The Winton Shire Council has known for some time the limited 
accommodation options available for the growing number of tourists and visitors coming to Central West Queensland and, the historic town of Winton.
To better understand the gravity of the situation, Council engaged Stafford Strategy to prepare the ‘Winton Accommodation Feasibility Study’ which includes visitor data across the region. This data indicates Winton has the highest rate of day trip visitors of any town in the region, which is largely due to the limited accommodation currently available. In short, many tourists seeking overnight accommodation in Winton are being knocked back and are forced to stay overnight in other towns.
Mayor Gavin Baskett considers there has never been a better time for developers to invest in Winton and grow the current tourism accommodation options: -
- “With the recent boom in outback tourism, Winton has been the shining light in attracting tourists and visitors to its area. The popularity of local attractions including the Australian Age of Dinosaurs and the Waltzing Matilda Centre, along with our quality events and magnificent landscapes has contributed to the town’s increased popularity. The challenge for us has always been coping with the demand for overnight stays in the Shire. This Feasibility Study demonstrates what we locals know – people want to stay here and explore Winton but can’t get a bed through much of the peak season”, says Mayor Gavin Baskett.
There are not only opportunities afoot in tourism and traveller accommodation for boutique accommodation, destination holiday parks and glamping facilities. The Feasibility Study also demonstrates the real demand for workers accommodation.
Winton Shire Council CEO, Mr Ricki Bruhn considers the Feasibility Study can provide some assurance for prospective investors considering investing in Winton: -
- “For a small outback town, Winton has great facilities, however we can grow and do so much more with additional and improved accommodation options. There are currently strong demands for residential and industrial land and this is likely to continue. We want our day trippers to stay overnight in Winton to increase the local economy”.
Many of the local accommodation offerings are currently for sale, included a scheduled auction of the Matilda Tourist Country Park to take place on 29 November 2021 at 10.00am in Winton.
The Winton Accommodation Feasibility Study is available to download here. Any interested company or individual is encouraged to review the document and contact the CEO for further details by calling 07 4657 2660 or via email ceo@winton.qld.gov.au.
Winton Accommodation Feasibility Study
