Visitors are attracted to the Armidale Region for a variety of reasons including sporting events, UNE events, visiting friends and relatives and availing themselves of the region’s recreational and cultural activities.

The region is home to spectacular waterfalls and gorges, award-winning cool-climate wineries, boutique shopping, award-winning coffee shops and restaurants, elegant cathedrals, pastoral homesteads and other heritage buildings, fascinating museums and galleries as access to world heritage natural wonders.

Sydney is recognised as Australia’s only global city and the leading knowledge-based economy in the nation.

Innovation districts, including health and education hubs, remain priority areas for building knowledge intensive jobs growth across the six cities. A number of current projects will set the scene for improved economic dynamism and future knowledge intensive jobs growth across the Central River and Western Parkland Cities. This includes the recently announced Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility at Bradfield, as well as investment in the Viral Vector Manufacturing Facility at the Westmead Health and Innovation District.

Focus industries will include agriculture, tourism, technology, health industries, defence and aerospace, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing and materials, smart freight and logistics, agriculture and tourism.

Innovation districts will complement the Aerotropolis, centred on semiconductors, defence, aerospace and modern manufacturing. Tech Central, which has a focus on deep tech, software as a service, quantum cyber and information and communication technology,
and Westmead, which drives health innovation, building on Westmead’s strengths in advanced therapeutics, translation cancer, immunology, vaccinology clinical trials and digital health.

As the world transitions to a digital economy, the Northern Rivers is well placed for growth in digital industries. Improving regional internet speeds are breaking down geographical barriers to regional work and lifestyle choices. Digital professionals now need only a fast internet connection to gain market share. This allows for lifestyle options that include beach, forest and rural living, which have long served as an attraction for film and media professionals.

New ‘gig-economy’ industry development is now being considered as a real opportunity. The region has already developed a national and international reputation in a variety of digital economy driven sectors. This reputation is behind a drive to seek investment into this industry to establish a regional hub for film, television and digital content production.

Potentially there could be a number of digital precincts in the region, providing fast broadband access and opportunities for collaboration.
Business Incubators and Facilitators – a range of business incubators and facilitators within the Region help generate prosperity and jobs by assisting existing businesses to overcome challenges and grow and while also aiding entrepreneurs in creating new businesses that put their innovative ideas into action.

Sport is part of the cultural identity of many Australians. Sport isn’t just a favoured pastime for Australians. It is a significant contributor to the Australian economy.

In Australia, sports and recreational organisations attract more volunteers than any other type of organisation.

Major sporting events – grand finals, international cricket, grand slam tournaments, surfing competitions and cycling challenges – as well as less watched events – weekend matches, morning and afternoon training sessions and amateur competitions – fill calendars and recreational time.

The Northern Rivers is already home to Australia’s first community-owned renewable energy retailer, Australia’s first ever council operated and community funded solar farm, and the highest levels of rooftop solar in the country.

Our favourable climate, land fertility, existing industries and demographics offer opportunities to build on these successes and also explore new areas including bioenergy and waste to energy technology which have the potential to contribute to solving both waste management and energy generation challenges.

As a region we face a future of rising electricity prices, increased demand for water for domestic and agricultural use, and waste disposal challenges related to pressure on landfill and a changing recycling industry. Adopting innovative and sustainable approaches to energy, water and waste will play a vital role in allowing us to continue delivering essential services to regional residents.

Sydney is recognised as Australia’s only global city and the leading knowledge-based economy in the nation.

Innovation districts, including health and education hubs, remain priority areas for building knowledge intensive jobs growth across the six cities. A number of current projects will set the scene for improved economic dynamism and future knowledge intensive jobs growth across the Central River and Western Parkland Cities. This includes the recently announced Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility at Bradfield, as well as investment in the Viral Vector Manufacturing Facility at the Westmead Health and Innovation District.

Focus industries will include agriculture, tourism, technology, health industries, defence and aerospace, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing and materials, smart freight and logistics, agriculture and tourism.

