Students trace the steps of Cobb and Co.

USQ students trace the steps of Cobb and Co.

Students studying an event management course at USQ Springfield campus traced the Cobb and Co. Tourist Drive through Ipswich recently, as part of a hands-on assignment.

The students completed a tour of Walloon, Rosewood and Grandchester before heading to Spicer’s Hidden Vale for afternoon tea.

USQ Tourism lecturer Ms Frances Cassidy said the students visited a number of tourist stops along the way.

'Henry Lawson Bicentennial Park’s memorial to the lost ‘Babies of Walloon’ from the text of Henry Lawson’s poem and the beautiful Grandchester Railway Station were of particular interest to the students,' Ms Cassidy said.

Using the tour as a case study, the students acted as event management professionals and designed a flyer for the excursion, reviewed the risk management procedures, prepared the itinerary, explored the logistics and the over-all running of the event.

'This type of work-integrated learning is fundamental to providing USQ students with the hands-on experience they will need when they enter the work force as event professionals,' Ms Cassidy said.

'We chose to explore Ipswich not only because USQ Springfield campus is part of the city, but because there are some wonderful tourist attractions in the area.

'As Queensland's oldest provincial city, Ipswich has a lot to offer by way of a tourist destination.

'The city has it all when it comes to offering Queensland holiday makers a place to visit for a weekend trip or a weeklong holiday.

'There is so much to do in Ipswich, it is steeped in history, has fabulous architecture, cultural and natural history and has over 6,000 listed heritage sights.

'It is certainly worth the drive to come and see what the region has to offer.'

Ms Cassidy said tourism has the potential to become huge business in the region and already brings in big dollars in Ipswich.

'Most tourists come to Ipswich to visit friends and relatives with shopping, eating out, pubs, clubs, discos and markets listed as their top activities.

'So you can see tourism and events are important to our Ipswich economy.

'It shows that our tourism industry must be well managed and sustainable for the future, which is why we use it as a learning opportunity for our students.

'A big thank you needs to go to Janet Hewitt from the Ipswich Visitors Centre who came on the excursion with us and assisted the students with her boundless knowledge of Ipswich.'

Contact Details:
Jo-Ann Sparrow, USQ Media, +61 7 3470 4119 or 0438 309 096