Spend any time down town and you'll notice how many visitors stop to photograph our historic buildings, or read the plaques of the heritage trail.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Now they'll be able to hear some of the colourful stories attached to these locations, with a project to connect videos via QR code to some of the plaques.
Cr Michelle Herbert, chair of Forbes Shire Council's heritage committee, shared a sample video with councillors at their December meeting.
"This is a pretty exciting project and it's very hard to share in a report," Cr Herbert said.
The current trail is documented in a brochure with pictures and information for the 24 sites, in and around Forbes. The trail is to grow with the project, with a total 30 sites.
The new additions are the courthouse and police station, Forbes Arcade, Anglesey House, the fire station, former St Elmo's birthing centre and the former Quong Lee's store near Bernardi's.
It's planned that 12 of these will have a QR code that visitors can scan to bring up a video link with more information about the site.
QR codes will be placed on the plaques, and the trail brochure will be redesigned to include the additional sites.
"The heritage trail is by far one of the most popular tourism tours in Forbes and our visitor information centre is asked for regularly," Cr Herbert said.
"People will have the option to choose whether they want to hear the stories or continue doing the tour as they have done previously."
Cr Herbert believes the tour will continue to help promote the town and its heritage as a destination.
"We have been working with Rob Willis, and he has found some wonderful stories from our past and through the gift of story telling can capture people's curiosity and have them yearning to find out more," Cr Herbert told the council meeting.
"The videos include imagery from the Forbes museum and newspaper clippings to bring the story to life."
Councillors were shown a sample video, with Mr Willis sharing stories of Victoria Park and surrounds - from the Vandenberg Hotel to the courthouse.
The council resolved to allocate $10,000 a year for three years toward the creation of the digital heritage trail, and to investigate funding sources.
The project was to be tendered through the council's usual channels.
