Significant economic benefits from the Groovin the Moo concert at the weekend are expected to have a long-lasting impact after a sell-out crowd of 25,000 flocked to Bunbury for the iconic event.
Mayor Gary Brennan said while it was difficult to put an exact figure on the impact of the concert, he was pleased to hear that local businesses were reporting bumper trading days.
"Groovin the Moo has been an economic boon to the City, growing substantially since the first concert in 2010 to a truly iconic event which the whole community benefits from,” Mr Brennan said.
"Accommodation was at capacity in Bunbury, while other South West towns such as Busselton and Dunsborough also attracted many bookings from concert-goers.
“Local providers benefitted from Groovin The Moo as well with contractors involved in staging the event, local businesses operating food vans and stalls at the concert and local clubs such as Carey Park Football Club turned Kelly Park into a camp site as a major fundraiser.”
Mr Brennan said businesses throughout Bunbury, such as cafes, pubs and restaurants, also enjoyed brisk trade both before and after the event.
"Groovin the Moo has come a long way since the City first seed-funded the event in 2010 with the aim of building an iconic event for Bunbury,” he said.
“The organisers need to be congratulated for bringing such a professional and well run event to Bunbury.
“There is no doubting the impact of Groovin The Moo, from both an economic and cultural perspective. The direct and indirect benefits to Bunbury from such an influx of visitors cannot be underestimated."
Mr Brennan said the current five year contract with Groovin the Moo had another two years to run and he looked forward to continuing the partnerships with national promoter Cattleyard Promotions well into the future.