Agquip set to provide economic boom for business in Gunnedah

Mackellar Motel owner Steve Woodward said he'll go the extra mile to accommodate for the large number of guests.

"My wife and I have a four-bedroom residence upstairs. So we end up renting out all of those rooms and we'll sleep in the office downstairs," he said.

"We try and be accommodating where we can be. My wife and I work 13 hours a day in the office and upstairs is only for sleeping. When AqQuip comes to town we'll put two single beds in the office and sleep there."

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Mr Woodward said the 30-room motel had been booked out 12 months in advance.

"We do end up directing a lot of people out of town," he said.

"Narrabri is already booked out and Moree is close to being booked out. It's one of those events that bring a lot of people into town, whether it be commercial or otherwise."

Mr Woodward has owned the motel for 15 years.

He says he's seen enquiries increase year-on-year.

"We've seen the event grow and grow. We're still receiving calls about rooms, even though now it's too late," he said.

Chris Drakeley and his wife bought the Maynestay Motel over a year ago.

This year will be his second time renting out rooms for AgQuip.

"It's pretty much across Gunnedah motels, you have to pretty much wait for someone to die to get a room in town," he said.

"I know that Tamworth and motels get booked out across the area."

Mr Drakeley said AgQuip provides also mass economic benefits for other businesses throughout the region

"Basically, when you have a lot of people coming to town they need somewhere to sleep, they need somewhere to eat, so restaurants become busy," he said.

"They go off to the cafes for breakfast, so they become busy. So do, food shops and of course the clubs and pubs and so on.

"Basically the entire town gets a big economic boost."

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