Perth business owner Alexandra Burt, whose interests include Voyager Estate winery, has lifted her low public profile by joining the board of Tourism Australia.
Perth business owner Alexandra Burt, whose interests include Voyager Estate winery, has lifted her low public profile by joining the board of Tourism Australia.
Ms Burt is one of two new appointments, along with Harvey Norman chief executive Katie Page.
Ms Burt is the co-founder and proprietor of The Landsmith Collection, an entity that houses a variety of winery, tourism and property assets.
As well as Voyager Estate, which is one of Western Australia’s largest winery businesses, she owns Bullo River Station in the North Territory, and purchased historic Wallcliffe House near Margaret River in 2018.
Ms Burt is one of WA’s wealthiest people, with a fortune of more than $1 billion.
Her family wealth stems primarily from an iron ore royalties deal signed in the 1960s by her grandfather Peter Wright, the business partner of Lang Hancock.
She has served on regional, state and national wine industry boards during the past decade.
Ms Burt is also co-founder and chair of the Sydney-based Australian Futures Project, a board member of the Australian String Quartet, and patron for private giving at the West Australian Ballet.
In addition to the new members, Tourism Australia chair Bob East has been reappointed to the position.
Board member Jeffrey Ellison has been appointed deputy chair and Perth-based board member Bradley Woods, who heads the Australian Hotels Association (WA), has been reappointed for another term.
Tourism Australia received a record $231.6 million in funding for 2020-21.
Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said the new appointments would inject further breadth of experience to the board, while the reappointments would bring important stability and continuity to the leadership of Tourism Australia.
“Australia’s tourism industry will continue to face immense challenges, and clear and decisive leadership will be crucial to ensuring Tourism Australia plays its part in helping the industry rebound from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mr Birmingham said in a statement.
“Ms Page and Ms Burt will bring to the board further knowledge and experience in tourism product, marketing and advertising, playing an important role in the execution of Tourism Australia’s strategic and targeted marketing initiatives going forward.”
