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Our board

Our passionate and highly skilled board sits in the engine room at Team Tourism, working together to achieve our shared vision of becoming a world-class, inclusive destination where memories are made. Comprised of municipal stakeholders, industry professionals and skills-based experts, the board is led by an independent chairperson and administered by Tourism Greater Geelong and The Bellarine staff.

  • Bill smiles facing the camera, he wears a navy blazer and light blue shirt without a tie.

    Bill Mithen

    Chairperson

  • Cr Isabelle Tolhurst

    Borough of Queenscliffe Representative

  • Larelle Fitt

    Skills Based Board Member: Business Events

  • Mayor Cr Trent Sullivan

    City of Greater Geelong Representative

  • James smiles at the camera. He wears a light grey sweater over a light blue shirt, the shirt collar is visible.

    James Murphy

    Bellarine Representative

  • Lisa smiles facing the camera, she wears a long sleeve black top and cream patterned scarf.

    Lisa Cunningham

    Geelong Representative

  • Sophie Bone

    Bellarine Representative

  • Cr Brett Cunningham

    Golden Plains Shire Representative

  • Terry smiles facing the camera, slightly at an angle. He wears a navy jumper with light blue collar peeking through.

    Terry Jongebloed

    Geelong Representative

  • Tom Ward

    Skills Based Board Member: Finance

  • Varia Mitchell

    Skills Based Board Member: Marketing

Bill smiles facing the camera, he wears a navy blazer and light blue shirt without a tie.

Bill Mithen

Chairperson

Cr Isabelle Tolhurst

Borough of Queenscliffe Representative

Cr Isabelle Tolhurst has a deep connection to the Borough, being a direct descendant of Charles and Henry Dod, significant contributors to Queenscliff and responsible for building the town’s first post office and bank. Cr Tolhurst attended Queenscliff Kindergarten and has holidayed in Point Lonsdale for more than 25 years. She now resides in Queenscliff, beautiful Wadawurrung Country, with her family.

Cr Tolhurst holds a Bachelor of Journalism, Master of International Relations, and has worked as a journalist across a range of print and broadcast publications, including The Copenhagen Post and The Jakarta Post.

Cr Tolhurst currently holds the Local Economy portfolio and is serving her second term as Mayor.

Larelle Fitt

Skills Based Board Member: Business Events

With over 23 years’ experience in Tourism & Events I am passionate in driving the industry and growing the economy in Regional Victoria along with leading staff to implement innovative trendsetting products.

After completing an Advanced Diploma of Event & Hospitality at The Gordon and with 9 years’ experience in the industry at that time I returned to The Gordon to teach Tourism, Events & Hospitality prior to taking up Sales & Event Management roles in corporate hotels for Accor and Marriot.

Currently as Group Head of Conferencing & Events for The Sharp Group, I manage the event teams at Jack Rabbit Vineyard, Curlewis Golf Club & Accommodation, The Range, Flying Brick Cider House & Leura Park Estate all located on the progressive Bellarine.

I have developed strong relationships with tourism bodies such as TGGB, GO Beyond, BEG, Visit Victoria, & GSTR, presenting at many industry forums such as AIME, ATE and Interstate Sales Missions promoting Geelong and The Bellarine to international and domestic markets. I have designed and implemented conferencing and events action plans at venues such as Sheraton Melbourne, Novotel Melbourne, Mantra Lorne, Novotel Barossa Valley and Novotel Geelong with a specific focus on MICE.

As a dedicated supporter of giving back to the community, I have volunteered on several committees since 2001: Secretary of the Apollo Bay Kindergarten, Apollo Bay Music Festival President & Festival Director for 3 years and President of The Apollo Bay Chamber of Commerce.  After moving to Geelong, I was the President of Belmont High School Parents Association, a fundraising committee member with Give Where You Live Golf Day & GSODA.

Mayor Cr Trent Sullivan

City of Greater Geelong Representative

Mayor Cr Trent Sullivan is the City of Greater Geelong appointed representative to the board of Tourism Greater Geelong and The Bellarine.

James smiles at the camera. He wears a light grey sweater over a light blue shirt, the shirt collar is visible.

James Murphy

Bellarine Representative

Sea All Dolphin Swims

I am a passionate lateral thinking advocate for Tourism in our region and beyond.  As the director of Sea All Dolphin Swims, Great Ocean Road Surf Tours, and the founder of Southern Ocean Environmental Link, I have a wealth of hands-on experience, practical knowledge and invested interest into the stable growth and development of our region.  My diverse tourism experience offerings have provided a great breadth of understanding for the various markets accessing our region, and how to best reach these markets in a way that provides the greatest benefits for our regional economy and the environment that supports it.

Lisa smiles facing the camera, she wears a long sleeve black top and cream patterned scarf.

Lisa Cunningham

Geelong Representative

Mustang & Co

About me

I live in East Geelong with my husband Shayne and our son, we operate the unique tour business Mustang & Co. I am in the fortunate position that I have developed relationships with a wide cross section of Members. As we organise winery tours, I have engaged with all the wineries and breweries. As we also offer a wedding car service, I am well connected with the wedding venues and industry.  I am a positive person and work well within teams.

Sophie Bone

Bellarine Representative

BIG4 Bellarine Holiday Park

Joining the TGGB Board at this time – amidst tourism uncertainty, wavering consumer sentiment, business hardship and volatile economic outlooks – is the best time to join. Invariably, through hardship, comes an unbridled determination and willingness from business operators and the community to think with agility, creativity and more collaboratively – and that’s an exciting proposition.

No stranger to the impacts of the pandemic, both properties that I co-own (BIG4 Bellarine and Anglesea Holiday Parks) have haemorrhaged as we lurch from one lockdown to the next with shorter and shorter lead times to both close and re-open. I understand what it means to stand down large staff numbers, I understand the intensity of hundreds of cancellations and refunds, I understand the complexity and challenges of seeking, clarifying and implementing rapidly changing messaging and rules, guidelines and mandates. It’s intense. And beyond exhausting.

I  understand is our region’s capacity to be able to meet an incredible pent up demand when we open up in a more stable landscape. Geelong and the Bellarine are beautifully poised to be able to harness the attention of Melbourne and more broadly intrastate visitors, eventually interstate guests and one day when we fling our doors wide open, the international stage. The future will be driven by creative business owners with flair and courage, a community that stands together behind its own backyard with collaboration and unity at the forefront of recovery, growth and expansion.

I have been sitting on the BIG4 Holiday Parks of Australia Board for 6 years. BIG4 is a nationwide brand with its focus firmly set on the tourism sector and attracting visitors and retaining by way of repeat visitation. Mid-week visitation also forms a priority along with an uncompromising dedication to digital expertise and continued investment in martech. With 180 Parks Australia-wide, the group has a combined turnover of $354m with 240,000 members and processes $73.8m of online sales. I would consider the alignment between BIG4 and TGGB to be considerable and hope that I can add benefit through this experience.

Cr Brett Cunningham

Golden Plains Shire Representative

Cr Cunningham is the chairperson of non-profit community organisation, Bannockburn & District Grants, as well as the Bannockburn and Surrounds Neighbourhood Watch, which he helped establish in 2018.

Cr Cunningham is dedicated to strengthening confidence in Council and building community support through transparency and engagement. Over the next four years, he is focused on developing youth services in the Shire’s small towns, greater mental health support, increased funding for local roads and improved maintenance of facilities.

Cr Cunningham is a Corporate Service Portfolio Councillor and a member of Council’s Audit and Risk Committee. He is Council’s representative on the Tourism Greater Geelong and Bellarine Board, the Municipal Association of Victoria’s Financial Assistance Grants and Rate Capping Taskforce, and the G21 Economic Development, Health and Wellbeing, and Sport and Recreation Pillars.

Terry smiles facing the camera, slightly at an angle. He wears a navy jumper with light blue collar peeking through.

Terry Jongebloed

Geelong Representative

What is it that excites you about the opportunity to represent the local tourism industry as a board member of TGGB?

I’ve enjoyed my current position as a member of the Geelong & Bellarine Tourism Board, and participating in the development of the 2021-2025 plans. Whilst many members have been and are currently still working through extremely challenging conditions, it has been exciting for tourism’s future in working with closely with industry members and tourism support bodies for stronger ongoing regional outcomes.

BUSINESS ACUMEN

Current:

  • Proprietor of Clyde Park Vineyard + Bistro.
  • Board Member Geelong & Bellarine Tourism

Prior:

  • President of Geelong Wine Association
  • VP of Tourism Geelong
  • Board member of Geelong Otway Tourism
  • President of Moorabool Valley Wine Group
  • Chairman Jarvis Walker Australia
  • Board Member Kmart Australia Group

COMMUNICATION

  • Strong communicator who enjoys networking in all associated fields

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

  • Sound understanding of financial management and reporting
  • Previous experience 20 years Coles/Myer Ltd in senior roles
  • Sound understanding of small business financial operations and management

MARKETING

  • Development of Clyde Park food/wine business through innovation, quality, strong relationships with regional partners.
  • Sound history of development of activities with Geelong Wine Association and Regional Tourism Boards.
  • In depth knowledge of the wine industry and hospitality industry, both locally and internationally

Tom Ward

Skills Based Board Member: Finance

In addition to holding a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounts & Finance) from Deakin University and spending 10 years working in senior Accounting and Management Positions, I’m also the owner and Managing Director of Murphys, Queen of the West and Eureka Hotel.

Varia Mitchell

Skills Based Board Member: Marketing

Varia is a passionate marketer with over 28 years in the tourism & hospitality industry. Living in Geelong, she is the Director of Sales & Marketing for Vue Apartments and R Hotel, and is dedicated to connecting guests with experiences and creating memories. The best part of her job is working with the Geelong & Bellarine members to expand the region’s brand awareness.

Varia started working in tourism destination marketing as an inbound tour operator in 1996 in South Australia, developing leisure and wine tourism programs for the international market. From there, she has worked in Sydney expanding her sales and marketing experience to Corporate and Meetings & Events before moving to Queensland in 2001. The next 19 years were spent based in Queensland, selling and marketing destinations, hotels, tours, and experiences from the Daintree, Cairns, Whitsundays, Gold Coast, Brisbane Regional NSW, and Melbourne before relocating to Geelong in 2020.

Other experience include NSW ATEC committee, QTIC Tourism Awards Judge, Secretary & Treasurer of SKAL International Australia and active member of National, State and local tourism bodies.

I look forward to working with the members and community of Geelong & The Bellerine to take our destination to the next level.

Our Staff

We’re lucky to have a team of innovative and hard-working tourism professionals, each an expert in their field and dedicated to growing our visitor economy.

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