That’s the message from Debbie Jones of Timbertown Resort & Motel who says the new development will help attract tourists to the area.

The development features 12 brand new rooms, this with the existing rooms will have the potential to accommodate up to 100 people at the resort.

A new 50 seat a-la-carte Mediterranean-style licensed restaurant is also part of stage 1 of the new complex, with stage 2 comprising of a function room upstairs catering for approximately 80 people.

Work started about 12 months ago and the finishing touches will be made in the next two months.

Mrs Jones said the development will open up many opportunities for Wauchope.

“It is definitely a step in the right direction for the town,” she said.

"The more restaurants and attractions we can have in Wauchope the more attractive it will be for tourists looking to visit our town.

“It would be great not only to keep locals eating out here but to attract people from Port Macquarie to Wauchope, the restaurant will provide full 5 star service.”

According to Mrs Jones it is imperative that the community of Wauchope gets behind our tourist attraction,Timbertown which helps put the town on the map.

A survey undertaken by the VIC last year showed 40% of those surveyed had visited Wauchope during their stay at Port Macquarie, this is very positive for Wauchope it shows we have a lot to offer visitors, we rated higher than any other surrounding town.

The emphasis of Timbertown Resort’s new development will be on supporting the local attractions and opening up opportunities within the region.

The Timbertown Resort manager has plans to introduce packages and other joint initiatives with Timbertown and the Maul & Wedge restaurant that will help boost the theme parks options.

"Timbertown is a fantastic facility that I think is being under-utilised,” she said.

“Together with the many other developments that are happening in Wauchope I believe we can really put Wauchope on the map.

"We need to be proud of our own identity and the only way to do that is to support places like Timbertown.

Mrs Jones also wants the chamber of commerce to push Port Macquarie Hastings Council to invest more money into Wauchope tourism including our river front and Timbertown, “my personal opinion is that it is in desperate need of more infrastructures.”

She says the work of PR consultant Gabrielle Brewer has been fantastic adding that she has done more work promoting Wauchope and the Hinterland than most people realise.

The Timbertown Resort development should be completed by September depending on the weather.