Innovation districts will complement the Aerotropolis, centred on semiconductors, defence, aerospace and modern manufacturing. Tech Central, which has a focus on deep tech, software as a service, quantum cyber and information and communication technology,
and Westmead, which drives health innovation, building on Westmead’s strengths in advanced therapeutics, translation cancer, immunology, vaccinology clinical trials and digital health.

The Riverina stretches from the foothills of the Snowy Mountains in the east through to the plains of Hay and Carrathool in the west. The Murrumbidgee River flows through the region, providing water to the irrigation areas around Griffith and Leeton. The regional city of Wagga Wagga is positioned on the main Sydney-Melbourne railway line, equally close to both state capitals.

The Riverina region occupies a large southern segment of the Murray Darling Basin. This system of rivers drains 15% of the Australian continent. It covers parts of the states of Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.

The Basin is characterised generally by low rainfall, light soils, hot summers and cool winters, with long sunlight hours. Where irrigation water can be delivered the soils and long sunlight hours ensure fast and luxuriant growth of crops.

The Riverina region enjoys unique advantages because of the combination of varied soil types and land forms, together with a warm climate, and an ample supply of water for irrigation. This has helped create an economy based on agricultural production, food and beverage manufacturing, and wood processing.

Manufacturing, Agriculture Forestry & Fishing are the two key drivers of the Riverina’s economy.

Waste is a significant and increasing contributor to emissions. Moving to a circular economy will reduce emissions and improve sustainability of our cities and infrastructure. This will require major changes to waste management, recycling, and reuse across the six cities.

Increasing the separation of household food and organic waste can generate renewable energy and reduce emissions. This may require innovative solutions in higher-density areas where fewer households have access to their own garden, including through the development of community-led ‘maker spaces’ or ‘circular economy hubs’.

Agriculture is a key industry for the Mid North Coast both economically and for the scenic and environmental qualities attributed to the rural lands on which agriculture is undertaken.

The Mid North Coast is richly diverse in agricultural commodities and highly innovative in the processing and development of food and beverage products. The area is particularly important for horticultural activities, beef and dairy farming. Fruit and nut production is the dominant industry, including blueberries, bananas and avocadoes. The Mid North Coast also produces cut flowers and milk.

Blueberries are labour intensive, requiring hand-picking, in turn generating seasonal labour opportunities locally. The OzGroup Co-operative operates a purpose-built packing facility in Woolgoolga and a larger packing facility in Coffs Harbour employing over 30 permanent employees and hundreds of seasonal workers each year.

The Costa Berry is at the forefront of genetic growing and innovation and exports to some of the most demanding markets in the world. They are a major employer with more than 6,000 workers across their growing regions during peak season. Costa also have a close relationship with a number of universities across Australia and offer an extensive formal and informal graduate program and a range of university scholarships.

The Norco milk factory at Raleigh, near Bellingen is dedicated to producing dairy based products including Norco branded milk, cream and custard.

Greenleaf Farm at Clybucca is a large-scale intensive horticulture operation with over 600 greenhouses in vegetable production.

Mayfield Farm produces a variety of free-range meats and eggs, but pork is their primary product. They sell their gourmet produce at the farm gate and through local independent supermarkets, specialty shops and growers’ markets.

The Nambucca River is an exceptional environment for growing Sydney Rock Oysters due to a healthy catchment system that supports good growth, survival, condition and taste.

Prime Water Oysters is a new oyster farm with big ideas. The farm is located in a growing area known as Middle Nambucca, situated midway between the townships of Nambucca Heads and Macksville. It currently holds 600,000 oysters, up to half of which are harvested each season.

Australian and international research organisations agree that the world's climate is changing. Some of these changes have been linked to human influences due to the use of fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas. The burning of fossil fuels is causing an increase in the amount of greenhouse gases and consequent warming of the atmosphere.

