Rutherglen Destination Management Plan

Row of historic shop fronts in Rutherglen

We have developed a Destination Management Plan (DMP) for Rutherglen and its surrounds (including Wahgunyah, Brimin, Gooramadda, Norong) to help target delivery of programs to grow the Visitor Economy and guide investment.

In developing the plan, we explored what barriers to growth might exist and sought to identify ways in which they might be resolved. The DMP will be used as a reference tool to further develop the Rutherglen visitor economy and respond to market changes.

The Rutherglen Destination Management Plan was adopted by Council on 27 September, 2022. 

Rutherglen Destination Management Plan - Final 2022. (PDF, 9MB)

Project timeline

Project inception

  • Engage Consultant - Complete
  • Confirm project delivery schedule- Complete

Phase 1 - Destination Performance Research

  • Review available planning documents relating to destination management in the local area - Complete
  • Review available visitor data, forecasts, visitor research, major attraction data and event visitation data - Complete
  • Review existing marketing campaigns and collateral - Complete
  • Fieldwork to undertake one on one stakeholder/community consultion to explore issues and opportunities, visit attractions and undertake stakeholder workshops - From mid July
  • Communicate schedule of engagements and workshops with stakeholders - August

Phase 2 - Strategic issues, opportunities and directions

  • Undertake a tourism product and experience gap analysis for the local area, based on the unmet needs of the target markets, and identify relative degree of gap for each unmet need
  • Prepare Draft Situation Analysis Report
  • Project Control Group review Draft Situation Analysis Report and prepare feedback suggesting any critical amendments needed prior to wider stakeholder review
  • Revision of Draft Situation Analysis to Consultation Draft 
  • Distribution of Situation Analysis to tourism stakeholders
  • Stakeholder workshop(s) to present and discuss the Situation Analysis, prioritise the issues and prepare responses to them
  • Project Control Group meeting to discuss results of workshops, and agree on strategic directions and their prioritisation
  • Indigo Shire Council and Winemakers of Rutherglen adopt the Situation Analysis

Phase 3 - Destination Management Plan

  • Prepare Preliminary Destination Management Plan
  • Project Control Group to review Preliminary Destination Management Plan and prepare feedback
  • Revision of Preliminary Destination Management Plan to draft plan
  • Distribute Destination Management Plan Draft to tourism stakeholders
  • Stakeholder workshop(s) to present and discuss the Destination Management Plan Draft, and gain feedback on how to refine it to maximise its successful implementation
  • Project Control Group meeting to discuss results of workshops, and agree on amendments to finalise the Destination Management Plan 
  • Revise the Destination Management Plan Draft to reflect agreed amendments
  • Indigo Shire Council and Winemakers of Rutherglen adopt the Rutherglen Destination Management Plan 

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