The Stawell Visitor Information Centre has relocated for the second time this year, finding a new home at The Pickers Market on the Western Highway.
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The centre will move from its current location at Cafe 1868 to The Pickers Market at 62 Longfield St, Stawell.
The iconic business already serves a purpose with tourism and visitors in the town, but now will be able to do so in an official capacity.
The new location will have a slight edge on the centre’s previous location, open seven days a week compared to Cafe 1868’s six.
“The opportunity has now arisen for a seven-day Visitor Information Centre at The Pickers Market, a move which both Cafe 1868 and Grampians Tourism see as a great benefit to Stawell with more space for regional displays and information, more contact hours to enhance the visitor experience,” Grampians Tourism chief executive Marc Sleeman said.
The centre moved from the Stawell Gift Hall of Fame at Central Park in Stawell in late April this year to the cafe.
“The Stawell VIC is an important service to visitors once they arrive in the region and the initial relocation of the Stawell VIC from the Hall of Fame to Cafe 1868 in April 2018 was an excellent move which has proven to capture an increase in visitors stopping in Stawell,” Mr Sleeman said.
...we are open seven days, on the highway and already deal with a fair few tourists. It was just a great fit for us...
- Anthea Perry
“Cafe 1868 has been integral in the process of improving the visitor experience in Stawell and we’re very appreciative of the role Joanne White has played in facilitating that process.
“The move of the Stawell VIC to The Pickers Market is another step up again and will continuing to encourage greater visitor dispersal and improved expenditure across the region.”
The Pickers Market proprietor Anthea Perry said she believes her business and the information centre are a “great fit” for one another.
“Marc approached us because we are open seven days, on the highway and already deal with a fair few tourists. It was just a great fit for us to be made the tourist information centre,” she said.
“We are just thrilled to have it here. It works on so many levels.
“We already give out a fair bit of tourist information because about 80 per cent of our customers that come through are tourists.”
Ms Perry said specifics of the centre are yet to be confirmed but they are working closely with Grampians Tourism with the change.
“I think we will have a room of its own for the centre with tea, coffee and wifi,” she said.
“It can be a place where people can plan where to go and what to do in our great town and region.”
