Destination Store

30/05/2026

The power of growing a vegetable garden

29/05/2026

POV: This is what one of our social teams camera rolls looks like

12/05/2026

EPISODE | Regional Trailblazers
In this episode, Charlotte Prouse sits down with Alison McLean from Hay Shire Council for a thoughtful conversation about regional resilience, community, tourism and the future of country NSW.

From growing up in Orange, to returning to regional life after Sydney, Alison shares insights into what makes rural communities so connected and the challenges and opportunities that come with shaping their future.

The episode also explores tourism development, the Long Paddock touring route, and how communities can work together through periods of change while keeping local voices at the centre of the conversation.

It’s an honest and inspiring chat about leadership, advocacy and building strong regional communities for the future.
Listen now Here or where you get yout podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/il/podcast/alison-mclean-on-community-resilience-and-shaping/id1876108937?i=1000767137559NEW

12/05/2026

Millennial marketing vs Gen Z marketing!

What works for one audience won’t always connect with another and that’s why knowing who you’re creating content for has never been more important.
Who is your buyer persona?
Who are you actually trying to reach?
What kind of content do they consume, save, share and respond to?
Once you understand your audience, you understand how to speak their language, create content that resonates, and build real connection instead of just posting for the sake of it.
Good marketing isn’t about talking to everyone. It’s about talking to the right people

11/05/2026

It’s nearly shoot time in Visit Mackay Isaac, Queensland, Australia! 📸

Come see the region and get your pic taken.

TALENT REQUIRED 📸

We're on the hunt for a range of talent for an upcoming photo and video shoot to capture more of our beautiful Mackay Isaac Region. This content will be used in future drive campaigns and across our marketing channels.

Who we’re looking for:

• Young family – mum, dad and two kids aged 5+
• BFFs – two young women aged 25-35
• Couple – aged 25-35
• Retirees – couple aged 65+, preferably with a 4WD that you’re comfortable operating

🗓️ Upcoming shoot dates: 25-29 May 2026
⏰ Talent will be required for 1-2 days across the shoot period.

If you or someone you know fits the bill, please get in touch with us by filing out this form: https://bit.ly/3OKk63V

07/05/2026

We’re thrilled to welcome Port Macquarie Hastings Council back to Destination Store.

After partnering with PMHC on the destination brand strategy and the award-winning Gift of Time campaign in 2024/25, we’re excited to continue building on that momentum and help bring the Greater Port Macquarie story to life in its next chapter.

Our work will focus on strengthening the destination’s owned channels, social media, content, campaign activity, digital performance and industry storytelling, helping keep Port Macquarie visible, relevant and inspiring across the visitor journey.

This is a place with a powerful brand idea and a clear sense of what makes it different. We can’t wait to keep helping Port Macquarie share its Gift of Time with the world.

Welcome back, PMHC.

Client: Port Macquarie Hastings Council | Greater Port Macquarie
Project: Destination Management & Marketing
DS Digital: Social Media Management
DS Marketing & Campaigns: Destination Campaign

30/04/2026

The DS Download: April

Ben might look like he’s taking it easy at his cafe 'office' in Forster, but behind the scenes, April was a big month at DS.

Here’s what kept us busy this month:
🌟 Became an official partner of Localis, Australia’s leading data analytics platform for the visitor economy
🌟 Wrapped up our Place Brand Strategy project with Central Coast Council
🌟 Spent a week in Visit Seven Valleys, with Ben and Hayley capturing destination and business content for social and campaign use
🌟 Kicked off work with the Office of the 24-Hour Economy NSW Commissioner, running the Night-Time Economy Accelerator for Councils, as well as facilitating the Night-Time Economy Program for business collectives across regional NSW
🌟 Began a new campaign and social media management project with our old friends at Port Macquarie Hastings Council
🌟 Travelled to Richmond Valley, where Charlotte and Oly led stakeholder and community engagement to help inform Richmond Valley Council's Destination Management Plan
🌟 Launched the Visit Seven Valleys destination campaign, Echo Your Freedom, on behalf of Lithgow City Council alongside our partners Fred&Co and Leonards Advertising
🌟 Entered the final stages of a Brand Strategy and Implementation Roadmap for Parkes Shire Council - we can’t wait to share more on this soon.

