Closed
Commercial Land For Sale - Outback Opportunity
Tender ID: 495286
Tender Details
Organisation:
Tender #:
-
Status:
Closed
Publish Date:
2 June 2022
Closing Date:
1 August 2022
Tender Description
The Winton Shire Council has released an open invitation for expressions of interest this week calling for investors looking to develop accommodation facilities in the Shire.
Significant growth in the tourism industry throughout the region has resulted in limited accommodation options and availability during peak season, with Winton attracting almost 170k visitors in 2020 despite the ongoing impact of the pandemic on the industry.
Whilst this is a positive for the region, a study in 2021 identified major gaps in Winton’s available accommodation, resulting in the land parcels being released by the Council.
“The release of the Winton Accommodation Feasibility Study and the Winton Investment Prospectus confirmed that tourism is a major growth market for us and there are gaps that need to be filled. We want to connect people with the great opportunities we have to offer here in Winton and this is one of the ways we want to do that” said Mayor Gavin Baskett.
The two land parcels on offer are situated in prime locations, providing investors the unique opportunity to build varied types of accommodation. The first site covers approximately eleven hectares located on the Landsborough Highway connecting Winton to Longreach and surrounds. The other is just under three thousand metres squared located right in the centre of the township on Oondooroo Street.
The growth in the tourism industry has been sustained for more than the last decade, increasing 45% since 2009 and this trend is projected to increase with the major tourist attractions in town reporting their busiest season year after year.
The Australian Age of Dinosaurs reported just under sixty thousand visitors in 2021, an increase of twenty-three thousand visitors from the years previous. Naomi Miles, Business Development Manager, said the accommodation shortage impacted the museums ability to retain staff and host guests.
“In 2021 many new staff members were unable to find suitable, long-term accommodation in Winton and were obliged to stay onsite…The immediate effect of the housing shortage is reduced employment opportunities, fewer Prep-A-Dino participants and fewer fossils that can be prepared and researched each year”.
The Winton Investment Prospectus study also released in 2021 highlighted exciting opportunities to expand into new growth markets within the tourism industry. The study formally recognised the need for workers accommodation, destination holiday parks, boutique hotels and motels and accommodation filling the 3.5-5-star rating to meet market demand.
This call for investors is also spurred on by the recent announcement of The Outback Way, highway improvements allowing travellers to take a ‘’shortcut” through the centre of Australia, beginning in Winton through to Laverton, WA. These improvements are set to create over two-thousand new jobs and increase accessibility for tourists to the town.
The expression of interest is hoping to draw in interested parties with submissions due by 4pm the 1st of August 2022. To read more from the 2021 Winton Accommodation Feasibility Study and Winton Investment Prospectus or get a copy of the EOI, visit https://www.outbackopportunity.com.
Contact: Gemma Edwards
Economic Development Officer
gemmae@matildacentre.com.au
0488 537 989