A visit by Weekend Sunrise weather host James Tobin - and the prospect of being seen by a national audience of about 239,000 - has given a "fantastic boost" to the town of Tooraweenah.
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The town was one of two in the region to host live weather crosses at the weekend, with Mr Tobin at Wellington's Cameron Park on Saturday before heading to the Henley family emu farm on Sunday.
The Emu Logic farmers saw an "overnight" boost in sales after Mr Tobin sampled products like emu rissoles and sausage rolls during a barbecue put on by the Tooraweenah Lion's Club.
Sunrise host Basil Zempilas was somewhat shocked by the concept of eating emu, Phil Henley said.
But with an estimated national audience of 239,000, he and wife Penny were thrilled by the 'money-can't-buy' exposure, both for their business and their town.
"For a little town like Tooraweenah, a small town that's tucked off the highway, it's some good exposure to let people know that the mountains are here on the Toora side as well," Phil said.
The visit from the Weekend Sunrise weather team was secured as part Dubbo Regional Council and Destination NSW’s cooperative $250,000 Dubbo and Great Western Plains destination marketing campaign.
Gilgandra Shire Council is a partner in the Great Western Plains initiative, and Cooee Heritage Centre manager Libby Kermond-Carr hoped the coverage would increase the visitation, overnight stays and tourism spend.
"It's a fantastic boost to our shire, especially Tooraweenah which is … the southern gateway to the Warrumbungles National Park, and so has an abundance of tourism products on offer," Libby said.
"It's an exciting time when we're in a desperate situation … it gives us hope.
"Tourism is a boost, it can help our economy … that's the hope and the magnitude of what was happening yesterday, people that were just a bit low because of the circumstance knew that tourism as the opportunity to boost the economy in our Great Western Plains region.
"There's so much to do: people can stay for a couple of nights, whether they make Tooraweenah their base, Gilgandra their base, Dubbo their base or Coonabarabran their base."
Phil urged people to make the trip from Dubbo to see the emus and, from about July, emu chicks - although they expect the drought will reduce the number of chicks this year.
"We're only a bit over an hour from Dubbo on the scenic way into the National Park," he said.
