Berry is the place to be this weekend with the Red Hot Summer Tour kicking off on Sunday followed by an author talk by acclaimed novelist Craig Silvey.

While a minority of locals might voice their complaints on community pages about the impact large-scale events have on small coastal towns - lack of parking, accessibility, increased noise and rubbish - the pay-off is overwhelmingly positive according to a recent analysis presented to Shoalhaven City Council.

The report by Localis, a data analytics company specialising in tourism and regional economic insights, analysed three events in Huskisson in 2024 to determine how they affected the coastal town.

Localis collected information from VISA spend, accommodation occupancy rates and mobility data finding that two of the three events had a “substantial positive impact” for local businesses.

The Huskisson Beer & BBQ Festival, in June last year, saw an almost 110 per cent increase in overall visitor spending compared to similar non-event periods, according to the report.

The Little Husky Triathlon & Running Festival, from November 2-3, resulted in a 40 per cent increase in spending, while the Bay games, held a week later on November 8-10 saw a dip in spending, perhaps due to the close proximity of both events.

Rock icons Crowded House.

As Berry prepares to host the upcoming Red Hot Summer Tour, headlined by Crowded House, local businesses are welcoming the influx of visitors with hundreds of people in town to see the iconic Aussie band along with Angus & Julia Stone, The Church, Mark Seymour with Vika & Linda, and The Waifs.

The Berry leg of the nationwide tour sold out within days and accommodation in the town from October 26-28 is as rare as hen’s teeth.

While costs and benefits of public events can be subjective, depending which key stakeholder perspective you are coming from, ultimately large-scale events bring an influx of visitors, boosting local businesses and creating jobs.

A spokesperson for Shoalhaven City Council says those who complain about the event putting a strain on local infrastructure, like transport, parking, accommodation and food venue availability, are a minority.

“Council is pleased to welcome events like the Red Hot Summer Tour in the Shoalhaven, as they are proven to deliver significant social and economic benefits to the region,” says the spokesperson.

“These types of events attract visitors, encourage spending at local businesses and create valuable employment opportunities for residents.

"Council recognises the important role these events play in supporting the local economy and is committed to working collaboratively with organisers and communities to ensure they are planned and delivered respectfully, and with regard for the amenity and wellbeing of residents.”

Adding to the town’s rock-star vibe is acclaimed West Australian author Craig Silvey, who will join Berry Writers’ Festival director Tori Haschka to discuss his award-winning novels on October 27.

“I’m delighted to be returning to the Berry Writers’ Festival to celebrate the release of Runt and the Diabolical Dognapping,” says Silvey.

“I travel very widely, and the Shoalhaven region is one of my favourite destinations in Australia to visit. I always feel very welcome in the community, and Berry is home to some of the most passionate readers in the country.”

Haschka will chat with Silvey about his works as a writer - his debut book Rhubarb was published when he was just 19 - and screenwriter.

Silvey’s first attempt at a children’s book, Runt, sold more than 170,000 copies, won every major children’s book award in the country, and was turned into a smash-hit film in 2024.

His writing career took off after he released his Miles Franklin Award-winning novel Jasper Jones in 2009. The book, now considered a modern Australian classic, also won the Australian Book Industry Awards Book of the Year and was shortlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award. His follow-up novel Honeybee, won the 2021 Indie Book Awards Book of the Year – Fiction, and was Dymocks Book of the Year in 2020.

When Silvey pivoted into writing children’s books he continued to collect accolades with Runt winning the CBCA Book of the Year for Younger Readers, Best Children’s Book and Book of the Year at the Indie Book Awards.

“The Berry Writers’ Festival is delighted to welcome Craig Silvey back to the South Coast,” says Haschka.

“The Runt series of books are beacons of light that bring families together. We are so excited to have another opportunity to talk with Craig about stories that inspire us, how reading connects us and why words matter.”

The event will be held at Berry School of Arts at 6.30pm. Limited tickets are available via https://events.humanitix.com/bwf-craig-silvey