Observed changes in climate include an increase in average temperatures, a decrease in cold temperature extremes, an increase in warm temperature extremes, an increase in extreme high sea levels and an increase in the number of intense rainfall events in some area.

The impacts of climate change highlight the need to protect land for its future productive capacity particularly where there is a combination of biophysical assets such as water, topography and soils.

The Central West supports high value agriculture now and will be important to sustain production of more specialised agricultural and horticultural enterprises into the future.

Farm adaptation options are already being developed with the Grains Research and Development work on farming systems, and the cotton industry. A critical concern to irrigated agriculture is securing water for production in terms of quality, quantity and delivery.

Sydney is recognised as Australia’s only global city and the leading knowledge-based economy in the nation.

Innovation districts, including health and education hubs, remain priority areas for building knowledge intensive jobs growth across the six cities. A number of current projects will set the scene for improved economic dynamism and future knowledge intensive jobs growth across the Central River and Western Parkland Cities. This includes the recently announced Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility at Bradfield, as well as investment in the Viral Vector Manufacturing Facility at the Westmead Health and Innovation District.

Focus industries will include agriculture, tourism, technology, health industries, defence and aerospace, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing and materials, smart freight and logistics, agriculture and tourism.

Innovation districts will complement the Aerotropolis, centred on semiconductors, defence, aerospace and modern manufacturing. Tech Central, which has a focus on deep tech, software as a service, quantum cyber and information and communication technology,
and Westmead, which drives health innovation, building on Westmead’s strengths in advanced therapeutics, translation cancer, immunology, vaccinology clinical trials and digital health.

Albury-Wodonga is a vibrant regional centre situated on the border of NSW and Victoria. It is home to a great range of shops, theatre, cafés and restaurants, and just a stone’s throw from snowfields and wine regions.

Thurgoona has received international attention for its environmentally sensitive design and focus on sustainable living. It stretches over 87 hectares including wetlands and has a distinct focus on native flora and fauna, and a herbarium.

The Albury City site includes networked libraries, anatomy and physiology laboratories, and a podiatry clinic.

The Central Coast Sustainability and Climate Action Plan includes 27 Actions within five themes, relating to natural systems, water and energy efficiency, community empowerment, waste reduction and improved strategic planning.

Reducing emissions will avoid significant human interference with the climate system so that ecosystems can adapt naturally to climate change.
It will protect food production and enable sustainable economic development.

The shift to a net zero emissions economy will also create opportunities in sectors in which NSW has a competitive advantage, such as professional services, agriculture, advanced energy technology, property management and financial services.

Many types of trees, agricultural land and waterways have climate change mitigation benefits through carbon sequestration. Landowners and managers could participate in growing carbon markets by establishing carbon offsets on private, public or Aboriginal managed lands.

Further, blue carbon sequestration –where mangroves, salt marshes, seaweed and seagrasses remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere–make vegetated coastal ecosystems highly efficient carbon sinks.

The Central Coast is expected to experience an increase in its average, maximum and minimum temperatures for the near future (2030) and far future (2070). Rainfall on the Central Coast is expected to increase in Autumn and Summer and decrease in Spring and Winter.

These changes in climate are likely to increase the risk from natural hazards including coastal processes, storms and floods, bushfires, heatwaves and drought. Natural hazards can disrupt road and rail networks and interrupt access to essential services including water, sewerage, power, telecommunications and digital connectivity.

Residents, tourists, towns and communities can become isolated for extended periods, which can impact social networks. Visiting tourists may not be aware of the dangers and emergency procedures. Over long periods of time this can be detrimental to local economies that rely on tourism.

A more climate resilient region will increase the capacity of individuals, communities, businesses and systems to survive, adapt and thrive no matter what stresses and shocks they face.

Projections for climate change in the Shoalhaven Region include higher temperatures, higher evaporation rates, changes to the distribution and intensity of rainfall, severe and more frequent heatwaves resulting in more severe bushfire weather and a longer bushfire season.

