OUR CAPABILITIES
NATOC endeavours to reflect the social and cultural framework of traditional Aboriginal society by encompassing both traditional and commercial components in their service delivery. In a sense developing a “cultural commerce” through mutually beneficial partnerships and collaborations.
NATOC will provide a combination of services including fee for service and collaborative ventures, that will enable us to achieve our objectives including the following.
Our Core Services Consist of:
• Partnerships/Networking - NATOC acts as a brokerage service encouraging Aboriginal participation and information sharing with a range of organisations and peak body groups as well as partnerships between Aboriginal and other tourism businesses.
Partnerships/ Networking Include:
• Business Support – NATOC works closely with a range of organisations and bodies to provide advice, research, representation, quality product development and access to funding support and mentoring services.
Business Support Includes:
Project Management – This includes services such as marketing, program delivery, event planning, workshops, contract management and the development of a range of tourism products that include emerging markets.
Project Management includes:
The range of services provided by NATOC forms the foundation for continual growth of the organisation and the establishment of NATOC as a strong advocate and peak body for Aboriginal tourism in NSW.
CAPACITY
The NATOC Board consists of six Aboriginal governing directors representing a diverse mix of organisations including Local Aboriginal Land Council, Social Enterprises and small privately-owned businesses. With over 100 years combined experience in business and export tourism, the NATOC directors cover all manner of tourism operations including tour product, accommodation, events, catering and performance.
With our directors and members located throughout NSW, NATOC has developed a footprint that reaches all of the Regional areas of NSW and is closely aligned with DNSW and the Regionally based Destination Networks.
Not being centrally located also enables NATOC to respond quickly to the needs and demands of Aboriginal Tourism Operators at a local level, as well as being able to effectively link with Regionally based support networks that include Industry, Peak Bodies, Local and State Government organisations.
Along with the extensive collective experience of the NATOC board other key roles include;
Dwayne Bannon Harrison – NATOC Chair and Lead Consultant
Dwayne Bannon-Harrison is the founder and managing director of NNCA, carrying on the knowledge and cultural teachings over 17 years from his elders he established NNCA to set a foundation for family and community to continue the legacies passed down to share traditional culture in Yuin country. With the honor and privilege of leading NNCA Dwayne is striving to not only pass on the knowledge and skills to deliver cultural knowledge and self-determination with his own family, but also to assist and mentor other Aboriginal people to also get involved and create economic opportunities in their communities. Dwayne is also a Director of the NSW Aboriginal Tourism Operators Council-NATOC, along with this has extensive and award-winning achievements in the Aboriginal male wellbeing space through the ‘Bring Back the Warrior’ approach.
Ngaran Ngaran Culture Awareness was established in 2011, NNCA is an Aboriginal owned and operated cultural service provider on the far south coast of NSW on Yuin country. NNCA facilitate cultural awakenings in the Tourism, Corporate, Event and Education sectors with a range of services to help ensure that traditional koori cultural ways of knowing get delivered in South Eastern Australia
Craig Layer – Chief Executive Officer & Business Development Specialist
Craig has worked as the Aboriginal Economic Development Officer for the Hunter and Central Coast Regions for the last 15 years, and currently operates the program as part of the Aboriginal team at Ungooroo Aboriginal Corporation. Ungooroo is a multifaceted and progressive Aboriginal owned and operated community-based organization.
Craig is also a founding member and director of the NSW Aboriginal Tourism Operators Council (NATOC), where he has, with other members been at the forefront of the development and support of the Aboriginal Tourism industry in NSW.
Craig has over 20 years’ experience working in the areas of Aboriginal business development, community development as well as Aboriginal arts and Cultural events. This include working with Aboriginal businesses through the various stages of business development, including start up, business planning and ongoing mentoring, with the primary goal of assisting Aboriginal people and communities to develop sustainable and innovative business models, that use culture and cultural identity as a foundation for growth.
