The town runs on volunteers at Mission Beach N Qld – the second Community Gift Winner

Paul Broome, Marketing Manager of Xtreme Skydiving suggested the Mission Beach Visitor Info Centre (VIC) to support the huge voluntary effort put in by the local community. Paul says “The VIC is financially reliant on donations from the local community, and the work it does to promote tourism in the area is invaluable to the Mission Beach community which relies heavily on tourism for its economy. The beach, the walking tracks and all the local attractions rely on volunteer work to keep them operational.”

Mission Beach VIC Manager, Monika Lamz, says “We have 26,000 visitors through the Wet Tropics Visitor Centre every year and provide them with tourist information and conservation pamphlets at our cost. The $500 Community Gift will go towards much needed tourist information leaflets on the dangers of the box jellyfish, as well as general tourist trail leaflets. The town runs on volunteers….half of the 180 members of Mission Beach Tourism are ‘supporters’ not operators.”

Monika also says “The Visitor Information Centre runs a ‘Clean Up Australia Day’ program, various promotional campaigns and also lobbies the government for improved facilities. Currently we have before the Queensland Tourism Minister Desley Boyle concerns about repairs to a bridge in the World Heritage Area Tam O’Shanter National Park. Owned by the Johnstone Shire Council, this bridge, currently sporting a ‘closed’ sign, links several trails. Many tourists are going around the bridge through the water to access trails which is not a safe or positive way to experience our region.”