Roger Buckman’s passion is tourism.
He says it’s a sure way to stimulate the local Yass Valley economy without expending great deals of monetary investment.
“Tourism expansion can be made in a small grass roots way,” he said.
“Imagine if every farmer had an airbnb room on their property, or even in the town or villages. “People in Canberra and Sydney, could come for a weekend.”
Talking after The Next Crop – Yass forum, Mr Buckman said the experience could be a breaking point from the alienation between city and country folk.
“That barrier would break down in a short time if city people stayed on a farm, just for a weekend.
“You’re not having to set-up any great infrastructure, It’s just a one-on-one local thing.”
He believes farmstays would bring the true story of farming to the forefront.
“People’s attitudes would change when they realise that meat doesn’t come on styrofoam plates,” he said.
“Visitors would see good people looking after nice animals.”
Mr Buckman said just that psychological break from city life was a positive.
He says he speaks regularly with his family on their small acreage, “Pleaseshutthegate”, Yass, with the idea of starting a farmstay.
“But at the moment I do furniture restoration and upholstery and bought a 40-seater bus which I’m redoing with a raised roof to use for guided tours through Yass and the valley,” he said.
“When you look at the town there are nice old buildings and you can have a cup of coffee, but then what?
“I gave Yass Valley Council 12 ideas, Yass ideas, things they could do to make the place more interesting for visitors.
“It’s taken five years, but I’ve got one of them up.”
Concrete sheep grazing under a tree in the main street. Sculptures where community groups raised the money and council paid for the installation.
“You don’t realise just how many dogs have jumped off vehicles to round them off,” Mr Buckman said.
“I wrote a book of verse titled “This Town” which was selling in the Tourist Office.
“For that little bit of money to do these things it would just make the place so much more interesting.
“The flow-on would stimulate the local shops which in-turn stimulates the local economy and attracting more people to visit.”