A national spotlight will soon shine on the Central Queensland Highlands when a popular TV program showcases the region.
The episode of Taste of Australia with Hayden Quinn is expected go to air on Network 10 in June and will also screen on Qantas’ inflight entertainment.
The show’s star and crew spent a week filming in the Central Queensland Highlands earlier this month at the invitation of the Central Highlands Development Corporation (CHDC) and with the generous support of Capricorn Enterprise.
The Boomtown Pictures production was shot at Carnarvon Gorge, Lake Maraboon, Emerald and Comet and will feature Breeze Holiday Parks – Carnarvon, Bar H Grazing, fruit grower Costa 2PH and Like Mum Used to Make, an artisan food business.
“Taste of Australia with Hayden Quinn is the perfect vehicle to promote our region because it reaches a wide audience across Australia,” CHDC Visitor Economy Coordinator Paul Thompson says.
“Furthermore, because it’s all about the unique personalities shaping Australia’s food scene, the program can simultaneously showcase our tourism and agriculture – two incredibly important industries for the Central Queensland Highlands.”
Coincidentally, Gem Hunters Down Under, another national TV show that is set in the Central Queensland Highlands, is due to premiere around the same time.
The new six-part series on 7Mate was filmed in Rubyvale and Sapphire and follows the highs and lows of a community of passionate sapphire hunters working in extreme conditions.
“Gem Hunters Down Under is going to appeal to a different audience to Taste of Australia so the potential exposure from both TV shows is astronomical and incredibly exciting!” Mr Thompson says.
“We’re confident that will translate into more visitors coming here and staying longer to Explore More of the Central Queensland Highlands.”
The Taste of Australia initiative forms part of the Central Highlands Visitor Economy Strategy 2020 – 2022, which sets out how the industry can collaborate to attract more overnight visitors, increase income across the year and enhance the desirability of the region for work and play.
The latest Central Highlands Economic Profile shows agricultural output in the region increased by six percent to be $891 million in 2021. Tourism’s output was just under $208 million.
