By JESSE GRAHAM
A REVAMPED Healesville Chamber of Commerce website will be to the world what the Rotary community directory is to Healesvillians, according to website developer John Newell.
Mr Newell made a presentation to a group of chamber members on Wednesday 8 July at Habitat1 in Healesville, outlining the new website and detailing how it would function once up-and-running in about two weeks.
Noting that the old website was out-dated and hard to use, chamber secretary Garry Christie said the new incarnation of the site would be the “portal for all information communications coming in and out of the Yarra Valley.”
Referencing the Rotary Club of Healesville Community Directory, which contains contact details for any business needed in Healesville and its surrounds, Mr Newell said he wanted the website to be as useful as the directory was to those out of town.
When finished, businesses will have pages dedicated to their business with information, contact details, maps and a live-feed that can have documents and photographs added instantly by business owners.
“A website is like an animal – don’t feed it and it will die,” Mr Newell said.
Some members of the chamber, however, seemed agitated at an apparent miscommunication, thinking they would be shown a fully-finished website, rather than a preview of some of the pages.
But Mr Newell said he would be gathering information from all business owners and incorporating them for the website to be launched shortly.
Mr Christie said the website would “bring the chamber up-to-date”, as far as its web presence, and would help to connect tourists and visitors with dining, accommodation and other businesses.
This statement was echoed by Habitat1 Co Shared Workspace and Herd Bar owners, John Knoll and Sean Lee, who gave speeches to the chamber members about their new business, set to open later this month.
Mr Knoll compared the Yarra Valley to the Napa Valley’s wine region, before it became over-developed, and said the area should “kick Daylesford’s butt” in regards to tourist traffic.
Graphic designer and artist Paul Sonsie also gave a speech on the night, about his intricate artwork on the walls of the new business.
Michael de Oleveira and Fred de Munk from the Healesville Music Festival then spoke, and appealed for support from the businesses for the event, which will be held from 13-15 November.
Mr de Oleveira and Mr de Munk said they wanted businesses to help bring a “festival feeling” to the town over the weekend, and outlined some of the key events, including a bush dance at the Memorial Hall.
For more information on the festival, visit www.healesvillemusicfestival.com.au.
