Who is going to bang a gong for the Gong?
Fancy a career in tourism? With tantalising projects in the offing, Destination Wollongong is looking for a city cheerleader
Do you love the Gong? Do you constantly bore family and friends about our magnificent beaches, chilled cafes and bars, and some of the best bushwalks and mountain-biking in the nation right on our doorstep?
If the answer is yes, you just might be the right person to fill a new role at Destination Wollongong – one which could be described as numero uno cheerleader for the Gong.
The actual job title is a much less exciting – tourism development and infrastructure executive’ – but you get my drift?
Imagine rocking up to work each day (it’s only three days a week, giving you even more time to explore our city’s hidden gems on your loooong weekends) and your main role is to spruik just how awesome a place we live in to people who aren’t as lucky as we are to live here.
Photos: Symbio Wildlife Park and Anthony Warry
Imagine the research you’d have to do: checking out our best beaches, sampling the city’s best coffees, rubbing shoulders with the movers and shakers in our tourism, hotel and hospitality sector.
Applications for this exciting new role are open, and we spoke with Destination Wollongong’s head honcho (not his real title) Jeremy Wilshire about the job and why this role has been created.
Jeremy is preparing for a potential avalanche of exciting new tourism projects he hopes will take a big step forward, from being a part of the city’s “vision” five-10 years ago to becoming a reality between now and 2030.
Determined not to miss an opportunity, Jeremy is looking for the best support around him to land every one of those opportunities.
In what Destination Wollongong is hoping will be a golden era for the city and region, the shopping list of game-changing projects is mouth-wateringly exciting.
The proposed cruise terminal for Port Kembla appears a no-brainer. When those tens of thousands of cashed-up cruisers lob, if the planets align, and those ambitious plans for surplus BlueScope land at Port Kembla are fully realised, Jeremy says the visitors could be dropping into a new adventure park, a modern museum of people and industry and a massive film studio where blockbusters are being produced.
Jeremy Wilshire has a vision for Wollongong to become one of Australia's hottest regional visitor destinations. Photos: Jeremy Lasek, Anthony Warry, Darkes Glenbernie Orchard
“I’m just so excited about what is shaping as an era of bold vision and great expectations,” Jeremy said.
He wants his new recruit to “help carve out the next iteration of how this city is perceived. Put simply, the job description will be to bring those bold ideas to life.”
Jeremy said he’s already had a lot of interest and excitement for the role which he says has flexible working conditions and doesn’t necessarily need to be filled by someone already in the business of tourism.
“This isn’t a business-as-usual role. We’re looking for the right person to help shape the next chapter of tourism in this region.”
Applications close on May 18.