Craig has also been a member of the wupa@wanaruah Aboriginal Art Exhibition & Trail management committee for the past 10 years, creating opportunities for Aboriginal artists to develop their skills and create opportunities to develop economic outcomes based around story-telling and cultural sharing through art.
Craig has a passion for assisting and mentoring other Aboriginal people, enabling them to develop and create economic opportunities in their communities that lead to self-determination and long- term sustainability.
Shane Dredge – Business Development Officer
Over twenty years’ experience in Government, tourism and Indigenous community engagement with a track record in developing opportunities and implementing strategic plans to achieve economic and social benefits for individuals, organisations and communities.
Skilled in research and development, product design, marketing and delivery. Strong empathetic communicator/negotiator and experienced in working in high achieving environments. Key Achievements include:
KEY SUCCESSES
Over the past six years NATOC has formed strong partnerships with Destination NSW, Destination Networks (Regional Tourism Bodies) and other Government agencies such as NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and NSW Forestry Corporation. These partnerships have seen NATOC contracted to provide technical and mentoring services including;
NATOC endeavours to reflect the social and cultural framework of traditional Aboriginal society by encompassing both traditional and commercial components in their service delivery. In a sense developing a “cultural commerce” through mutually beneficial partnerships and collaborations.
NATOC will provide a combination of services including fee for service and collaborative ventures, that will enable us to achieve our objectives including the following.
Our Core Services Consist of:
• Partnerships/Networking - NATOC acts as a brokerage service encouraging Aboriginal participation and information sharing with a range of organisations and peak body groups as well as partnerships between Aboriginal and other tourism businesses.
Partnerships/ Networking Include:
- National, state and regional tourism bodies
- National, state and regional Gov depts
- Industry leaders
- Funding partners
- Tourism industry
- Philanthropic
- Tourism operators
• Business Support – NATOC works closely with a range of organisations and bodies to provide advice, research, representation, quality product development and access to funding support and mentoring services.
Business Support Includes:
- Mentoring
- Assistance with business plans
- Grant applications
- Marketing Plans
- Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) development
- Aboriginal engagement policies
- Emerging Aboriginal Tourism Operators
Project Management – This includes services such as marketing, program delivery, event planning, workshops, contract management and the development of a range of tourism products that include emerging markets.
Project Management includes:
- Operating as a hub for NSW Aboriginal tourism products
- Working collaboratively with mainstream tourism
- NSW Regional Destination Networks
- Workshop facilitation
The range of services provided by NATOC forms the foundation for continual growth of the organisation and the establishment of NATOC as a strong advocate and peak body for Aboriginal tourism in NSW.
CAPACITY
The NATOC Board consists of six Aboriginal governing directors representing a diverse mix of organisations including Local Aboriginal Land Council, Social Enterprises and small privately-owned businesses. With over 100 years combined experience in business and export tourism, the NATOC directors cover all manner of tourism operations including tour product, accommodation, events, catering and performance.
With our directors and members located throughout NSW, NATOC has developed a footprint that reaches all of the Regional areas of NSW and is closely aligned with DNSW and the Regionally based Destination Networks.
Not being centrally located also enables NATOC to respond quickly to the needs and demands of Aboriginal Tourism Operators at a local level, as well as being able to effectively link with Regionally based support networks that include Industry, Peak Bodies, Local and State Government organisations.
Along with the extensive collective experience of the NATOC board other key roles include;
Dwayne Bannon Harrison – NATOC Chair and Lead Consultant
Dwayne Bannon-Harrison is the founder and managing director of NNCA, carrying on the knowledge and cultural teachings over 17 years from his elders he established NNCA to set a foundation for family and community to continue the legacies passed down to share traditional culture in Yuin country. With the honor and privilege of leading NNCA Dwayne is striving to not only pass on the knowledge and skills to deliver cultural knowledge and self-determination with his own family, but also to assist and mentor other Aboriginal people to also get involved and create economic opportunities in their communities. Dwayne is also a Director of the NSW Aboriginal Tourism Operators Council-NATOC, along with this has extensive and award-winning achievements in the Aboriginal male wellbeing space through the ‘Bring Back the Warrior’ approach.
