The state MP spent the day in Mudgee and Gulgong on Tuesday, with member for Dubbo Troy Grant, to announce a funding boost for a glamping operator and to tour the currently under construction Holtermann Museum.

“This region is really powering ahead in terms of tourism,” Mr Marshell said. “The numbers are reflecting that there’s a good feel and success breeds success.”

After touring Gulgong’s Holtermann Museum, Mr Marshell described the progress as ‘fabulous’.

“I’ve been through Gulgong a few times over the last 10 years and it’s like a living, breathing museum,” he said. “The community is magnificent, you don’t see this very often, where so many of those period buildings still remain and many are being cared for, but this particular project is something that I’ve not seen before, it’s impressive.

“The fact that they’ve used a bit of government money but it’s been driven and run by the community, full credit to them. And they’re not doing it by halves, this is a very slick professional fit out and it’s going to be a very high standard facility,” he said.

The museum is expected to be officially opened by mid to late 2018.

“I think it will attract thousands and thousands of people, so I can’t wait to come back next year and see the finished product,” Mr Marshell said.

While in the region, the Tourism Minister also announced Mudgee’s Sierra Escape has secured more than $112,000 to build one deluxe and one family glamping tent – under the NSW Government’s Regional Tourism Fund.

“The funds will be matched dollar for dollar by Sierra Escape owners Cameron and Tash,” Mr Marshell explained. “This funding will not only help promote this enterprise, but also attract more people to Mudgee, particularly some of our international tourists. The biggest challenge we have now in NSW is not attracting more people from overseas, it’s dispersing them out of Sydney into some of our beautiful regional destinations.”

Mr Grant agreed, explaining the funding initiative, “is set to drive the local visitor economy by bringing more people into the region’s restaurants and cafés, wineries and local boutiques”.