Australia's South West Executive Board

Australia's South West's activities are steered by a board comprising tourism operators elected from the membership plus skills based representatives. The committee are representatives of the members and are responsible for:

• Raising issues for discussion.
• Undertaking specific tasks as requested and reporting to the committee within agreed time frames.
• Disseminating information to members.
• Representing Australia's South West at industry functions.
• Attending board meetings on a regular basis.

A number of positions on the Australia’s South West Inc. Board of Management become available at this year’s Annual General Meeting. The AGM will be held in Pemberton on Thursday 23 October 2008, details will follow in October. The positions will be filled through a postal election process as directed by the constitution.

Multiple nominations have been received for the following positions. Postal voting is currently taking place. Financial members with voting rights have been sent official voting documents. To aid the members in the selection process a short profile has been supplied by the nominees.

Two (2) Industry Representatives

(One (1) to be elected from the from Sub Regions of South West Tapestry, Margaret River Wine Region, Blackwood River Valley and Southern Forests sub-regions and one (1) to be elected from anywhere in the region based on voting preference).

• Aidan Midgley - Forte Cape View Apartments; nominated by Matt Walker Geographe Bay Tourism Association
  
• Clive Nelthorpe, Motive Tours; nominated by Keith Warwick, Capel Vale
  
• John Suckling, Practical Tourism Solutions; nominated by Toni Dearle, Pemberton Discovery Tours
  

Aidan Midgley - Forte Cape View Apartments;
Nominated by Matt Walker Geographe Bay Tourism Association.

Aidan Midgley is the Property Manager at Forte Cape View Apartments in Busselton. Aidan has been employed in the Tourism Industry for 35 years In New Zealand, The Cook Islands and Australia. All the properties Aidan has been part of the management team have been located in regional areas or national parks. Aidan is a foundation member of Skal International Bunbury Margaret River; Skal International is the world’s largest Tourism Networking organization. Aidan was previously on the Board of Australia’s South West when the two regions were amalgamated.

Clive Nelthorpe, Motive Tours;
Nominated by Keith Warwick, Capel Vale.

Clive Nelthorpe is the current Chairman of Australia's South West Incorporated. Clive has a background in tourism and hospitality consultancies within his own business, Clive Nelthorpe & Associates. He is General Manager of Motive Tours Australia, an inbound operator with links to well known retail travel agency, Motive Travel. Clive has also been the General Manager of Best Western, a tourism industry liaison consultant, tourism lecturer at Edith Cowan University, and a consultant to many Government institutions in areas of tourism, marketing research, marketing program development and tourism infrastructure development. Clive also chairs the Fremantle Prison Ministerial Advisory Committee and Hospitality Group Training.

John Suckling, Practical Tourism Solutions;
Nominated by Toni Dearle, Pemberton Discovery Tours.

John Suckling has been a Board Member of Australia’s South West since its inception. He previously served on the board of Tourism South West until that organisation was merged with ASW. He is currently the Vice Chair of ASW.

John and his wife Renata operate a consultancy business called Practical Tourism Solutions. Previously they owned Donnelly Lakes in Pemberton for 13 years.

John is passionate about tourism and the potential for the tourism industry to expand in the South West. He believes strongly that this expansion can be best achieved through active marketing by Australia’s South West and seeks another term as on of the Industry Representatives on the Board.

Great Southern Coastal Sub Regional Representative

• Jon Berry – City Of Albany; nominated by Simon Shuttleworth, Middleton Beach Holiday Park
  
• Julie Ross - Valley of the Giants, Tree Top Walk; nominated by Donald S Redman; Riverside Retreat

Jon Berry – City Of Albany;
Nominated by Simon Shuttleworth, Middleton Beach Holiday Park

I have been a Board member of Australia’s South West since 2006, in the position of Great Southern Coastal Representative. I have significant experience in regional tourism development in the Wheatbelt, Kimberley and Great Southern regions. I have developed and implemented a strategy for local government involvement in tourism and have a good understanding of corporate governance, marketing, strategic management and policy development in the fields of public administration and tourism.

I wish to continue to represent the Great Southern Coastal area on the Board of Australia’s South West and believe I am well placed to add value to the Board’s deliberations through the skills, knowledge and abilities I can bring to the organization. I will also act as a conduit from ASW to its regional operator members through my participation in the Great Southern Marketing Network, tourism forums and the tourism development work of the City of Albany.  See more... (PDF 501KB)

Julie Ross - Valley of the Giants, Tree Top Walk;
Nominated by Donald S Redman; Riverside Retreat

Julie Ross is the Business Manager of one of Australia’s most important and visited tourism icons, the Tree Top Walk in the Valley of the Giants.
During her first twelve months at the Tree Top Walk, visitor numbers have increased to 167,000, resulting in flow on benefits for local communities and economies.

Julie has broad experience in the public and private sectors, with high level media, marketing and project management skills.
Having moved to Denmark two years ago, Julie is passionate about the Great Southern and is committed to bringing a fresh and enthusiastic approach to showcasing the region and increasing its tourism potential for the long term sustainability of the industry.

She recognises the region’s capacity to increase tourism to its pristine coastline, magnificent forest country and natural environment, which forms part of the wilderness area.
Julie seeks your support to represent the Great Southern on the Board of Australia’s South West and believes she can make a difference through her innovative and visionary approach.

Below is a list of the current Australia's South West board members. Get to know your local board members - they are a valuable link to your regional tourism organisation.