News
31 October, 2026
Visitor information centre looks set to move
The Southern Highlands Visitor Information Centre (VIC) looks set to become part of the Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame in Bowral.
The Southern Highlands Visitor Information Centre (VIC) looks set to become part of the Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame in Bowral.
Wingecarribee Shire Council resolved at its October 16 meeting to endorse the move – subject to a number of conditions.
Those conditions include consultation and negotiation of successful commercial, lease and operational arrangements.
At this stage the future of the existing VIC in Main Street, Mittagong is unknown and will be the subject of a further report to council.
According to a report prepared by council’s manager of business and property services, Katherine Parks, the demand for standalone visitor information centres is waning as people rely increasingly on digital channels to research and plan their trips and to book accommodation.
She said digital engagement with the VIC was now 22 per cent higher than physical visitation.
According to the report, an independent review of visitor servicing commissioned through Destination Sydney Surrounds South (DSSS) – which used Wingecarribee as the NSW pilot – found the standalone model of visitor information centres was unlikely to remain viable in the long term.
Besides ‘integrated visitor servicing’ – or relocation to the Bradman Museum – three other options included continued operation of the VIC at its existing location, replacement of the existing VIC with a mobile service and full closure of the VIC and a reliance solely on digital channels.
The Bradman Museum is considered one of the region’s premier tourist attractions with a visitation of approximately 25,000 people a year.
Under the proposal, the VIC would be given its own dedicated space within the Bradman Museum’s front foyer with room to provide face-to-face assistance and for a “curated retail showcase of locally produced goods”.
Council said a “due diligence assessment” had concluded the Bradman Museum was a suitable location for the VIC considering ownership of the building, visitor numbers, operating hours, public amenities and parking and coach access and shared facilities.
The move would deliver council a net financial benefit of approximately $465,592 over five years, with the majority of that – approximately $335,000 – coming from rental income for the existing VIC site as council considers its long-term future.
CEO of the Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame Will Sackville addressed council as part of its October public forum and said he was “fully supportive” of the proposal.
Mr Sackville said there were “mutual benefits” for the Bradman Museum and the VIC and it would provide a “nice customer experience” for people arriving in the Southern Highlands.
“We’re really excited about it,” he said.
Mr Sackville was asked by Cr Sara Moylan if there was sufficient parking at the Bradman Museum to accommodate the VIC as well.
He said it was something that would need to be considered.
He said there were 15 parking spots reserved for the museum but the area was also used by hospital staff as well.
Mr Sackville said he didn’t think it was a huge issue and that it was “not unresolvable”.
When the matter came up for debate, Cr Therese Duffy described the proposed move as “great thinking” and said she was looking forward to it.
Cr Nicole Smith agreed.
“I’m excited to see what happens.”
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Read More: Southern Highlands, Bowral, Mittagong