The professional surfing event set to be held at Birubi Beach next month is expected to boost the Port’s international profile and inject close to $1 million into the local economy during the next two years.
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The Port Stephens Toyota NSW Pro will be held November 2 to 5. It will be the last opportunity for the best female surfers from around the world to make the cut for the 2018 elite championship tour.
Janelle Gardner, Port Stephens Council’s tourism and events coordinator, said the four-day surfing tournament will greatly benefit the area’s businesses, hotels, restaurants and tourism operators.
“[This] provides a fantastic opportunity to promote Port Stephens, our beautiful beaches, national parks and the amazing Worimi Conservation Lands to surfers and surfing fans from around the world,” she said.
“We’re expecting more than 1000 surfers and visitors to converge on Port Stephens, injecting $910,000 into the local economy over the next two years.”
Port Stephens Mayor Ryan Palmer added that hosting a major surfing competition such as the NSW Pro was a “great endorsement” from the World Surfing League and Surfing NSW.
“We look forward to working together to make this competition a success,” he said.
Anna Bay resident and Destination Port Stephens board member Deb Stretton has lead the push to secure the NSW Pro.
Ms Stretton had been in talks with Surfing NSW since the start of the year with a view of bringing a pro surfing event to Port Stephens in 2018.
When the Sydney International Women’s Pro was canned Ms Stretton put Port Stephens forward as an alternative venue, which was about five weeks ago.
“I just said, yes,” she said. “Otherwise it was probably going to go somewhere like the South Coast or maybe further north.
“I just knew that if we did this this year we would keep it. If we didn't take that opportunity, maybe it never would have happened.”
The Port business community has rallied behind Ms Stretton. Newcastle Airport have come on board as a key stakeholder for the event, as have Winning Holidays and PRDnationwide Port Stephens.
Port Stephens Council and Surf Life Saving NSW have been working closely with Ms Stretton and Surfing NSW to organise logistics.
“Everyone has been so good about the short time frame,” Ms Stretton said. “Usually with these events you have months and months, sometimes 12 months out, to work everything out.
“It’s been a team effort. These things don’t happen unless you have a group around you who are passionate about what we’re trying to do, and we have that.”
NSW Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Adam Marshall, said the Port Stephens pro is a key component of a packed event calendar for the Hunter which also includes the Australian Boardriders Battle and upcoming Newcastle 500.
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