Regional Tourism Forum Riverina Murray 2026

Dominic Mehling is the bridge between Tourism Australia and the industry - helping local businesses make the most of their international strategy, while making sure their insights also shape what Tourism Australia do on the inside.

If regional tourism operators could focus on just one thing right now, Dominic suggests:
Optimising your distribution strategy.

Tony Tranter is the CEO of Barooga Sports Club.

What will you walk away with from Tony's session? 
Some understanding of working with Traditional Owner Groups; the challenges and rewards.

If regional tourism operators could focus on just one thing right now, Tony suggests:
Ensuring your product or service is right.

Kate O'Neill is the owner-operator of Acre Town Planning, a regionally-based consulting firm helping people turn great ideas for places into approved, ready to build projects.  

What will you walk away with from Kate’s session? 
Hints and tips on how to navigate the planning system and obtain approval for your tourism projects without the headaches.

If regional tourism operators could focus on just one thing right now, Kate suggests:
Early engagement with council or a planning consultant to understand any potential road blocks, documentation requirements, costs and timeframes involved. This will allow you to go into the process fully prepared and avoid surprises along the way!

Karen Oliver supports tourism businesses and destinations to develop new visitor experiences and strengthen their tourism offering.

What will you walk away with from Karen's session? 
Practical insights into the key design elements that create memorable visitor experiences.  

If regional tourism operators could focus on just one thing right now, Karen suggests:
To take a step back from the day-to-day and consider how you can elevate the visitor experience you offer.  

Vicky Lowry leads and grows the Deni Ute Muster - one of Australia’s most iconic regional events. She collaborates with community, industry, and government partners to deliver the festival and drive visitors to our region.

What will you walk away with from Vicky's session? 
Practical insights on how collaboration, strong storytelling, and community-driven events can grow visitation, strengthen local economies, and turn regional ideas into sustainable tourism experiences.

If regional tourism operators could focus on just one thing right now, Vicky suggests:
Working together to create authentic experiences that give visitors a genuine reason to travel to, and spend time in, regional communities.

Jenny Robb helps regional tourism businesses bridge the gap between a great idea and a bookable experience. She does this by sharpening their product focus and maximising their marketing potential; drawing on her experience building a small regional tour operation.

If regional tourism operators could focus on just one thing right now, Jenny suggests:
Operational flexibility – tuning your business to be as dynamic as the landscape itself. This allows you to confidently meet shifting climate patterns and new traveller interests, with a clear, marketable offering that works in any season, or can be tweaked as the seasons change.

Shannon O’Brien is a leader in Australia’s paddlesports, adventure tourism, and waterway events sectors. He is the founder of Sydney Harbour Kayaks, an award-winning tourism operator that delivers guided paddling experiences on Sydney Harbour and was inducted into the NSW Tourism Hall of Fame.

Shannon is also the organiser of the Massive Murray Paddle, Australia’s longest-running and largest multi-day paddling event, covering more than 400 kilometres of the Murray River and attracting hundreds of paddlers each year.

Through his work, Shannon focuses on growing paddlesports participation, supporting regional tourism, and creating events and experiences that connect people with Australia’s waterways while promoting environmental stewardship and community engagement.

If regional tourism operators could focus on just one thing right now, Shannon suggests:
Collaboration with like-minded tourism businesses.

from Temora Shire Council chairs the Canola Trail Executive Committee, bringing councils and tourism operators together to grow visitation through regional collaboration.

Madeleine Masarik is the Manager of Influencer & Media Engagement at Destination NSW.

How does the Destination NSW Marketing & PR team work to support regional operators?
By promoting their experiences through media coverage, influencer partnerships and campaigns. We work closely with Destination Networks and local partners to help drive visitation to regions across NSW. Ultimately, our role is to build awareness and demand for regional NSW in line with the 2035 Visitor Economy Strategy.

If regional operators could focus on just one thing right now, Madeleine suggests:
Being listed on ATDW (Australian Data Tourism Warehouse).

Emma Scott is an award-winning creative director and brand strategist, dedicated to helping regional businesses, industries and destinations tell their story with clarity and impact.

