Eco village – Peter Krueger and Maureen Griffiths, both from Monash University, TCVCC treasurer Darryl Sutcliffe, TCVCC secretary and environment officer Marlene Hargreaves, TCVCC tourism officer Rose

By Bridget Cook
TOORADIN is set to get a new name for itself, recently being branded an ‘EcoVillage’.
The Tooradin and Coastal Villages Commerce Committee (TCVCC), in conjunction with Monash University, have recently been working towards creating a new image for Tooradin in a bid to help grow local business and tourism.
The TCVCC launched the destination branding project and allocated $1000 towards a new logo design.
The purpose of destination branding is to create an image in consumers’ minds that influences their travel decisions.
Monash Caulfield Art and Design students were invited to design logos as part of their coursework assessment and to compete for the $1000 prize money.
The logo designs were displayed in various locations around Tooradin and the community was invited to vote for their favourite design.
More than 1000 votes were cast from local residents, with many coming from members of the Tooradin Primary School.
Last Friday the winner of the competition was announced. Student Vahid Meskoob, whose inspiration behind his logo design was the branding of Tooradin as an ‘EcoVillage’.
Mr Meskoob said that his colour selections referenced the saltmarshes, mangroves and the mud-based tidal waterways that Tooradin was famous for.
Tooradin is home to the southernmost stand of mangroves in the southern hemisphere and are protected by the Ramsar Convention of Wetlands of International Importance and conservation significance
TCVCC president Colin Butler, Peter Kreuger and Maureen Griffiths, both from Monash University, presented Mr Meskoob with the cheque in Tooradin last week.
Imagery of the Tooradin EcoVillage concept can be viewed by searching for those key words on YouTube. For more information about visiting the Tooradin and Coastal Villages area, visit the new website www.tooradinecovillage.com.au