Social media the key to drawing visitors to Mackay

‘There’s little more powerful than seeing glory shots posted on Facebook and Instagram’.

Platypus is a key drawcard for the Mackay region.

AS YOU read this, I’ll likely be diving with platypus or sorting through GoPro footage of said Aussie mammal.

It’s one species of our unique wildlife that I have yet to see in the wild and I’m really hoping they put on a show for me.

I have a New York friend who is obsessed with platypus and we spent an age in Maleny looking for the strange-looking creatures when she last visited. We failed to spot them.

I’m hoping to entice her back to Australia with the pictures and video of the Pioneer Valley’s residents. But if she, and my other friends, share it with their networks, hopefully it will generate good word of mouth and desire to visit this patch of the world.

Visitors enjoying the viewing platform at Broken River and trying to spot a platypus.

That’s a key plank in boosting tourists to this region.

You can do all the marketing in the world but with the advent of social media, there’s little more powerful than seeing glory shots posted on Facebook and Instagram.

After my dive, I’m meeting a colleague for lunch at new restaurant The Flackyard, which has replaced the Church Cafe, at Pinnacle. There really is so much to do and see in this region and I hope Mackay council plans to give campgrounds a facelift will also help draw people to the region. Perhaps add a unique offering at each spot, so they end up all over social media.

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