The North-West Tamar Small Business Group is comprised of eight small businesses that aim to bring more vibrancy to the area through advertising and advocacy for local commerce. 

Group secretary Carol Potter said the group especially hoped to attract more “foodies” to the area for the “good food, good wine and great climate”.

Ms Potter said that while a recent cruise ship arrival at Beauty Point showed the area had the potential to attract tourists, she hoped the group would contribute to further growth in the future. 

“A lot of people get to as far as Beaconsfield, see the mine, and maybe go to Greens Beach, but no one comes to Beauty Point,” she said.

“There’s a lot more to do in Beauty than there is to do in Beaconsfield.

“The Tamar Valley cruises, they used to [dock at Beauty Point], but they found there weren’t enough customers to make it worthwhile. 

“Maybe that can change in the future.” 

Ms Potter said the group began after the area’s Chamber of Commerce disbanded. 

“A few of us have come into town [from interstate] and in general conversations the talk was of the fact that the Chamber had fallen apart, because there was no interest in anyone being there,” she said.

“We didn’t want to wait for the council, so we thought we would do it ourselves and decided to start our own small business group.”

West Tamar mayor Christina Holmdahl said the council would be interested in collaborating with the group in the future.

“We warmly welcome people in our community that get together to work among their group, and with council, to improve where they live,” she said.

“We find that often when groups with special interests work together that they can achieve very good results for what it is they’re trying to do.”

The area received a boost recently after the first cruise ship docked at the Beauty Point foreshore in five years. 

The council also released a plan to make Beauty Point foreshore a “premier tourist attraction” to coincide with the visit.