Welcome to our wonderful region

IT can be tempting to want to keep all the best parts of where we live to ourselves.

After all, so many of us fell in love with our beaches, our foodie culture and our relaxed lifestyle to the point that we decided to base our entire lives here.

When weekends such as this one come around, it can be easy to slip into a type of jealous possessiveness.

Why should we share all this that is great about our region with outsiders? We were here first/longest, so we should be the ones who get to enjoy all the benefits.

But for so many of our local businesses, Easter represents the last opportunity for a big tourist economic influx to sustain them through the long winter break.

Across many parts of the region — and particularly in our coastal towns — tourism is the lifeblood of the local economy. A decent summer season can set up some small businesses for the entire year. To them, jam-packed roads and crowded carparks do not represent inconvenience — rather they are the indicators of a prosperous season.

Whether they are here to soak up the unique atmosphere of the annual Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach, take a road trip mini-break from their dayto-day lives, or enjoy the unseasonably warm autumn weather with days in the sunshine at the beach, these visitors are a crucial element of our economic ecosystem.

And with Easter running so close to Anzac Day this year, experts are predicting an even more prosperous tourist season for our part of the world.

Of course, plenty of locals will be venturing out to their own holiday destinations this Easter, and to them we implore, please travel safely.

The Easter break is a renowned danger period on our roads, and police have already issued warnings for many of our high risk areas — including the Great Ocean Road, which has historically been the scene of many accidents during peak holiday times.

So whether you are staying home battling the tourist crowds, visiting our beautiful part of the world or venturing elsewhere for a mini-break, please exercise patience, care and have a wonderful break.

And to all of you, wherever you are, we wish for you a safe and very happy Easter.