A video that features the beautiful but deadly Fingal Spit has been named as one of the top entries in a NSW Tourism campaign.
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The one minute video shot in part with a drone shows people frolicking on the idyllic stretch of tidal and swell-exposed sand between the main beach and Fingal Island.
“I am delighted to see this incredible image, which captures the beauty of Port Stephens so well, has been named a winner in this popular NSW tourism campaign,” Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter, Scot MacDonald said.
“No doubt this image will capture the attention of holiday-makers, and inspire travelers to think about planning their next short break in Port Stephens.”
The video by Lius Hansen was one of four winners picked from 600-plus entries in the ‘What I Love About Holidays in NSW’ campaign.
But it’s raised concerns with fishing columnist John “Stinker” Clarke who is amidst research for a book on Fingal Island, the site of a lighthouse, once part of the mainland.
“A video like this could lead to a lot of people getting themselves in trouble,” Mr Clarke said.
“We’ve tried so hard to educate people how dangerous it can be.”
Fifteen people have drowned swept off the spit over the years, the most recent of them, Jason Shin, in 2013.
“There’s easily three times as many that have had a near miss and been laid out on the sand gasping for breath after,” Mr Clarke said.
“It looks beautiful but when the water starts washing over it the sand just gives way under your feet and you’re in deep water before you know it.”
From his research people could once access the lighthouse via a rough road with horse and cart used to transport supplies.
“It actually washed out in the Maitland Gale of 1891 and it’s been dangerous ever since,” Mr Clarke said.
“I’ve got stories back to the 30s of people either drowning or getting into trouble.
“It’s tossed me out of my boat a couple of times trying to cross it.”
Besides the four videos there were another four photos that were judged winners in the competition.
All eight winners will receive a Canon camera worth almost $1000.
The Fingal video will be featured in a series of eight short films, which will be curated by the NSW Government tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
Minster for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall said the films will promote NSW as a holiday and short break destination, and will feature widely in online and social media channels as part of the final phase of the campaign.
“The exposure that will follow, in this last phase of the campaign, will be welcome news for tourism operators and businesses in Port Stephens” Mr Marshall said.
“The NSW Government is committed to ensuring the visitor economy in our rural and regional areas continues to grow, and that every part of NSW reaps the rewards of our record investment in the sector.”
In 2016 rural and regional NSW welcomed 58.9 million visitors, an increase of more than seven per cent on the year prior.
Together, those visitors injected $15 billion into local regional economies across NSW, which again was up 5.8 per cent on 2015.
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