The award winners were announced virtually on October 14, with Moama Lights winning the category for initiatives in regions with less than 15,000 residents.
Murray River Council Mayor Chris Bilkey said the award was a fantastic achievement and a nod to the hard work of council staff, partners and local volunteers.
“Some six months in the making, our staff presented this spectacular event, which not only shone a light on our beautiful bush setting, but also shone a light on the story of our twin towns,” Cr Bilkey said.
“With the assistance of a dedicated volunteer base, we were able to present a new event experience for locals and visitors whilst bringing some much-needed economic activity to our twin towns.”
Running for two weeks in May 2021, the event saw over 15,000 tickets registered with visitation from all states and territories across Australia.
Designed by Sydney company Mandylights, the sound and light show at Moama’s Horseshoe Lagoon showcased the story of Echuca-Moama.
A post-event survey captured overnight stays, dining and shopping, and it was estimated the economic impact of Moama Lights on the Echuca Moama region was more than $7.8 million.
“The feedback and the figures really do demonstrate what an enormous success this event was,” Cr Bilkey said.
“It focused on our existing strengths, such as the beautiful bush settings, whilst delivering exciting opportunities to offer new experiences for locals and drive visitation to our local area.
“This really was a job well-done by all of our team and we are so excited to take out the win.”
This year’s Economic Development Awards celebrated organisations and individuals who demonstrated leadership and excellence throughout the ongoing challenges of COVID-19.
Moama Lights was recognised for its achievements in stimulating economic development in the local area.
Murray River Council was up against Dubbo Regional Council and Greater Whitsunday Alliance in the awards category.
Council is now in the initial stages of preparing for Moama Lights 2022.
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