These risks will have impacts for agricultural activities in the region, where producers will need to invest in methods and infrastructure to mitigate high temperatures and conserve water.

The Wagga Wagga Base hospital is the largest in the region with 325 beds, providing medical services to the wider Riverina.

Wagga Wagga Health Service provides services including critical care, medical, surgical, paediatric, obstetric, and rehabilitation care. We also provide mental health and community health services.

The Charles Sturt Three Rivers Department of Rural Health has six major sites across our regional footprint in Albury, Bathurst, Dubbo, Griffith, Orange and Wagga Wagga.

Three Rivers DRH aims to improve the recruitment and retention of nursing, midwifery, allied health and dentistry professionals in rural and remote Australia.

The region’s extractive operations are mainly for construction materials - sand, road and concrete aggregates, with the exception of a significant gold mining operation (Cowal Gold Mine), north of West Wyalong in Bland that employs around 385 people.

Advanced manufacturers in Greater Sydney provide the most valuable and skill-intensive parts of the production process, including high-tech design and development, innovative research, product customisation, client-focused support and repair services.

Greater Sydney has strengths in advanced manufacturing in the aerospace and food and beverage sectors. To build on Western Sydney’s thriving manufacturing industry, the NSW Government, in partnership with the Commonwealth Government, are developing a high-tech, state-of-the-art Aerospace and Defence Industries Precinct, adjacent to the new Western Sydney Airport.

The UTS Centre for Advanced Manufacturing (CAM) supports Australian manufacturers on this journey, helping them to embrace digital transformation and drive increased self-sufficiency/on-shoring of manufacturing in a post-Covid-19 world.

Located in the Engineering precinct of the University of Sydney's Darlington campus, the Sydney Manufacturing Hub is a manufacturing-focused research facility that works with industry to deliver cutting-edge R&D in additive manufacturing and materials processing.

The Hub provides capabilities for design, topological optimisation, the 3-D printing of metals, ceramics and polymers, as well as post-processing heat treatment, advanced characterisation and more, paving the way for new technology in industries like aerospace, autonomous vehicles, biomedical, defence, maritime, and robotics.

The UNSW Advanced Manufacturing Laboratory covers teaching, research and consulting in various manufacturing processes. This includes advanced laser and laser-hybrid processing of materials, high pressure water jet and air jet processing of materials, mechanical machining, additive manufacturing, and friction and wear.

NSW is home to the largest number of defence bases and capabilities of any state or territory and is home to one quarter of Australia’s military and defence civilian personnel. All three services have significant bases throughout the state, including major sustainment hubs for the Australian Army at Holsworthy Barracks, the Royal Australian Navy at Garden Island and the Royal Australian Air Force at Williamtown.

Each service has operational level headquarters and significant training units located across the state.

Greater Sydney provides a harbour for the Royal Australian Navy base, Victoria Barracks, Randwick Barracks, Liverpool Military Area, and RAAF bases Richmond and Glenbrook.

Research and Development related to defence is conducted at the Australian Centre for Field Robotics at University of Sydney, the Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology (CQC2T) at the University of NSW and the Centre for Autonomous Systems at the University of Technology Sydney.

Greater Sydney has advanced manufacturing capacity in technologies identified as critical to the success of the Defence Force in the coming years.

These include:
• acoustic technologies and systems
• complex system integration
• cybersecurity
• advanced materials and optics
• helicopter and jet engine maintenance and simulation
• intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR)
• electronic warfare
• space technologies
• small arms manufacturing.

Sectors such as tourism, agriculture, defence, health, education, aged care, retail and hospitality will remain important employers in the Far South Coast and Shoalhaven, and continue to make a critical contribution to the economy.

A circular economy is one that exchanges the typical cycle of make, use, dispose in favour of maximising re-use and recycling. The longer materials and resources are in use, the more value is extracted from them. The circular economy concept is best, and most often, applied in relation to resource consumption and regeneration.