Shire of Sandstone refuses to commit funds to take part in Channel 7’s Great Aussie Road Trip

The Shire of Sandstone says other tourism-boosting initiatives are preferred to the latest proposal for a TV show looking to showcase the region.

According to recent council meeting minutes, producers from the TV show Great Aussie Road Trip reached out to local government areas in the Murchison asking for a $12,000 investment to take part.

The show is broadcast on the Seven Network, and Visage Productions was looking to showcase the region across two episodes.

When it was brought to the council, members decided against investing the money to take part.

Shire president Beth Walton said this was because of other tourism opportunities the council had already agreed to.

“We’ve already committed ourselves to the Storytowns podcast, which will be happening in the next couple of months,” she said.

“The council decided the money would be put forward to items on miscellaneous licences which were brought up at Cue Parliament.

“They decided it was better put there.”

However, Cr Walton did not count out future opportunities to take part in the TV show in the coming years.

“I think it’s a great thing that they do, especially going out to 26 countries,” she said of the TV show.

“Because we’d already committed to the Storytowns podcast, the council decided we can look at it again next year.”

The Storytowns podcast focuses on providing audio guides for rural and metro areas around Australia.

According to its website, Storytowns has more than 600 guides available, primarily in WA, South Australia, and Victoria.