Over the last 12 months the committee has continued to meet regularly generally via phonelink with one face to face meeting. Once again I would like to thank the NRDB for their continued support in allowing this to happen (The NRDB continue to pay for the cost of the phonelinks).

We continued to hold our forums with one in March at the Woolshed Restaurant (theme Mom/ATDP project) and another in August at Orroroo (theme Standards, Service and Sustainability) and the one today on Workplace relations.

The executive have also continued to meet every 6 months with the Southern Flinders committee. The last meeting was at Remarkable view winery in November (and what a wonderful setting). The next one will be in our region in March.

We have also discussed and followed up on a number of operator issues including public toilets and dump pits, visitor information centres, AAAT inspections and incorrect advertising in the RAA magazine and 4Wd Monthly magazine. We provided a number of letters of support to businesses and finished a Strategic plan for FRTOA which is currently at the printers. This will be sent to members once we receive it.

We supported FROSAT at the Caravan and Camping Show in Adelaide in February and at the Industry Walkabout last week. We also worked with them organising the Tastes of the Outback event in April this year and are continuing to do so for the event next year.

We have offered our support to the Friends of the Flinders Ranges National Park Conference to be held in August 2008 and also to Jeff Morgan to hold the Panorama conference in 2009

As most of you know we received funding from the Australian Tourism Development Program in December last year for the Mountains of Memory project. Since then Carmel, Sue Ellery, Shirley Mills and myself have been on the project management committee overseeing the project along with representatives from the Southern Flinders, SATC, NRDB, DEH and FROSAT. As part of this project we were involved in workshops that were held throughout the region by Charlotte Prouse, the Branding Consultant. Charlotte also ran a branding workshop for operators looking at their own brand in March this year. FRTOA helped coordinate this

At the same time this has been happening we have been applying for National Landscape status and in June we hosted a visit from the National Landscape committee. This is a joint initiative between Parks Australia and Tourism Australia. We have only recently been told that we are now one of 6 National Landscapes to be officially launched at the Australian Tourism Exchange in June 2008.

Whilst this has been going on the SATC have also engaged a consultant to work on a Strategic Tourism Development plan for Flinders and Outback. FRTOA, along with councils throughout the region, contributed financially to the project and have a seat on the committee.

So, as you can see, we have had a very busy year.

Special thanks to Heather Sweeting (NRDB) for all her support throughout the year and for helping us with the Volunteer small equipment grant. We received $2000 from this grant with which we have purchased a Data Projector, Screen and Flip Chart.

Thank you also to Carmel for all the behind the scenes work in keeping me organized and the rest of the committee for your help over the last 12 months.

Leigh Creek Health Service have also asked us for a rep to go on their committee looking at service planning for the future. If anyone is interested please see Carmel after the meeting.