Eden of the East
In 2024, Australians and international visitors made 18.5 million trips within Australia that included an agritourism activity. They spent $20.3 billion across those trips, and almost three in four included regional Australia.
The $20.3 billion covers spending across the whole journey: accommodation, meals, retail, transport and experiences. Its research does show that these travellers stay longer, spend more per trip and engage with more businesses than the average traveller.
Victoria accounted for 30 per cent of Australia's agritourism trips in 2024. That places the largest state share within reach of Latrobe's growers, nurseries, florists, gardens, cafés, restaurants, retailers and visitor businesses.
01 The garden opportunity is growing
Tourism Research Australia measures visits to botanic and public gardens separately from agritourism. Demand for that activity grew 85 per cent between 2014 and 2023. Over the same period, bushwalking and rainforest walks grew 81 per cent, visits to national and state parks grew 73 per cent, and caravanning and camping grew 40 per cent.
One national market is already travelling for farm, food and drink experiences, while interest in gardens is rising quickly. Latrobe can build a visitor proposition where those two patterns meet.
The journey can extend well beyond the experience that starts the trip. Among travellers whose journey included a farm-gate visit, 74 per cent ate at a café or restaurant, 44 per cent shopped for pleasure and 24 per cent visited a botanic or public garden. One compelling reason to visit can produce a much longer customer journey.
02 From flowers and plants to a visitor journey
Power of Colour is implementing a plan to position Latrobe as a go-to flower, plant and horticultural destination. The plan connects the people and places that already give the region horticultural depth: nurseries, growers, florists, garden suppliers, public and community gardens, creative businesses, hospitality, retail, events and local stories.
The Yallourn Botanic Garden and Raising Eden Plant Nursery strategies give that plan a practical centre. The Garden can strengthen the reason to visit. The Nursery can connect that interest with plant purchases, learning experiences and repeat relationships. Nearby businesses can add meals, products, accommodation, services and other reasons to stay longer or return.
A visitor journey might begin with a Power of Colour story, lead to a garden or event, continue through a nursery or local shop and finish over a meal. Clear information, useful referrals and complementary offers help each business become part of the same journey while retaining its own identity.
03 What an early place can create
Businesses involved at the beginning can help decide what visitors will be able to discover, visit, learn, book and buy. They can identify the information customers need, the products and experiences worth developing, the practical barriers that must be solved and the partnerships that could make the journey stronger.
That early work creates time to prepare. A nursery might develop a visit, demonstration or plant offer. A florist or grower might connect a product with an event or seasonal story. A café could become a recommended stop. Two or more businesses could build a package or referral pathway that gives a visitor more reasons to move through the region.
The commercial result will depend on the strength of each offer, its relevance to visitors and the business's ability to deliver it. Early participation provides influence, relationships and preparation while the regional proposition is still being formed.
04 Four launches connect the pathway
Power of Colour supplies the horticultural destination proposition. Eden of the East website Version 2 can connect the stories, gardens, events and businesses so a visitor can move from inspiration to action. Open House Latrobe can create reasons to enter places, meet the people behind them and spend more time in the region. More Life. It's Here. connects those experiences with the longer work of enterprise, employment, liveability and regional confidence.
Together, the four initiatives describe a practical sequence: create a reason to choose Latrobe, make the experience easy to discover, connect visitors with local offers and help businesses prepare to serve the demand.
The same sequence can produce local referrals and supply relationships. A visitor who arrives for a garden can buy from a nursery, eat locally and add another experience. A business can refer the customer to another operator for another part of the journey. Each worthwhile experience gives the visitor a reason to recommend Latrobe or return.
05 Business experience behind the plan
Eden of the East Foundation president Damian Andrews brings business-growth experience to the proposal. His strategies helped grow Brunton Engineering from $8 million to $25 million in turnover over 18 months, including through COVID.
That experience informs the questions Power of Colour is asking now: Where is the demand? Which customers can a business serve? What offer will make them act? Which partners can extend the journey? What must be measured and improved? Every participating business will need answers suited to its own market, capacity and ambitions.
06 See the opportunity while it is being shaped
A New Chapter for Latrobe will introduce the Power of Colour opportunity and an early view of the Yallourn Botanic Garden and Raising Eden Plant Nursery strategies. The evening will show how the visitor pathway to your business door can work, where local businesses may fit and what practical questions still need to be answered with the people who know their sectors.
The launch dinner is at Yallourn Production Centre on Thursday 8 October 2026. Arrival begins at 6 pm and dinner is served at 7 pm. The $39 ticket includes dinner by That Charcoal Meat Guy and non-alcoholic drinks, entertainment by Rohan Work, with time to meet other local operators and community participants around the table.
The national market is already moving. Latrobe's opportunity is to assemble a distinctive local experience and prepare its businesses to benefit from the journeys it creates. The people who join the conversation now can help decide what that experience becomes.
Read the current event details and booking information.