Graham gave a passionate address to the Rotary Club of Taree recently, where he revealed plans to beautify the city in the hope that this would also 'clean up' the public's attitudes towards the area.

"Graham was frustrated by how Taree 'undersells' itself to visitors," explained Ashley Cleaver, member of Taree Rotary.

"He laid it on the line for us all and really made us think about the town and how it is perceived by others."

A financial advisor and economics enthusiast, Graham knows that business is tough in the Manning Valley at the moment and he believes that the number of doors being forced to shut should be countered by enticing new businesses to 'want' to open here, as well as supporting struggling locals.

"Change the view, to change the valley," he told the gathering.

He documented a number of eyesores in and around Taree that lend to the public's ill perceptions, including run down shop fronts, large pot holes and vacant lots with thick grass, all around the CBD, that certainly don't make the area attractive to visitors and which he believes detracts from all the good things about Taree.

Graham gave examples of other local councils that have offered incentives for new businesses to open and to assist others to continue trading, including Tamworth's 'industrial rate compensation' and other works by their economic development commitee.

He urged service clubs to start by assisting struggling local businesses to paint their shopfronts to help entice other businesses to open.

"We must, as a community, become involved in presenting a better public image," he said.

"If we as a community get together to present a better image of the area, then it will change the views and perceptions in a positive and proactive way, and therefore change the future of the Manning Valley."

Graham's presentation was only a snippet of the ideas he has for the town and he is hoping more people will get behind the idea to help each other and help the town.