Cobar’s tourism trade is booming with the
Cobar Visitor Information Centre (VIC)
reporting already more than 2,000 visitors
have called in this month.
Cobar Shire Council’s tourism manager
Demi Smith said since they re-opened in December
on average they’ve had about 100 visitors
each day to the VIC and museum but that
number doubled over the Easter break with
more than 200 visiting each day.
“Our local accommodation providers were
fully booked, including the caravan park which
was at capacity over Easter with lots of caravaners
and campers parked all the way to the
back fence,” Demi said.
The Cobar Central Motor Inn has been fully
booked for the past couple of weeks (with
mainly travellers), the Oasis Motel too has
been very busy and fully booked while the
Town & Country Motor Inn reports they’ve
been fully booked since March.
“The amount of travellers staying overnight
and also passing through over Easter made for
a great opportunity for our local businesses
who were open over the break,” Demi said.
“Most like the VIC got smashed!”
She said service stations often had customers
backed up in the driveways and cafes selling
coffee and food did a roaring trade.
Camping areas around town, including at the
‘COBAR’ sign, were also crowded.
Even the outlying villages in the shire have
reported an increase in tourists over the past
week with the staff at Nymagee’s Metropolitan
Hotel run off their feet over the Easter weekend
serving more than 100 counter meals on
Saturday.
Demi said comments from visitors has all
been positive.
“We’ve had great feedback from visitors
about the Museum and the wonderful attractions
in Cobar.
“Many travellers were impressed with our
facilities and how much there is to see and do
here. Lots have stayed more than one night to
take advantage of what Cobar has to offer.”
Also pleasing is the Sound Chapel has had
more than 20 bookings since opening earlier
this month.
She said many travellers were heading to the
Mundi Mundi Bash festival in Broken Hill and
lots are already making plans to visit Cobar
again.
