’ the statement said. It’s our Alice Damien Ryan ‘‘Our town is the capital of quirky, really.’’ Matt Conlan ‘‘The town has a great, relaxed lifestyle, friendly people and I believe it is the King of the Outback.’’ Ted Egan ‘‘It’s the diverse and wonderful cultures, it’s the perfect weather, it’s the interesting characters that make Alice Springs the great centre of Australia.’’ Plenty to be proud about 10 things to love about Alice What makes us special How you can stick it to Lonely Planet 1. Stunning scenery 2. First class tours 3. Broad accommodation range 4. Unique events 5. Unrivalled arts 6. Cultural diversity 7. Enterprising businesses 8. Community values 9. Outstanding service centre 10. OUR PEOPLE ■ Alice Springs Beanie Festival - June 21 The Alice Springs Beanie Festival is a community-based event that began in 1997. Since then every year the competition attracts over 6000 handmade beanies from around the world. ■ Alice Springs Annual Show - July 5-6 This year marks the 54th annual Alice Springs Show since it started in 1960, and sees more than 18,000 people visit over the two days. ■ Lasseters Camel Cup - July 13 Alice Springs Lasseters Camel Cup is an iconic and quirky race, with a reputation which reaches far beyond Northern Territory soil. First run in 1970, the race attracts more than 5000 people from across the world. Old Timers Village Annual Fete - August 10 This annual popular event is the largest fete in Alice Springs and attracts around 2000 local and interstate visitors. Held on the grounds of the retirement village, this fund- raising event for Old Timers is well supported by volunteers from local service clubs, church groups and community organisations. Henley-On-Todd - August 17 This unique, madcap event is full of fun and mayhem, where teams and individuals race boats in the dry river bed of the Todd River. This year marks the 52nd year the event has been running, and now sees more than 4000 spectators. ■ Alice Springs Town Council Night Mar- kets - August 22, September 12, October 17, November 14 The Todd Mall brights up the night four times a year, selling authentic indigenous art and craftworks, recycled treasures, books, photos, handmade clothing and jewellery.The markets first began in 2006, and have been a popular outing for the entire family. ■ Mbantua Festival - October 9-13 This year marks the first year of the world class Indigenous Cultural Festival, which will celebrate Central Australian Aboriginal cul- ture, heritage and arts. The event will also promote desert living cultures, innovation and sustainability, and is expected to see any- where between 10,000 to 15,000 people over the four days. ■ Alice Desert Festival - September 11-15 The premier event showcases the arts and culture of Central Australia, and includes art, performance and music, and is one of Alice Springs largest festivals. ■ Sitzler Symphony Under The Stars - October 20 The Darwin Symphony Orchestra returns to Alice Springs for an outdoor spectacular performance. ■ England vs Chairmans XI - November 29-30 The Chairman’s XI will play England at Traeger Park in a tour match after the first Ashes Test, and will bring with it up to 7000 Barmy Army supporters. ■ Alice Springs Town Council Christmas Carnival - December 13 For a true blue Aussie outback Christmas experience, one can’t go past the ASTC Christmas Carnival. The event is free and fun for the whole community, with activities, kids fun, market stalls and live entertainment. Send your message to Lonely Planet at the following addresses: ■ Twitter: @lonelyplanet ■ Facebook: Lonely Planet ■ Website:http://www.lonelyplanet.com/ ionic ■ Lonely Planet Asia-Pacific: 90 Maribyrnong Street Footscray VIC 3011 ■ Lonely Planet UK: Media Centre 201 Wood Lane London W12 7TQ Tourism Central Australia boss Jaclyn Thorne at the entrance to the Todd Mall Picture: JUSTIN BRIERTY CBD in line for facelift HEAD of Tourism Cen- tral Australia Jaclyn Thorne says commun- ity groups are working hard to reinvigorate Al- ice Springs’ CBD. Ms Thorne said the town now had the op- portunity to work on sending out a positive message about the town for the next Lonely Planet edition in two years time. ‘‘(It is unfortunate) when things go to print in a hard copy of a book that people do keep as you said,’’ Ms Thorne said. ‘‘The good thing is, though, this particular book gets released every two years.’’ She said she was dis- appointed to read the flat words written about Alice Springs, describing its town centre as ‘‘a little sad’’, in the travel guide’s latest edition on Cen- tral Australia. But she said relocat- ing the town’s Visitor Information Centre to the Todd Mall and in- vesting $4.6 million in upgrading its northern section was bringing life into the CBD. She said these new additions in the mall probably came to the fore after the term of the Lonely Planet jour- nalist’s stay, which happened about 12 months ago. Ms Thorne said traders were also work- ing with the Chamber of Commerce to brain- storm other ways to re- vitalise the mall. She said ideas in- cluded pop-up shops, night activities in the mall, more lighting and a proposal to create residential develop- ment in the centre of the mall. ‘‘I think we’re all aware of the situation,’’ she said. ‘‘All we can keep doing is putting the positive image out there, working really hard and Tourism NT are working really hard on the marketing.’’
