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This article was published on Monday, 22 January, 2024. The information contained within may be out of date or inaccurate. News articles and media releases older than 60 days are archived for future reference.

Greater Shepparton Visitor Centre a designated TAC premium ‘Pause Stop’ Centre

Posted on Monday 22nd of January, 2024,

Greater Shepparton Visitor Centre has been designated by the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) and the Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) as one of 15 premium ‘Pause Stop’ locations across Victoria.

Perfectly positioned within a two hour drive from Melbourne’s northern suburbs, and from North East Victoria destinations such as Albury/Wodonga and Bright/Beechworth, the Greater Shepparton Visitor Centre features everything travellers need to stop, revive and recover.

Some of the amenities offered at the Visitor Centre facilities to enable an effective Pause Stop include:

Café on site
Toilets (including a Changing Places facility)
Children’s playground
Lounge and seating area (indoors and outdoors)
Short or longer walking paths around Victoria Park Lake
Staff and volunteers trained in the TAC Pause Stop messaging, knowledgeable of options and ready-made itineraries to help travellers have an effective stop-over in Shepparton and Goulburn Valley and plan their next Pause Stop depending on direction of travel/planned routes.
Display promoting the Pause Stop messaging, which includes a photo opportunity prop, Road Trip Activity Books and Pause Stop Passports, as well as handy Victoria maps to help plan the next Pause Stop.

As the state experiences the highest number of fatalities on its roads in more than a decade, Victorians are being urged to put driving safely at the top of their ‘to do’ list.

The TAC has partnered with the Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) to set up 15 ‘Pause Stop’ locations within Visitor Information Centres across the state.

Each ‘Pause Stop’ will provide visitors with a range of resources, including information on how to avoid drowsy driving, activities to keep the kids entertained, and help planning a safe journey ahead.

In 2023, 296 people lost their lives on Victorian roads, the highest annual road toll for 15 years, and a significant increase on the 241 road deaths recorded in 2022.

Through the ‘Pause Stop’ campaign, TAC is calling on everyone travelling this season to prioritise safety – with a focus on those taking long trips and using regional roads.

Greater Shepparton City Council Mayor, Councillor Shane Sali, highlighted the importance of putting safety as a priority these summer holidays and encouraged travellers to take advantage of the ‘Pause Stop’ locations.

“Greater Shepparton City Council encourage everyone travelling, to plan in advance and prioritise safety. The ‘Pause Stop’ locations are a great opportunity to re-charge and have a break from driving, and all the family can enjoy,” he said.

“This campaign is also a great opportunity for the Visitor Centre staff and volunteers to connect with potential visitors, and inspire travellers to plan a future visit to Shepparton and Goulburn Valley.”

TAC Head of Road Safety, Samantha Cockfield, said people planning to travel long distances over the holiday period are encouraged to get a good night’s sleep before driving, allow plenty of travel time, drive to the conditions, remove distractions, and take regular breaks.

“With more people travelling at this time of year, often with friends or family, and for longer periods, on unfamiliar roads, we are urging people to plan ahead and take pause stops along the way,” she said.

More information on Pause Stop locations and how to avoid drowsy driving.