centre which could become the centrepiece in unlocking the Derwent Valley’s full potential. Yet Rachel is still encountering financial brick walls, which she can only laugh at. “Now that we’ve got the first four open, we’ve already hit our first milestone of 40 per cent occupancy in our first four months of operation. We knew that it was going to be good because there’s such a need for it. So now we just need to get more accommodation in and then we’re able to expand. “What we’re trying to do at the moment is fill a gap in the market that doesn’t exist. We’re not building family units yet, because there’s already family units across the road at the cottages. We don’t need a backpacker market because there’s no public transport, so there’s not a need for backpacker accommodation. We’re trying to fill the need that is already there. Our opening really showed the support from the community that we’ve got, I’ve been absolutely blown away. It’s because people have really connected with the story and they’ve connected with the reason that we’re not here just to build our business. We’re here to train the next generation, and we’re here to build a community, to create a destination.
already gone to the banks to try and get the next four pods and we’ve already had rejections. It’s actually laughable now. We’ve got investment, we’ve got figures coming through and still they won’t invest. But if we can get that answer, those additional pods will be ready for this season. That will give us eight pods available before Christmas and once we get to that point, that’s where we can grow, that’s where the business really starts to grow. “The other thing is that Conference Centre, it is the key at this point. There’s nowhere to have a wedding here, there’s nowhere to really host business events or meditation retreats. I keep getting asked for those. The Conference Centre will bring new markets and new opportunities and again, that’ll fit 100 people sit down at our full capacity – when we’ve got all of our rooms, we’re only ever going to fit about 70. It builds everybody else’s business. Once we get the conference centre, that is the game changer and it will also be our regional training hub. So between Waterfalls and Mt Field Retreat, we’ve got pretty much every aspect of training covered for tourism and hospitality, which means that every year we’re turning those light bulbs on, but we’re doing it in a region where the kids are earning money and that money goes back into their community.”
“We are really hoping the floodgates are open, we’ve
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