mmg.com.au

Tourist numbers to Shepparton are strong, but the holiday-makers could be choosing to stay by the region’s full rivers and lakes.

Shepparton’s tourist numbers have been good because the city is central to lakes, such as Nagambie and Eildon, and also the Murray River, Goulburn River Valley Tourism executive officer Amanda McCulloch said.

All the water bodies were high because of good rains last year.

She said a full and rejuvenated Victoria Park Lake had also been a major drawcard for the city.

But owner of Big4 Holiday Park in Shepparton East Kim Bernardi said this tourism season had been the worst in his 13 years in the job.

This was because people were heading straight to the water and not stopping.

‘‘Last year with floods the rivers were inaccessible and before that was the drought,’’ he said.

‘‘And with rains, people, I think, are going to places like (lakes) Eildon, Eppalock and the Murray (river) instead of staying.’’

He said International Dairy Week at Tatura would, at least temporarily, fill the park again.

Greater Shepparton City Council said the city’s visitor information centre received 4291 walk-in visits during last month and the first half of this month.

It had 508 phone inquiries for the same period and 2146 visits to www.discovershepparton.com.au last month.

Walk-in visits at the same time last year were 4494.

Victoria Lake Holiday Park manager Gloria Greenshields, who has been in the role for about three-and-a-half months after leaving the Echuca region, said the Christmas period had been extremely busy thanks to tennis and swimming events, but business had now slowed down.

‘‘Shepparton has great sporting facilities, we were amazed when we came here,’’ she said.

‘‘Shepp’s got a lot to offer people. I don’t know if they realise until they actually come here.’’

Goulburn River Valley’s Ms McCulloch said Shepparton’s tourism industry tried to differentiate itself from more historical regional centres such as Ballarat and Bendigo and generally attracted ‘‘grey nomads’’ and families.

‘‘Bendigo has gone down the arts, history and heritage path. I think the benefit of Shepparton is it has a lot to offer everyone... it tailors to all sorts of different people,’’ Ms McCulloch said.

She said her office had received reports the Christmas period was strong for retailers and many out-of-towners were still here and shopping.