Shadow Minister impressed by Swan Hill

A KEY member of the Shadow Cabinet was “blown away” by the new Heartbeat of the Murray experience when she visited Swan Hill this week.

Heidi Victoria, the Shadow Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Arts and Culture and Aboriginal Affairs, joined local MP and Coalition colleague Peter Walsh in familiarising herself with locals involved in her three portfolios. 

Ms Victoria partook in the Heartbeat of the Murray experience at the Pioneer Settlement on Wednesday night, before being updated on renovation plans at the Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery and shown around the local MDAS office on Thursday.

It was the Heartbeat of the Murray’s sound-and-light show and digital app experience which stole the show, however.

“That is one of the best sound-and-light shows I’ve seen anywhere in the world. It is absolutely world class,” Ms Victoria said.

“I’m quite blown away by their approach to modern social media and to the way they’re going to make the Pioneer Settlement more current in the way people are going to interact with it.

“It’s not something that I’ve seen a lot of around the world, and for Swan Hill to be leading the way I think is really commendable, they’re really forward-thinking about how the settlement is going to not only be fabulous but also be relevant into the future.”

For more on this story, grab a copy of Friday’s Guardian (January 15).