With more than 20 years’ experience in branding, marketing and communications, Emma has developed a deep appreciation for the power of brand to shape perception, create momentum and drive meaningful growth.

Emma’s approach combines strategic thinking with a highly refined creative process. She has an ability to quickly distil the essence of a business (identifying its value proposition, purpose and opportunity) and then translate this into a distinctive and compelling brand expression.

Her work through Regional PR & Co. focuses particularly on regional Australia, working alongside agricultural businesses, tourism destinations, rural brands and community organisations to build strong narratives that resonate both locally and nationally.

Emma’s superpower lies in understanding the alignment between business goals, overarching mission and core purpose, and using that insight to guide brand strategy, communication and creative direction.

At Regional PR & Co., Emma believes that while beautiful design is important, strategy is what ultimately drives results. A well-crafted brand is not just something that looks good, it is a tool that creates connection, builds trust and helps organisations grow with intention.

Giovanna Lever helps organisations and communities plan for the future - whether that’s growing their economy, supporting businesses, or creating better opportunities for people.

What will you walk away with from Giovanna’s session?
Practical solutions to common business challenges that you can implement into your business immediately.

If regional tourism operators could focus on just one thing right now, Giovanna suggests:
Operational efficiency to maximise financial sustainability and customer advocacy.

Sam Brewer is the owner-operator of Yarran Wines - a boutique vineyard, winery and cellar door located within the Riverina NSW.

What will you walk away with from Sam's session? 
A transparent view of how we engage visitors, from the vineyard through the bottle nature of our business.

If regional tourism operators could focus on just one thing right now, Sam suggests:
Keep putting yourself out there and refining what works best!

Kate Shilling has over 25 years experience in the tourism industry and is a passionate advocate for regional Australia, working with a wide range of stakeholders across accommodation, hospitality, heritage, wine, food and farm-based tourism, bringing operators together in the development, distribution and delivery of innovative visitor experiences that appeal to modern travellers.

What will you walk away with from Kate’s session?
Feeling inspired about potential growth for agritourism and informed about the possible ways forward for your local community.

If regional tourism operators could focus on just one thing right now, Kate suggests:
Working collaboratively (not competitively) with other operators in your community.

Marc Sleeman leads regional tourism for the Grampians and Wimmera Mallee, working with industry and government to grow visitation, support operators and guide destinations through challenges and recovery.

What will you walk away with from Marc's session?
Practical insights into communicating during crises - including how to manage media narratives, keep visitors informed, and work collectively as a region to protect reputation and rebuild confidence.

If regional tourism operators could focus on just one thing right now, Marc suggests:
Working together to tell a consistent and positive story about their destination - because in times of challenge, collaboration is what protects confidence and accelerates recovery.

A practising farmer, Member of the Order of Australia, and nationally respected agribusiness and communications strategist, Robbie Sefton brings a rare combination of firsthand farming experience and deep policy expertise to the agritourism debate.

With farming operations spanning west to east Australia — dryland cropping and livestock at Kojonup (WA), Coonabarabran and Tamworth (NSW), and now an irrigation farm near Tocumwal — Robbie understands firsthand the opportunities and pressures facing farm businesses considering diversification into tourism. That experience crosses different climates, soils, farming cultures and market access conditions, giving her genuine insight into what agritourism can and cannot deliver for farmers across Australia's diverse regions.

As Founder of Seftons, a national advisory and communications firm Robbie has worked directly with corporates, agribusiness and multiple federal and state government departments — and knows how policy settings and investment decisions shape outcomes on the ground.

Robbie currently serves on the boards of headspace, the CRC for High Performance Soils, and Watertrust Australia, and recently completed five years on the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and was the Deputy Chair of the Australia Day Council. Her governance experience spans federal statutory bodies, ASX-listed companies, and major not-for-profits — bringing financial oversight, risk management and environmental stewardship to every table she sits at.

With over 35 years across agribusiness, infrastructure, environment and government, Robbie is known as a trusted, non-political voice who bridges city and country on complex agri-policy questions. She leads with generational thinking — — a no-spin approach grounded in lived rural experience, and active environmental stewardship alongside productivity.