By Oscar Parry
The Macedon Ranges is experiencing growth in tourist visitation and spending this summer, according to the region’s peak tourism industry body.
Daylesford Macedon Tourism acting chief executive Paul Matthews said overall, summer is “looking good so far” for tourism in the region.
“Latest data from Tourism Research Australia highlights continued growth in the day trip market, along with an increase in spend recorded in the September quarter,” Mr Matthews said.
“Feedback from industry suggests that visitation to the Macedon Ranges region was higher in the month of December, with some businesses reporting increases of up to 10 per cent in visitation compared to December 2023 levels. This is despite a downturn in late December due to the Bullengarook fire,” he said.
“It’s still early days, however, January has been steady so far – without breaking any records.”
Mr Matthews said that the body is aware of a number of cancellations reported by tourism and accommodation operators coinciding with extreme fire danger days and high temperatures in late December.
He said that this summer, the organisation has noticed an increase in visitors to the region seeking outdoor experiences, with high visitation to Hanging Rock and Macedon Regional Park.
There has also been increased visitation to the region’s hospitality venues – a trend which Mr Matthews said is showing no signs of slowing in 2025.
Mr Matthews said the body has recorded positive results after launching its Come Back to Life campaign in 2024, which aims to promote the region’s tourism industry and increase visitation in the midst of cost of living pressures.
“We’ve observed impressive online engagement, with over one million impressions across social media and Google in the campaign’s early months. We’re actively collaborating with the industry to develop special offers tied to the campaign, transforming interest into actual visits,” he said.
The campaign will continue to run throughout autumn and into early spring this year.
