Brighter days ahead for Wagga Wagga

A new campaign highlighting all the wonderful places and attractions you can look forward to visiting again once COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted was launched this week.

Brighten Up Wagga Wagga, which is being promoted through Council’s ‘Visit Wagga’ social media and website, is a positive and vibrant way to showcase our city to locals and visitors.

“We wanted to brighten people’s spirits at this time, which has been a challenging period for many facing harsh drought conditions, bushfires and now Coronavirus restrictions,” Visitor Economy and Events Coordinator Fiona Hamilton said.

“These times won’t last forever, and the campaign showcases all the wonderful things people can look forward to once it is safe to do so.

“Brighten Up Wagga Wagga heroes many of our fantastic Wagga Tourism Partner Program businesses, who, along with our broader community, are all doing an amazing job in the face of such adversity.”

Two Wagga Wagga businesses have demonstrated how some creative pivoting at this time has really helped.

Jason Crowley, owner of Cave Restaurant and Bar, and Crowley’s Hot Sauce, partnered with Craig Wealands, owner of Thirsty Crow Brewing Co., to deliver the innovative, and now highly popular, online game Servo Bingo.

The game is hosted through Facebook Live and participants have to support local businesses to receive a bingo card to play along at home. To date, the idea has been a great success.

“Servo Bingo is Craig’s out-of-the-box thinking, which is what we all need these days,” Mr Crowley said.

“With challenging times for many, to do a live, interactive stream, gives people a chance to focus on something different. It’s done in a family-friendly way so everyone at home can get involved, and it all helps to get a few dollars cycling back through to local businesses.

“The one constant at the moment people can depend on is community. When communities support local, especially in times like now, there’s financial benefits as well as many flow-on benefits, such as supporting local suppliers, keeping local people employed, maintaining positive mental health and feeling connected as a community.”

As well as Servo Bingo, there isn’t much the Wagga Tourism Partner businesses haven’t thought of at this time. There’s home delivered cakes by Haran’s Patisserie, driveway meals and cocktails thanks to Birdhouse Bar and Kitchen, the production and sale of hand sanitiser through Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory and much more.

Follow the Brighten Up Wagga Wagga campaign and for the latest COVID-19 changeups by local businesses, head to visitwagga.com or follow Visit Wagga Wagga on Facebook or Instagram.