Eden Welcome Centre celebrates first birthday

The Eden community has come out to celebrate a very special first birthday.

Port Authority of NSW, Eden Visitor Information Centre, 2EC, HMAS Supply and the Bega Valley Regional Gallery marked the Eden Welcome Centre's first birthday with a celebration onsite on Thursday, 12 May 2022.

Head of Regional Ports, Port Authority of NSW, Peter Ernst, was on hand to cut the cake – shaped like the Eden Welcome Centre itself.

"Seeing HMAS Supply alongside yesterday, and today's event in Snug Cove, was the first time I've seen the town abuzz since before the 2019 bushfires," Peter said. "It's a return to normality after some very challenging times.

"HMAS Supply is alongside in part because of the work that we at Port Authority have done. It's a sign of things to come."

Peter was joined by Lana Wills, Chairperson for the Eden Visitor Information Centre. The cake was made by local baker, Sandy Huff at Floral Finesse.

"The cake was phenomenal," Peter said. "It seemed a shame to cut it!"

Eden Welcome Centre was officially opened on 30 April 2021 by Minister for Jobs, Investment and Tourism Stuart Ayres and Member for Bega Andrew Constance.

The building was designed by the award-winning architectural firm, Cox Architecture (who also designed the Bermagui Fishermen's Wharf) and constructed by local company Rankin Builders.

General Manager, Projects, Catherine Blaine said the Eden Welcome Centre was a key project for Port Authority. 

"The Eden Welcome Centre is a demonstration of support of regional tourism and economic growth, through use of local construction contractors and suppliers, to build an iconic structure which is a beautiful attraction for visitors to the Sapphire Coast, and a functional home for Port Authority and other marine agency operations," Cath said.

"Also, the timber is a mixture of local hardwood and recycled timber elements, which is what makes it so unique."

Celebrating the town's main industries of fishing, forestry and tourism, the building is intended to act as a symbol of an optimistic future for Eden.

The structure and cladding are made from native hardwoods from the region and recycled structural timber elements as a tribute of the local timber industry and encompass features from Eden's rich maritime and fishing industry. 

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