New tourism boss calls for ideas

The new head of south coast tourism hopes local heads can be put together to find a new attraction once the Field of Light is gone.

Peter Grigg, who took on the role as Amazing South Coast executive officer in February, said his priorities were finding a new attraction for the region and luring international tourists out of Perth.

Mr Grigg said Bruce Munro’s Field of Light: Avenue of Honour on Mt Clarence had been “huge” for the region, estimating more than 180,000 visitors would see it by April 28.

However, he said the temporary nature of the exhibition was part of its lure — and he challenged residents to come up with ideas for new attractions.

“There is talk out there about what our new creative buzz could be (and) we need to wait and be sure of what we’re doing,” he said.

“We could gather local thoughts on what this could be.”

Before moving to Albany, Mr Grigg spent 17 years as a barramundi fishing charter operator in northern Australia and was general manager of East Kimberley Tourism and Tourism Central Australia.

Most recently, he was a tourism development officer in Central Queensland and a board member on Federal and State tourism-related boards.