The ‘AL-KO Best Aussie Vans’ event was officially launched at Wye River General Store by the General Manager of Adventures division, Bauer Media, Robert Gallagher.
As part of the ‘AL-KO Best Aussie Vans’ competition, 11 vans were rigorously put through their paces along the Great Ocean Road from 10-14 October. The results will be published in December/January, with the winners to be announced in Caravan World.
Sponsored by AL-KO and supported by BIG4 Holiday Parks, the event was cited as a great example of collaboration between the tourism and caravan manufacturing industries coming together to showcase to the public that the Great Ocean Road is open for business.
Robert Gallagher explained the value of the event in promoting visitation to the region was significant.
“Not only did the event bring in immediate visitation to the region in terms of our crew, manufacturers and onlookers, but it will also feature in the months to come, further showcasing the location’s beauty and natural assets,” explained Gallagher.
“We’re thankful for the industry support we’ve had in pulling this major event together, including BIG4 Wye River Holiday Park which hosted a number of our vehicles and crew. We’ve also had fantastic support in the background from local MPs and Vic Roads, for logistical concerns.”
Dianne Smith, Chief Executive of the Victorian Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) was very supportive of the event being hosted in Wye River and Apollo Bay.
“The Great Ocean Road is one of Victoria’s iconic destinations, and tourism is a key economic driver for this region,” said Smith.
“Caravanning is a great way to see all that our state has to offer, and events such as this promote not only the destination but this popular mode of travel.”
As host, BIG4 Wye River’s Andy Hannemann has been pleased with the opportunities this has unlocked for the region.
“We were delighted to host the Caravan World team,” said Hannemann, “and very impressed by the vans.”
“At the park, we’ve been very fortunate to have escaped the effects of mother nature ourselves, and are very optimistic about the future. In fact, the past 12 months have put the name Wye River on the map.
“What better way to see the Great Ocean Road than camping and caravanning.”