Ngaran Ngaran Culture Awareness was established in 2011, NNCA is an Aboriginal owned and operated cultural service provider on the far south coast of NSW on Yuin country. NNCA facilitate cultural awakenings in the Tourism, Corporate, Event and Education sectors with a range of services to help ensure that traditional koori cultural ways of knowing get delivered in South Eastern Australia
Craig Layer – Chief Executive Officer & Business Development Specialist
Craig has worked as the Aboriginal Economic Development Officer for the Hunter and Central Coast Regions for the last 15 years, and currently operates the program as part of the Aboriginal team at Ungooroo Aboriginal Corporation. Ungooroo is a multifaceted and progressive Aboriginal owned and operated community-based organization.
Craig is also a founding member and director of the NSW Aboriginal Tourism Operators Council (NATOC), where he has, with other members been at the forefront of the development and support of the Aboriginal Tourism industry in NSW.
Craig has over 20 years’ experience working in the areas of Aboriginal business development, community development as well as Aboriginal arts and Cultural events. This include working with Aboriginal businesses through the various stages of business development, including start up, business planning and ongoing mentoring, with the primary goal of assisting Aboriginal people and communities to develop sustainable and innovative business models, that use culture and cultural identity as a foundation for growth.
Craig has also been a member of the wupa@wanaruah Aboriginal Art Exhibition & Trail management committee for the past 10 years, creating opportunities for Aboriginal artists to develop their skills and create opportunities to develop economic outcomes based around story-telling and cultural sharing through art.
Craig has a passion for assisting and mentoring other Aboriginal people, enabling them to develop and create economic opportunities in their communities that lead to self-determination and long- term sustainability.
Shane Dredge – Business Development Officer
Over twenty years’ experience in Government, tourism and Indigenous community engagement with a track record in developing opportunities and implementing strategic plans to achieve economic and social benefits for individuals, organisations and communities.
Skilled in research and development, product design, marketing and delivery. Strong empathetic communicator/negotiator and experienced in working in high achieving environments. Key Achievements include:
- Developed and launched the Aboriginal Tourism Action Plan 2017 – 2020 in November 2017. The Action Plan is delivering a greater understanding of the richness of Aboriginal culture for visitors and provides economic and social benefits for Aboriginal people.
- Oversaw the successful implementation and delivery of the NSW Aboriginal Tourism Action Plan 2013 - 2016 in partnership with community and industry including:
- Producing the NSW Aboriginal Tourism Toolkit for the tourism industry to connect with local operators who provide cultural information and deliver authentic cultural experiences.
- Developing the NSW Aboriginal cultural tourism workshop program which has become a valuable platform supporting the ongoing development of Aboriginal businesses and experiences in NSW. More than 460 Aboriginal participants attended eight workshops in metropolitan and regional locations.
KEY SUCCESSES
Over the past six years NATOC has formed strong partnerships with Destination NSW, Destination Networks (Regional Tourism Bodies) and other Government agencies such as NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and NSW Forestry Corporation. These partnerships have seen NATOC contracted to provide technical and mentoring services including;
- Development of the Destination NSW Aboriginal Tourism Action Plan 2017 – 2020
- Production of the NSW Aboriginal Tourism Toolkit
- Providing input into the development of Destination Management Plans and the Visitor Economy Industry Action Plan 2030
- Delivery of a statewide Destination NSW Aboriginal Tourism Workshop Program with over 300 participants
- An increase of 100% in NSW Aboriginal owned businesses attending the Australian Tourism Exchange from three in 2019 to six in 2020 and;
- Specific tourism product development business planning such as with the Mutawintji Local Aboriginal Land Council.
- Development of the IWAAC Tourism Business Directory.
- Destination Country and Outback Aboriginal Tourism Mentoring Program.
