New Event Development
Berrima Residents Association, NSW
The Southern Highlands south west of Sydney was one of the first regions settled by Europeans. Its cool climate made it ideal for the Sydney gentry to plant European trees on their grand estates and replicate European landscapes. The region has significant heritage, including a town that’s still pretty much right out of the 1840s: Berrima.
Project Purpose
In recent years the Southern Highlands communities have been fighting a proposed coal mine. As part of a series of activities to highlight the heritage value of the landscape, Berrima Residents Association sought help to develop an event that would showcase the region’s significant and unique heritage stories; ultimately to support the landscape’s protection from development and mining.
“Working with you was a highlight of the year for us and goodness knows where all your hard work might take us next year! Thank you for being instrumental in getting the project to this stage. I don’t think we could have envisaged this when we set out.
Engaging a consultant can be a hit and miss proposition unless they come recommended by previous clients. Not only does the consultant have to be competent, even expert in their field, they have to know how to listen to the client, engage in real communication and complete a report, within budget and on deadline, that delivers a clear message to the client and the client’’s audience. We have no hesitation in recommending Tilma Group.”
Project Overview
Based on models of other successful events in the region, Tilma Group proposed a month-long regional heritage festival that would utilise a number of existing successful weekend events, connected via a program of innovative, engaging midweek activities targeted at markets not traditionally associated with heritage tourism.
The event development plan considered:
Festival purpose and vision
Themes
Date and location
Festival model/structure
Governance model including potential collaborators and their roles
Planning timeline
Expense and revenue forecasts
Program including Tier 1 and 2 events
Marketing plan: target markets, marketing roles of collaborators, marketing schedule and budget, marketing assets, key marketing messages, measurement and evaluation
Post event review process including measurement and evaluation
Next steps in realising the event
Case studies of the power of local government support of events were provided to support the case that Council support with event coordination in its first year.
A variety of event planning templates and a marketing kit for event hosts were included as supporting pieces.
The plan was presented to Council on completion, with the pitch for Council to support the new event for the region.
The biggest challenge in this project was the need to create an event model that ensured long term viability, taking into consideration that the communities are already overloaded and suffering early stages of burn out. Consequently, a model with a dedicated and paid resource was developed.
Project Outcomes
Tilma Group was successful in securing Council’s support for the new festival, with their tourism arm, Destination Southern Highlands, poised to support the event’s planning and delivery in its initial years once funding has been secured. This experienced event management support will enable the event to maximise its economic outcomes and develop into a significant flagship festival for the region.
Referee
Dr Eric Savage
President, Berrima Residents Association
11 Oldbury Street
Berrima NSW 2577
0409 823 861
ericnsavage@gmail.com