Sunday,27February2011

FraserIsOnTheWorld’sStage

FRASERISLANDhasbeenundertheinternationalspotlightthisweek,thankstoseveral

highprofilemediavisitswiththecombinedpotentialtoshowcaseFraserIslandtoa

massiveinternationalaudience.

KingfisherBayResorthasteamedwithTourismAustralia,TourismQueenslandand

Google/YouTubetoparticipateinaninnovativedigitalmarketingcampaign,calledMaking

Trackswhich,whenbroadcast,willshowoffFraserIslandandothericonicAustralian

destinationstoanonlineaudienceofmillions.

TheMakingTracksprojectsawfourinternationalmusiciansfromYouTube’sSymphony

Orchestrafor2011flowntoAustralia,wheretheywerepairedwithfourlocalmusicians

andtakenonamusicaljourneyaroundAustralia.EachMakingTrackspairwasrequiredto

collaborateandproduceapieceofmusic,inspiredbytheirsurroundsandexperiences.

Attheirjourney’send,eachcompilation-andthebehind-the-scenesstoryand

experiences–willscreenonYouTubeandviaTourismAustralia’sdigitalandsocialmedia

channels.

KingfisherMediaMangerJodiClarksaidthefirstYouTubeSymphonyOrchestrasaw90

musiciansfrom30countriesattractanaudienceof25millionacross226countries–so

thepotentialexposurefromthisspin-offmarketingcampaign,spearheadedbyTourism

Australia,wasenormous.

“InourneckofthewoodswehostedUS-basedBassoonplayer,SamuelBlair,andMelbourne

indiemusician,StuCullen,whosewhirlwindMakingTracksadventuretookthemfrom

CanberratoFraserIslandtoNoosa.

MsClarksaidthecrewarrivedonFraserlastFridayfreshfromahot-airballoonride

overParliamentHouseinCanberraandhitthetrackstoLakeMcKenzieand75-MileBeach.

DaytwooffilmingsawpristinePileValleycureatemporarycaseofwriter’sblockas

thetwomusiciansdrewinspirationfromtheirsurroundstofinishlyrics.

“ItwasreallysurrealtowalkalongthebushtrackatPileValleyandherethis

beautifulmelodydriftingthroughthetrees,shesaid.“Ican’twaittoseetheend

result.”

TheYouTubegroupleftKingfisherBaytodayonthefinallegoftheirjourneytoNoosa.

TheirsongsandtheirFraserexperiencewillbereleasedonlineinthecomingweeks.

“Queenslandandlocaltourismoperatorshadbeendoingittoughoflate,soitis

hearteningtoseeFraserIslandstarringontheworld’sstagewithtravelmedia,”Ms

Clarksaid.“ThisMakingTrackscollaborationgivesFraserIslandfantasticexposureto

theYouTubegeneration,butwe’vealsobeenmakinginroadswithmoretraditionaltravel

media.”

JustlastweekafilmcrewfromChina’sNationalGeographiconlineTravellerMagazine

basedthemselvesattheresortandspenttwodaysfilmingonisland-includingsome

fabulousaerialshotswithAirFraserIsland.

“Inthelastfewweekstheresorthasalsohostedagroupoffiveprintjournalistsfrom

provincialnewspapersinFrance.ThegroupspenttimeonaBeautySpotsdaytourof

FraserandlearningaboutBushTuckerattheresort’sSeabellerestaurant.

“Australianfreelancetraveljournalist,SandyGuy,visitedKingfisherBayonFebruary18

aspartoftheinauguralYogaRetreat–herstoryexpectedtoappearinseveralnational

printpublicationsinthecomingweeks.

“We’realsogotvisitsfromaGermanfilmcrewandprintjournalistandaDutch

journalist(inpartnershipwithTourismFraserCoast)inthepipelinefornextweek,”she

said."AndtotopoffthecoverageChannelSeven’sSundaytravelshow,Queensland

Weekender,willvisittheIslandandresortthisweek,withtheepisodeduetohitourTV

screensinearlyApril.”

“Thisisgreatexposurefortheregion,theresortand,ofcourse,forFraserIsland.”

Editor’sNote:

MakingTracks–Moreabouttheproject…

StuandSamuel(notethereareinaccuraciesintheirFraserIslanditinerary,Iam

happytoprovidecorrectdetails).

BioStuCullen-

Cullen.htm

BioSamuelBlair-

Samuel-Blair.htm

YouTube’sSymphonyOrchestra-

youtube-symphony-orchestra.html

Contact:hone+61419647752