And because we’re clearly not busy enough, we still have room to take on a few more projects.

So if you need support with marketing strategy, destination management planning, brand strategy, campaigns or social media management, get in touch. We’d love to chat. Or a coffee at our 'office'? ☕

21/04/2026

Campaign Spotlight: Lithgow City Council / Seven Valleys - Echo Your Freedom

This is what it looks like when strategy meets storytelling.

We’ve partnered with Lithgow City Council to bring the campaign to life, built around the idea that it isn’t just a place to get away. It’s a place where freedom echoes.

Grounded in the brand positioning Live your rhythm of simplicity, this campaign isn’t about listing what’s there, it’s about how it FEELS to be there. Slower mornings. Space to think. Time to reconnect with what actually matters.

From day one, the focus has been clear:
Cut through a crowded market with a bold, single-minded idea that speaks directly to the right audience. And we’re not talking to everyone.

This isn’t a one-off campaign. It’s a long-term platform designed to:
▪️ Build awareness and preference for year-round
▪️ Drive real consideration and visitation
▪️ Create a connected ecosystem across paid, owned and industry channels
▪️ Convert interest into action

And importantly, it’s built to evolve, with ongoing content, industry partnerships and data-led optimisation shaping what comes next.

Because the goal isn’t just reach.

It’s resonance.

Client: Lithgow City Council
Campaign strategy: Destination Store .au 
Creative direction: Fred&Co Digital
Media ex*****on: Leonards Advertising
Photography and video: Rob Mulally

07/04/2026

Last week, Ben and Hayley hit the road to Visit Seven Valleys, spending time with some of the incredible local businesses that make this region so special.

From quiet garden moments to great coffee, unique stays and plenty of character along the way, they captured a mix of business stories and destination content that we can’t wait to share. This trip is part of a new video series focused on showcasing the people and places behind the visitor experience, and giving these businesses a platform to connect with a wider audience.

A big thank you to those who welcomed us so warmly: The Lolly Bug, Gory'u Japanese Gardens, Hometown Cafe Lithgow, Seclusions, Turon Gates, The Lithgow Tin Shed and The Blue Fox Bar + Kitchen.

Ben and Hayley were also able to gather plenty of extra content to bring the broader Seven Valleys experience to life across the social media channels that Destination Store manage on behalf of Lithgow City Council.

Stay tuned on Visit Seven Valleys, with the first videos rolling out from next week.

DS DIGITAL
Client: Lithgow City Council / Seven Valleys
Project: Social Media Management and Business Content Series

06/04/2026

Localis 🤝 Destination Store

BIG NEWS. We’ve partnered with Localis, Australia’s leading data analytics platform for the visitor economy, to unlock real-time, LGA and precinct-level intelligence across Australia – and we’re the only destination consultancy (non-government) with nationwide access.

But here’s the real game-changer: it’s not just access to data.

There’s already an overwhelming amount of visitor data out there. The problem? It often leads to decision paralysis instead of progress.

By working directly with Localis, we don’t just get the keys to their platform, we are building a powerful combination of their unmatched data + our deep destination expertise.

The result?

You don’t just receive numbers. You get sharp, professional insight on exactly how to use that data for maximum impact.

Access to Localis provides us with:
▪️ Visitation trends
▪️ Spend and accommodation data (including future bookings)
▪️ Event impact
▪️ Sentiment and flight insights

Paired with our expertise, this means:
▪️ Place-specific data, not broad assumptions
▪️Clear benchmarking against competitor destinations (anywhere in Australia)
▪️Smarter, evidence-led strategy (grounded in what’s actually happening in destination)

So you can:
▪️ Analyse or forecast event impact
▪️ Measure public space vibrancy
▪️ Quantify economic contribution
▪️ Guide smarter infrastructure planning
▪️ Evaluate campaign performance
▪️ Strengthen policy and investment cases

No guesswork.
No data overload.
Just clearer decisions and sharper destination strategy and marketing.

Ready to benchmark your destination against others across Australia and actually know what to do with the results? Get in touch. We’d love to show you how it works.