Hotels fill up for carnival
EIGHT days left until the July Racing Carnival and Cup fever is in the Clarence River air.
Most of the hotels and motels in the area are completely booked out for the event, with accommodation in Grafton becoming harder to find.
Run by Bruce Harding, the Hilldrop Motor Inn, located a small way up the Gwydir Highway at Waterview Heights, will be forced to put the 'NO VACANCY' into action.
"We've actually been booked out for about four or five months," said Mr Harding.
"It's almost guaranteed to be full around this time of year."
While not being able to enjoy the Racing Carnival first-hand, Mr Harding was quick to point out the economic contribution to the town.
"Tourism is the Clarence Rivers biggest industry, bringing in about $250m every year for the region," Mr Harding, who is also the Treasurer of the Clarence River Tourism Association, said.
"With events like these, it brings people from as far as Sydney to the south and Brisbane to north. They put money into the region and keep it alive."
