The future looks bright for the Central West
It feels like lately the Central West of NSW has had some really strong wins that will benefit our local economy. As a proud born and raised member of the Central West I personally think its great to see.
Sometimes in business it’s hard to focus on the future; we all seem to be busier than ever before. I’ve always believed in the value of planning and having a solid strategy behind what you’re doing. Part of that is focusing on the market around you and this is why I’m excited with some of the news I’ve seen lately. At times it can feel like regional Australia is neglected when compared to the big metropolitan centres however these developments are all positive for our local economy and the flow on effect for the region is something we can all be enthusiastic about.
Parkes as a major transport and freight hub
At a time when keeping jobs in regional Australia is a real challenge, I enjoyed hearing that the Inland Rail project has received the go ahead in terms of funding. It’s a massive win for Parkes.
For those of you who aren’t aware, the Inland Rail project is designed to connect Melbourne and Brisbane via an inland rail line through regional NSW. The great news is that Parkes stands to become a major freight terminal due to its location as the only hub connection with the east-west Sydney to Perth line. This is great news for the community and business and has the potential to bring hundreds of jobs to Parkes.
As a result, the local council has even made an appeal to retail giant Amazon to base on of their major distribution centres in the town. I love the cheeky marketing campaign.
Orange sees growth too
In our hometown of Orange the news has been good too. The recent announcement around the construction of a medical precinct in Orange, including a brand new private hospital, is welcome news. It’s predicted to bring 500 jobs to the region and will generate a host of benefits including a new hotel and increased parking that, given the site’s close proximity to the Orange public hospital, will provide parking options for both facilities. It will help to establish Orange as a key medical centre of excellence within regional NSW.
One thing I also enjoyed seeing was the win we had in being included as one of only two NSW locations in the new Australian edition of Monopoly. With tourism being such a strong source of growth in our region it can only help benefit our tourism sector. Plus who doesn’t enjoy seeing our town ranked right next to Sydney Harbour!
Positive signs
It just adds to the overall positive picture I’m seeing when out talking to clients. I recently attended an event in Sydney with some clients from our region and the talk was incredibly positive about the strength of business in the Central West. I was also fortunate to speak recently at the Central West medical practitioners conference. To hear the positivity from businesses in the Health space was really encouraging, including feedback from a new local business started by people relocating from Sydney. Their excitement really showcased for me that the opportunity is there for all of us to grow and take advantage of what looks to be a great 2017/18 ahead.