14 December 2018 The first sod turn of the Inland Rail project was officially turned at Parkes in December. Construction on the Parkes to Narromine section is expected to begin almost immediately, with the first train travelling on the new line by 2025. The benefits to local industry will be enormous, it will drive significant investment in the communities themselves…
14 December 2018 Newly developed ‘The Exchange’ is a space that nurtures the potential of those in regional Australia with big dreams for a small business. Their vision is to create a community of business owners, future founders and service providers in regional Australia who congregate at the Exchange in Dubbo. They need a community manager to handle engagement and…
20 December 2018 Work on the redevelopment of Mudgee Hospital will commence in the coming months after it was announced Hutchinson Builders have won the race to be the main works contractor for the project. The project is expected to deliver about 275 jobs in construction and related industries, and will boost local employment opportunities through skills and Aboriginal employment…
21 December 2018 The first of Photon Energy’s planned solar farms was granted approval by the NSW Government’s Department of Planning and Environment in December. The solar farm project, located 10km west of Wellington is expected to cost Photon Energy $262 million. This is a multi-million dollar project that will over the longer-term increase electricity capacity, help to cut greenhouse…
7 December 2018 The NSW Government has welcomed the planning approval for the new Regional Rail Fleet Maintenance facility at Dubbo, which will deliver an economic boost to the Orana and regional NSW when detailed design and construction starts early next year. In 2015 Transport for NSW carried out a review of the NSW regional rail network to look at…
7 December 2018 A new review into rural and regional telecommunications has shone a light on digital agriculture and a thriving tourism industry. The 2018 Regional Telecommunications Review: Getting it right out there has put forward 10 recommendations to improve access to telecommunications infrastructure, modernise consumer protections and ensure better digital inclusion in the Orana region. The review provides a…
12 November 2018 The University of Technology Sydney recently signed its third renewable energy power purchase agreement, this time for the output of the 32MW Walgett Solar Farm in the Orana region. The University said it will purchase the equivalent of half its annual electricity demand from the solar farm, through a deal that will kick start construction of the…
The NSW Government is calling on councils to apply for a share of a further $20 million in funding to support local government infrastructure projects that speed up housing delivery across NSW. The Government Low Cost Loan Initiative gives councils a 50% refund of interest payments on loans for infrastructure projects which enable housing supply. Funding from the first round…
30 October 2018 The Australian Government will be investing $60 million into a trial wage subsidy as an incentive for employers in regional and rural communities to engage more apprentices. Under this subsidy, eligible employers within the Orana region will be able to receive payments based on the apprentice’s relevant award wage rates. Subsidies will be provided at 75% of…
Building a strong workforce from the ground up with a particular emphasis on encouraging young people into the fields of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) has been a major focus for Regional Enviroscience. Established nine years ago by Juliet Duffy from her rental property garage, the business has really thrived and now employs 23 local people including four female…
9 November 2018 Regional Development Australia Orana Director Megan Dixon is reminding all employers in the region that the window of opportunity to have their say on the occupations and number to be included in the Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) application will be closing on Monday. Stakeholders and employers in the Orana Region were sent a digital survey last…
9 November 2018 Regional Development Australia Orana Chairman John Walkom has welcomed ten newly appointed members of the RDA Orana committee this week. Mr Walkom said I congratulate the committee members on their appointments and look forward to our first official meeting in December. The committee members include Brad Cam (Mudgee), Peter Yench (Cobar), Ian Stanford (Wongarbon), Janine Lea-Barrett (Cobar),…
Mendooran’s Black Gate Distillery is a boutique operation which was established by husband and wife team Brian and Genise Hollingworth in 2009. The first of its kind in Central West NSW, the distillery has a tranquil bushland setting where a range of Single Malt Whisky and Dark Rum is made using traditional methods and high quality ingredients. Producing 3000 litres…