Transcript of CBD in It’s our line for Alice facelift fileTed Egan ‘‘It’s the diverse and wonderful...
Centralian Advocate, Friday, June 21, 2013 — 9
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NEWS
Vibrant, quirky character enviedALICE Springs has beenthe envy of country townsacross the country at a nat-ional assembly in Canberrathis week.
Mayor Damien Ryan saidlocal government leaderswere absolutely stunned theEnglish Cricket team hadselected the tiny Outbacktown as the venue for amatch later this year.
‘‘They said, how did we do
it? We do get a lot of wonder-ful things,’’ Mr Ryan saidfrom the National GeneralAssembly of Local Govern-ment conference.
‘‘I am regularly asked,‘how does your town get somany events’?’’
Mr Ryan said the vibrantatmosphere in Alice Springsas it entered its eventsseason could hardly be de-scribed as ‘‘a little bit sad’’.
‘‘I would think that ourtown is the capital of quirk,really,’’ Mr Ryan said.
He said the town lookedforward to events plannedfor the official opening ofthe northern section of theTodd Mall in July.
Minister for Central Aust-ralia Matt Conlan describedthe town he called home as‘‘King of the Outback’’.
He said the vibrant and
cosmopolitan town had abright future and was a veryimportant tourism desti-nation for the Territory.
‘‘It is the gateway toUluru, which is recognisedas one of the great icons ofthe world and there is noth-ing sad about that,’’ he said.
Former NT Australian ofthe Year Dr John Boffa saidAlice Springs was a greatplace to live and have inter-
esting conversations withpeople. He said the town hadone of the highest numberof people per capita holdinguniversity degrees.
Dr Boffa said extremepoverty on the streets wasconfronting but madepeople face an importantsocial issue.
Folk musician Ted Egansaid he chose to live in AliceSprings because it had so
many diverse and wonder-ful cultures, perfect weatherand interesting characters.
In a statement, LonelyPlanet said it hoped its com-ments about Alice Springswould spur on local author-ities to make improvements.
‘‘If so, next time we visitwe’ll notice. Not every placeis a good tourist destination,even if it makes a greathome,’’ the statement said.
It’sour
Alice
Damien Ryan
‘‘Our town isthe capital of
quirky, really.’’
Matt Conlan
‘‘The town hasa great, relaxed
lifestyle,friendly peopleand I believe itis the King of
the Outback.’’
Ted Egan
‘‘It’s the diverseand wonderfulcultures, it’sthe perfect
weather, it’s theinteresting
characters thatmake AliceSprings the
great centre ofAustralia.’’
Plenty to be proud about10 thingsto loveabout Alice
What makesus special
How you canstick it toLonely Planet
1. Stunning scenery
2. First class tours
3. Broad accommodation range
4. Unique events
5. Unrivalled arts
6. Cultural diversity
7. Enterprising businesses
8. Community values
9. Outstanding service centre
10. OUR PEOPLE
n Alice Springs Beanie Festival - June 21
The Alice Springs Beanie Festival is a
community-based event that began in 1997.
Since then every year the competition attracts
over 6000 handmade beanies from around
the world.n Alice Springs Annual Show - July 5-6This year marks the 54th annual Alice SpringsShow since it started in 1960, and sees morethan 18,000 people visit over the two days.n Lasseters Camel Cup - July 13Alice Springs Lasseters Camel Cup is aniconic and quirky race, with a reputationwhich reaches far beyond Northern Territorysoil. First run in 1970, the race attracts morethan 5000 people from across the world.Old Timers Village Annual Fete - August 10This annual popular event is the largest fetein Alice Springs and attracts around 2000local and interstate visitors. Held on thegrounds of the retirement village, this fund-raising event for Old Timers is well supportedby volunteers from local service clubs, churchgroups and community organisations.Henley-On-Todd - August 17This unique, madcap event is full of fun andmayhem, where teams and individuals raceboats in the dry river bed of the Todd River.This year marks the 52nd year the event hasbeen running, and now sees more than 4000spectators.n Alice Springs Town Council Night Mar-kets - August 22, September 12, October17, November 14The Todd Mall brights up the night four timesa year, selling authentic indigenous art andcraftworks, recycled treasures, books,
photos, handmade clothing and jewellery.Themarkets first began in 2006, and have been apopular outing for the entire family.n Mbantua Festival - October 9-13This year marks the first year of the worldclass Indigenous Cultural Festival, which willcelebrate Central Australian Aboriginal cul-ture, heritage and arts. The event will alsopromote desert living cultures, innovation andsustainability, and is expected to see any-where between 10,000 to 15,000 people overthe four days.n Alice Desert Festival - September 11-15The premier event showcases the arts andculture of Central Australia, and includes art,performance and music, and is one of AliceSprings largest festivals.n Sitzler Symphony Under The Stars -October 20The Darwin Symphony Orchestra returns toAlice Springs for an outdoor spectacularperformance.n England vs Chairmans XI - November29-30The Chairman’s XI will play England atTraeger Park in a tour match after the firstAshes Test, and will bring with it up to 7000Barmy Army supporters.n Alice Springs Town Council ChristmasCarnival - December 13For a true blue Aussie outback Christmasexperience, one can’t go past the ASTC
Christmas Carnival. The event is free and funfor the whole community, with activities, kidsfun, market stalls and live entertainment.
Send your message to Lonely Planet at thefollowing addresses:
n Twitter: @lonelyplanet
n Facebook: Lonely Planet
n Website:http://www.lonelyplanet.com/
ionic
n Lonely Planet Asia-Pacific:
90 Maribyrnong Street
Footscray
VIC 3011
n Lonely Planet UK:
Media Centre
201 Wood Lane
London
W12 7TQ
Tourism Central Australia boss Jaclyn Thorne at the entrance to the Todd MallPicture: JUSTIN BRIERTY
CBD inline forfaceliftHEAD of Tourism Cen-tral Australia JaclynThorne says commun-ity groups are workinghard to reinvigorate Al-ice Springs’ CBD.
Ms Thorne said thetown now had the op-portunity to work onsending out a positivemessage about the townfor the next LonelyPlanet edition in twoyears time.
‘‘(It is unfortunate)when things go to printin a hard copy of a bookthat people do keep asyou said,’’ Ms Thornesaid. ‘‘The good thing is,though, this particularbook gets releasedevery two years.’’
She said she was dis-appointed to read theflat words writtenabout Alice Springs,describing its towncentre as ‘‘a little sad’’,in the travel guide’slatest edition on Cen-tral Australia.
But she said relocat-ing the town’s VisitorInformation Centre tothe Todd Mall and in-
vesting $4.6 million inupgrading its northernsection was bringinglife into the CBD.
She said these newadditions in the mallprobably came to thefore after the term ofthe Lonely Planet jour-nalist’s stay, whichhappened about 12months ago.
Ms Thorne sai dtraders were also work-ing with the Chamberof Commerce to brain-storm other ways to re-vitalise the mall.
She said ideas in-cluded pop-up shops,night activities in themall, more lighting anda proposal to createresidential develop-ment in the centre ofthe mall.
‘‘I think we’re allaware of the situation,’’she said.
‘‘All we can keepdoing is putting thepositive image outthere, working reallyhard and Tourism NTare working really hardon the marketing.’’
