Mayoral Memo - 13 March 2024
On Tuesday morning I had the honour of rolling the first bowl at the Bowls NSW State Championships and then heading out to the golf course to be the official starter for the Golf NSW Women’s Regional Qualifier event. On Friday we will host the Alliance of Western Councils Board meeting and on Sunday I will throw my leg over a motorbike to ride with hundreds of participants in the annual Black Dog ride. The next day I will move from motor to human power participating in the biennial Toyota Tour de OROC bicycle ride.
At all of these events, I am always thrilled to welcome participants, organisers and spectators to our city. These events are all significant in our city for different reasons but, most importantly, they all show what a central hub Dubbo has become for a huge variety of events.
Events like these not only showcase Dubbo's exceptional facilities and hospitality but also underscore our city's growing reputation as a premier destination for major events – be they sporting, cultural or fundraising. The tagline, ‘Hub of the West’, is never more evident than it is today.
The Bowls NSW State Championships, concluding on 27 March, is the pinnacle sporting event for Bowls NSW with over 880 competitors participating across the fifteen days. This event has never been held outside a metropolitan area before which demonstrates the significance of this event being held in Dubbo.
The Golf NSW Women’s Regional Qualifier event has taken place over three days and sees forty five per cent of the players from overseas. Several regional tournaments are held around NSW for qualification through to the NSW Open and Dubbo’s golf course made our city a natural choice for one of the qualifier events.
The Black Dog ride starting from Dubbo is again a natural choice with five highways joining Dubbo giving the organisers many choices of where to ride to. Last year we rode to Narromine then on to Collie and this year we will visit Mendooran then on to Dunedoo. Participants travel from across the region to take part in this event.
One of Dubbo’s great strengths is its economic diversity. The economic impact of hosting multiple events throughout the year cannot be overstated. Visitors keep rolling through Dubbo with involvement in various events and they keep filling up motels and eating at cafés and restaurants and supporting the retail sector. The multiplier effect of such events extends far beyond the immediate financial benefits, contributing to job creation and the development of local infrastructure.
Moreover, these events shine a spotlight on Dubbo, enhancing our city's profile on the national stage and encouraging further tourism and investment.
I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all organisers and a warm thank you to everyone involved in continuing to bring these events to life in Dubbo.
Councillor Mathew Dickerson
Mayor of Dubbo Regional Council
Last Edited: 12 Mar 2024