South West Life

The Augusta Margaret River Tourism Association (AMRTA) is pleased to announce that over $300,000 was raised through the CowParade Charity Auction to benefit the preservation of the region’s natural and historical attractions and local community groups.

Friends of the Cape to Cape Track and the Cape to Cape Catchment Group will both receive $15,000, providing a major boost to the 2010/2011 funding for both non-for-profit organisations.

Friends of the Cape to Cape Track President Jane Scott thanked the AMRTA for their inclusion as beneficiaries of the CowParade Auction. 

“It is a really exciting boost to our funding for vital upgrade projects that are needed to ensure the Track's sustainability.  Each year we see more and more walkers out enjoying the Cape to Cape Track, and it is great to see it recognised by the AMRTA as a valuable asset to the region” said Ms Scott. 

Cape to Cape Catchments Group (CCG) representative Hayley Rolfe was thrilled with the announcement.   

“We were not expecting the money so it came as a complete surprise, I'm glad I was sitting down at the time." 

"The CCG is facing an uncertain funding future. Because of a drop in the amount of government funding we receive we've seen the loss of some activities. Our unique biodiversity and our spectacular landscapes are valued by the people that visit the region and they must be cared for by the people that live and work here. This generous donation will help us continue this work” said Ms Rolfe. 

The Regional Special Projects funding will go towards the preservation of natural assets in the Margaret River region – particularly at the Lake, Mammoth and Jewel Cave precincts. The AMRTA is currently in the process of developing a proposal to install an International Megafauna Centre at Mammoth Cave which will incorporate five central biodiversity themes that embody the uniqueness of the South West. These include megafauna, climate change, biodiversity, Aboriginal heritage and geology. The development of the International Megafauna Centre will enhance Mammoth Cave’s status as a major regional attraction. It will also complement Caveworks, the existing interpretive adaptation at Lake Cave, and the redevelopment currently under construction at Jewel Cave.  

Other local organisations to benefit from the CowParade Auction are: Busselton Hospice Care ($4,090), Arts Margaret River ($17,728), Augusta Margaret River SES Unit ($3,636), Augusta Business Community ($6,565) and the Margaret River Wine Region Festival ($5,909). 

CowParade sponsors selected a charity of their choice to receive funds from the sale of each sponsored cow. 63 of the 78 cows that were sold for charity were nominated to benefit Regional Special Projects.  

CowParade Margaret River raised a further $33,727 for Telethon, $5,090 for the Starlight Foundation, $5,818 for Give Me Five For Kids, $8,181 for the McGrath Foundation and $4,181 for the Asthma Foundation of Western Australia.  

Throughout the duration of CowParade the Margaret River Visitor Centre recorded a 28% increase in visitation based on the original projection figures (as determined by the Tourism Western Australia Local Government Area Visitor Fact Sheet 2007).  

New Tourism Western Australia evidence (TWA Local Government Area Overnight Visitor Fact Sheet 2009) shows a 7% decline in the Busselton and Augusta Margaret River Shires over the past three years. Throughout CowParade Margaret River the AMRTA had an 11.4% increase in visitation on 2009 door statistics. Visitor feedback forms and evaluation showed that the average length of stay was 3.8 days and 43% of the attendees visited Margaret River because of CowParade.  Based on the latest TWA data that determines overnight visitor spend and behavior patterns the AMRTA estimates that an additional 65,000 people visited the region and injected a possible $22,000,000 into the local economy.  

AMRTA CEO Simon Ambrose was delighted with the final CowParade results.

“It is a mammoth achievement to hold an event that not only reversed visitation trends over an extended period, but promoted the Margaret River region to an international audience and raised $437,000 for charities, local community groups and Regional Special Projects” said Mr Ambrose. 

The AMRTA and the CowParade Margaret River Steering Committee would like to thank all artists, sponsors, hosts and the wider community for their continued support during this moo-vellous event. CowParade Margaret River would not have been possible without the Australian Federal Government TQUAL Tourism Grants Initiative, Royalties for Regions, Eventscorp, the Augusta Margaret River Shire Council and the Shire of Busselton.  

The legacy of CowParade Margaret River will remain in the region not only through the funding donations, but through some notable favourites permanently in place in Cowaramup and at the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse!