We have previously written about life in Kimba and as a great place to visit – particularly if you are a grey nomad and interested in helping out in Kimba. Now Kimba is vying for the title of the best grey nomad spot in Australia.
Located halfway between Sydney and Perth, with Adelaide 490 kilometres away, Kimba is a special town when it comes to looking after grey nomads.
The community runs the Grey Nomad Volunteer Program. The interests and skills of grey nomads are noted and they are matched with projects around the town alongside local volunteers. Some grey nomads stay for a few days, others a few weeks and there has even been a couple who stayed for a few months.
From data entry, restoring engines, volunteering at the museum to helping at the Show Jumping and Dressage Championships – there’s a variety of ways the travellers can help out.
Kimba is certainly in a lot of travel plans of the mature age tourists.
And now, some exciting news!
Media Release
Kimba Officially One of Australia’s Best Grey Nomad Spots
Two Kimba offerings have been named as finalists in the national 2019 Grey Nomad Awards, helping cement the town’s reputation as a bucket list destination for mature age tourists.
The Kimba Recreation Reserve has been shortlisted in the ‘Best Grey Nomad Council Free-stay Campsite’ category, while the Kimba Community Development Group’s Grey Nomads Volunteer Program has snatched a finalist berth in the Best Grey Nomad Volunteer Program or Project category.
Heather Baldock, one of the Program Coordinators, said “The Volunteer Program is very reliant on local volunteers who ‘meet and greet’ the visiting Grey Nomad Volunteers, take them through paperwork, introduce them to the locals they will be working alongside, and follow up with them to ensure they are enjoying their stay”. Mrs Baldock said “As well as sharing their skills, knowledge, and time, the visiting Grey Nomad volunteers get to know the community, are included in social activities, and many stay much longer than first intended. Great friendships are often formed and some visiting volunteers have returned several times.
Awards Director, Kim Morgan, said the Grey Nomad Awards expand the appeal of regional and rural Australia, encouraging mature-age travel while supporting positive aging through soft adventure and social inclusion. “The Awards are fostering a happier, healthier lifestyle for over 55s by providing verified information that will guide grey nomads’ decisions on where to travel and what to experience,” she said.
“Tourism is pivotal to many regional economies, with 46 percent of Australian tourism spend occurring in regional areas, and this money supports local businesses, organisations and generates employment,” she said.
The Awards were judged by mature-age tourism professionals, some of whom have experienced the grey nomad lifestyle, adding weight to the finalist success of these two Kimba initiatives.
The judges congratulated the District Council of Kimba and the Kimba Community Development Group on catering so well to grey nomad visitors, saying “These are both terrific community initiatives, and we love how the two work in synchronicity to significantly bolster the benefit to the town.
“Through the Recreation Reserve and the volunteer program, Kimba is supporting people over 55 to enjoy the many facets of this region in a safe, welcoming and comfortable environment. In this way these initiatives are making a valuable tourism contribution well beyond what is initially recognised,” the judges said.
Grey nomads are a huge, still largely untapped segment that represent one of the biggest opportunities in domestic tourism. This age segment possesses 32% of Australia’s disposable income and love learning about the country. Importantly, they are fiercely loyal. Once they discover something they like, they will return.
The Awards dinner is being held on the Sunshine Coast on Wednesday 6 November, immediately following The Art of Attraction tourism summit – the first national event to explore two fast-growing 21st century tourism segments, senior travel and arts tourism.
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More details on the Grey Nomads Program at Kimba are here
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