 Welcome to the April 2024 Edition Hello Urunga! As we farewell Summer and welcome Autumn, our town will again be full of school holiday tourists enjoying the natural beauty that surrounds us in this town. Its time to catch up! Please join us for the next business networking event brought to you by Urunga Business and Community, Un 18th April 2024 at the Literary Institute. Full details are below. Atherton drive is clear of campers for now, and there are many views as to the use of the area, however, the Atherton Drive Masterplan had the input of the town and the use of the area is set down in this plan. There seems to be a re-activation of Crown Lands in rolling out the plan and we now see some barricades and new turf and picnic areas ready to use by locals and visitors. We also see the farewell to the treasured history of the boathouses that remind us of the past use of the area. Chamber is mindful of the need for more seating and picnic tables in that area and would be happy to hear from people that want to sponsor a seat along there (with their name and memory).  Senior Citizens’ Hall RenovationUBC successfully gained a grant of $377,807 to renovate the town’s Senior Citizens’ Hall. Quotes have been received and Council approvals have been obtained. Works begin soon and should be completed by the end of the year. We look forward to the refurbished hall being enjoyed by current users and attracting more users catering for a range of interests among our community.  Urunga Master PlanWe were very pleased that work on the town’s master plan commenced earlier in the year with the consultants engaged by Council. On 15 February the community contributed ideas on what to keep and what to improve as we look forward to the next 10-20 years. By mid-year a report should be available for the next round of community feedback. The plan is to have a final plan by September this year. UBC is actively involved in the process. Following the adoption of the final master plan, Council will turn its mind to how best to spend the $1M grant money allocated to improving Urunga village centre. Although that sounds a lot of money (and it is), we are also realistic that with public works it won’t go far. So we will seek to influence Council to use the money to make a start on beautification of the town that can then be added to over time.UPCOMING NETWORKING EVENTS  As a community we want to encourage happy and healthy human beings.We often become so busy that we are more human doings than human beings! Good health increases our enjoyment of work and play.Come and hear from Aaron Hardaker, author and the mastermind behind MNC Allied Health as he shares his perspective on how health and business intersect. Aaron will share practical ideas for local businesses to improve their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of staff. A healthy workplace is more fun, has fewer sick days and increases retention and engagement of staff. That means greater productivity and profitWe will hear about: The modern best practice in living a healthy lifestyle.How we can apply these health concepts to our business and community.A simple mindfulness practice to increase gratitude and build a positive mindset.URUNGA LITERARY INSTITUTE HALLJust up from ARTSPACE – 17 Bowra St, UrungaAPRIL 18 from 7am to 8.30amBreakfast and beverage includedBOOK HEREBoardwalk UpgradeWe are also in discussions with Council on the upgrade of the boardwalk – a landmark feature of our town. Council received $3.96 million in funding from the NSW Government. Council is in discussions with various stakeholders and will undertake design work between June and December. A focus on the upgrade is to make the boardwalk accessible to people of all abilities. The rebuild work should commence after Easter 2025 (when tourism quietens down).You can read more about this on the BSC website here https://www.bellingen.nsw.gov.au/Have-Your-Say/Urunga-Boardwalk-Upgrades Entrances to Town UBC team have regular meetings with Council we discuss the poor state of the entrances to Urunga. Responsibility for maintenance rests with the NSW Government. Council is prepared to take on the task if budget is allocated by the state government. We support Council in this objective and will be writing to the government to state the town’s concerns with the poor standard of upkeep and to urge the transfer of work to Council. Council is also working on new signage for Urunga, along with Bellingen and Dorrigo.  Visitor Information Centre ReopeningFor a few years now the Visitor Information Centre has been closed – not a great welcome to our town and shire. We have been in regular communication with Council and have been supportive of Council’s attempts to find an operator to use the centre and to serve the public with tourism information. We are pleased that the last round of expressions of interest have been successful and the centre is planned to be open for the upcoming school holiday period commencing 12 April. Coffs Harbour Trike and Private Tours, we have expanded and bought a Tour Bus and now officially we have secured the lease for the Visitor Information Centre Building on Giinagay Way in Urunga.Just a reminder the Bellingen Shire Council Elections are coming up in September. Urunga Business and Community are keen to help locals know their candidates so watch this space. To stay in touch Urunga Business and Community, please follow us on Facebook at the Love Urunga Business Support page, providing you with the ability to connect and network with like-minded business owners and to stay up-to-date with essential information relative to our community.   MEMBER SPOTLIGHTUrunga has the pleasure of calling Rebecca (Bec) Wilder, a local.Bec is the Resort Manager for the beautiful Riverside Holiday Resort in Urunga & Marketing Manager for the Federation of Community Sporting and Workers Clubs. In this role, Bec oversees the management of 40 fully self-contained accommodation units and a team of 10 hardworking locals. The resort is busy year-round with large numbers of repeat guests who share a love for our town. Under Bec’s leadership, the resort has won a number of tourism awards, at both a Regional and State level. In doing so, Bec has helped champion Urunga as a destination for tourism. The team have been particularly commended for their work in providing service excellence and accessible accommodation options. Bec and her team are continually working to upgrade and expand the facilities on offer.Bec manages to do all this whilst managing her own family with 4 teenagers – a true superwoman! With her smiling face and warm personality, Bec is a fantastic contributor to the community and you can see why she makes a great Resort host and advocate for Urunga. Other News   Unsubscribe | Manage your subscriptionUrunga Business and CommunityHave something to include?Please email Chamber@urunga.com.auFOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK |