Time is ticking for a group of Clunes volunteers who are working to upgrade and install new signs in Clunes in time for the 2018 International Organisations of Booktowns conference in May.
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Concerns have been raised that existing weathered signs are a poor reflection on the town and a lack of directional signs makes it difficult for tourists to move between key attractions.
Hepburn Shire councillor Neil Newitt said wayfinding signs, heritage signage and town entrance signage were key areas of focus.
Clunes Tourist and Development Association (CTDA) president Steven Hunter said the plan for town signage discussed at the last committee meeting aimed to attract tourists, engage them, and help residents better know their town.
“We want to replace those signs that have gone missing, repair those that are dilapidated and illegible, upgrade with additional new signage fairly central to town with the key points of interest and additional signage on the freeway,” Mr Hunter said.
New signage was installed around Clunes in 2001 as part of the 150th anniversary of the first discovery of gold, but many signs have been severely damaged by weather. Clunes Museum president James Curzon-Siggers said the current signs did not enhance the town’s history.
“There is a whole area of mining that would benefit from signage. Another example is the homestead of the first European settler Donald Cameron. There is one of those classic, old school council signs where they have burnt the lettering into a timber plank, but it has become badly dilapidated and you can hardly see it through the long grass. It’s pretty poor really because it is the first white European settler in the region, so there really should be a proper historical information board there.
“I see the May 2018 International Booktown as being a great catalyst to do some of this tourism and local community infrastructure that we badly need to do.”
The CTDA is currently working on establishing funding, design and location plans.
Contact CTDA president Steven Hunter on 0400 696 794 for more information.