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Newsroom |
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8 March 2006 Interview
Transcript Topic: Word is that traffic in Melbourne is going to be a nightmare during the Commonwealth Games, but there is a plan by the Champions of the Bush, and they are using this traffic situation to urge city dwellers to use the Commonwealth Games as an excuse to get out into regional Victoria. Bedford: Did you notice the ads in today's papers warning of road closures in Melbourne for the duration of the Commonwealth Games? Word is that traffic is going to be a nightmare around the Big Nana, as I like to refer to Melbourne. We should be very grateful we don't live there, I think, and commiserations to anyone who has to travel into Melbourne for work. But this is where the very clever plan comes in. That sympathy for Melbournites has been felt by a group known as the Champions of the Bush, and they are using this terrible traffic situation to urge city dwellers to use the Commonwealth Games as an excuse to get out into regional Victoria. John Brown is with us, chairman of Browns Wines, and chairman of Champions of the Bush, and cunning schemester. Hello, John. Brown: Hi, Kathy, how are you? Bedford: I'm well. It's a very clever plan, John. We know about Browns Wines, but just tell us a little bit about who Champions of the Bush are. Brown: Well firstly, I think it's clever, but I'm not sure about cunning and quirky, but it's really a rallying call to- - Bedford: [Laughs] Let me have some fun with it, John. Brown: Yes. It's really a rallying call to country Victorians to take direct action to promote the great lifestyle that we enjoy. We all know that life's better in the bush. Bedford: Just tell us about Champions of the Bush. Who are you? Brown: Well, Champions of the Bush is a group of business people who have their businesses in the bush, and they're all successful Victorian businesses, and they really want to promote the benefits of living and working, and perhaps investing in the bush. Bedford: And you have the joy, of course, of living at Milawa,- - Brown: I do Bedford: - -are you feeling sympathy for metro livers who are going to have to cope with road closures from today on around Melbourne? Brown: Absolutely, the best place for Melbourne in the next few days will be to see it in the rear vision mirror. Bedford: [Laughs] And of course you're talking to the converted on the regional Statewide Drive program, how are we going to get that message through to Melbournians? Brown: Well, by encouraging country people to get their city friends and cousins and relatives to come and visit the bush for the long weekend, and while they're here, to promote the benefits of living here, and come and holiday here, and spending their money here. Bedford: Do we want them to come here and live? Brown: Absolutely, we do. The bush needs more population to help us to retain and improve our various services, and to build our economies and make it an even better place to live. Bedford: The State Government has been running a campaign, a make it happen campaign, saying there are emerging opportunities here. Do you agree, are there job opportunities in places like Milawa? Brown: There are job opportunities all throughout regional Victoria at the present time. In fact I think it's in the city too, but the good jobs are out here, where the lifestyle is to go with it. Housing is cheaper, and you have all of the outdoor activities that you can take part in, and of course you don't have the rush of city traffic, and smelly air and things like that. Bedford: Yes. Of course some from Melbourne and all round the world will be making the trek out to places like Traralgon, Bendigo and Ballarat, where Commonwealth Games events are being held, that's a good time to grab them, isn't it, and keep them here? Brown: Absolutely, yes, and once the Games are over, it'll be an opportunity too for them to come up and visit the more regional parts of Victoria. Bedford: Yes. But Champions of the Bush, you're actually promoting this coming Labor Day weekend as a really good opportunity to say hey, come out and have a bit of a look? Brown: Yes, it's the weekend we do this every year, it's our third year that we've been campaigning to have city people come and visit us at this time of the year, the weather's fabulous, and it's warm and dry, and all sorts of great things to do, there are lots of things happening in rural Victoria. Bedford: Now Champions of the Bush, your own website lists some of these things, have you got some of them in front of you there? What are some - just a sample of what's on this weekend? Brown: Well, there are lots and lots of things on, we've just got a few of them listed on our website, I encourage people to have a look at it. But for example, there's the pink lamb and purple shiraz race day at Avoca- - Bedford: Fantastic. Brown: - -where there are 15 wineries to have a look at, and they've got a purple shiraz tasting award, they've got free overnight camping, and succulent lamb dishes and things like that going, real lifestyle stuff. Then there's a Mardi Gras down in Maffra, there's a street carnival, music, stall holders, a street procession and the like, and there's another one way up in the east of Victoria, the Up the Creek Discovery Festival, that's at Hinnomunjie, that's not far from Omeo, and they've got picnic races, they've got a gun club shoot, they've got lawn bowls, they've got 4-wheel discovery rallies, wood chopping, harvest festivals and things, a flower show, so there's heaps happening there. Bedford: OK. I just might throw in the Begonia Festival, it kicks off in Ballarat tomorrow. Brown: That's right, that's another one that's happening. Bedford: Vince Jones is actually playing in the gardens tomorrow afternoon, so that's worth making a trip to Ballarat. You can have a look for more on the Champions' website, what is that, John? Brown: That's backtothebush, www.backtothebush.com.au and it'll all come up there in front of you. Bedford: Beautiful, and let's make this weekend Ð happy to help promote it, the Back to the Bush weekend, but I think it's a cunning plan to get Melbournians out, we're going to be screaming, with all those road closures, it's not going to be a nice experience. John, I don't think I've spoken to you since you were recognised with an Order of Australia on Australia Day, so congratulations on that too. Brown: Thank you very much. Yes, it's a wonderful honour. Bedford: Yes, good on you. John Brown, thank you. Brown: Thanks, Kathy. Bedford:
John Brown, AO, and certainly a champion of the bush, from Browns Wines
in regional Victoria.
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