|PIC1|Australia's Bush Orchestra was a natural Ironbark bush theme park under the sound of the Bell-Miner (Bellbird) on a ten-acre allotment which was shared by the athlete respite facility 'Basil Sellers Moruya' and the 'Basil Sellers Art Centre'.
After 14 years at Moruya, Mark and Delma Tronson relocated to Tweed Heads in December 2005. They immediately took an interest in both the Tweed Chamber of Commerce and the Southern Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce so as to establish a network of good-will.
Although their initial task was to replicate the 'Basil Sellers Moruya' athlete respite facility to service the six Australian Institute of Sport units based in south east Queensland by establishing 'Basil Sellers Tweed', M V Tronson also undertook to replicate the Moruya art ministry with the Basil Sellers Tweed Art Studio, as part of the 'respite' theme of his overall mission. As a result, his art was soon being displayed at venues such as the South Tweed Sports Club, Peppers and Mantra on the Sea resorts at Salt, Kingsliff and the Kingscliff TAFE restaurant.
Meanwhile his passion for tourism ministry had not waned. He set about making several tourism ministry research and development excursions to regional centres such as Cairns, the Whitsundays, Mackay's hinterland, the Sunshine Coast and his own local backyard, the Tweed, Gold Coast hinterland and the Gold Coast itself.
"When I initiated the Sports and Leisure Ministry in 1982, we had contact with a P&O Easter cruise chaplain who noted that there were those who went on cruises who were running away: some from bewildering debt or conflict and others, like Jonah, from the Lord," M V Tronson said.
These very same issues, Mark Tronson says, seem to have popped up time and time again in his tourism ministry research over these past 27 years.
"The Gold Coast has two aspects of recreational behaviour worth noting," M V Tronson explained. "The first is that there is so much available to help one escape from one's reality; and the second is that there is a proclivity to put normal cautious behaviour to one side. Either or both of these can all too often sadly create a recipe for disaster."
Mark Tronson saw that the first step in initiating a Gold Coast tourism ministry link was to introduce Well-Being Australia to Graham and Wendy Aston, the proprietors of the 'Gold Coast Tourism Guide' magazine. This eventually lead to a half-page advertisement promoting the art ministry.
"This link has now witnessed a full year of promotion, and has allowed us to ascertain a number of factors relating to tourism ministry on the Gold Coast," M V Tronson noted.
This data, together with a database of insights from his previous regional tourism excursions, will help M V Tronson to inform a research and development program in 2009, in order to find 'the best' new ideas for this ministry in the future.
"Gold Coast tourism is taking a hit with the downturn of the economy, and this alone may well provide a springboard for ministry opportunities," M V Tronson said.