Queanbeyan-Palerang

ABOUT THE REGION Queanbeyan-Palerang is an area of approximately 5,300km2 located between the eastern border of the ACT and the Great Dividing Range. Queanbeyan makes up the majority of the urban population and is a prospering river city. The balance of the population is made up by the townships of Bungendore and Braidwood and numerous smaller rural villages and hamlets such as Araluen, Captains Flat, Bywong, Majors Creek and Wamboin. For more than 175 years, people have been moving to Queanbeyan and the region in search of a better lifestyle. Queanbeyan is the largest city in southeast NSW. It is on, or near, major transport routes – the Kings, Monaro, Federal and Hume Highways and the southern railway with links to Sydney and Melbourne. Queanbeyan is a mere 20 minutes from central Canberra, 10 minutes from the Canberra airport, 3 hours from Sydney and less than 2 hours from the South Coast.

DRIVING TIMES FROM QUEANBEYAN Canberra airport 10 minutes Canberra CBD 20 minutes Batemans Bay 1hour, 50 minutes Snowy Mountains 2 hours, 5 minutes Wollongong 2 hours, 40 minutes Port Kembla 2 hours, 45 minutes Sydney airport 2 hours, 50 minutes Sydney CBD 3 hours, 10 minutes Melbourne CBD 7 hours

COOL CLIMATE WINES The region’s cool climate wineries are located on Queanbeyan’s doorstep on the Lake George escarpment and offer breathtaking views over the ancient lake basin. These vineyards provide grapes of exceptional character. Cool climate wines are unique and distinctive; the whites crispier and fruitier, the reds slower to reveal their complexity. The region produces a diverse variety of grapes ranging from Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Rosé, Pinot Noir to Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Page 1 Economic Snapshot PEOPLE AVERAGE INCOME POPULATION 57,334 $1,882 pw POPULATION GROWTH SINCE 2011 4% UNEMPLOYMENT RATE PROJECTED GROWTH TO 2036 2.5% 32.4% (SEPT 2017)

16,840 LOCAL JOBS 63% OF THE JOBS IN QBN PALERANG ARE DONE BY PEOPLE PLACES WHO LIVE IN THE LGA QUEANBEYAN $526K MEDIAN HOUSE PRICE 9 PRIMARY SCHOOLS $445 MEDIAN RENT PER WEEK 2 COMBINED (K TO YEAR 12 SCHOOLS) $308K MEDIAN UNIT PRICES 2 HIGH SCHOOLS

4,425 BUSINESSES $68 M (2016-2017) VALUE OF BUILDING APPROVALS PRODUCTS EXPORTS 2016 $922M TOP 3 INDUSTRIES BY EMPLOYMENT GROSS VALUE ADDED 2016 (GVA) - PUBLIC ADMIN & SAFETY $1,754.5M MANUFACTURING 7.6% - CONSTRUCTION - RETAIL TRADE TOURISM & HOSPITALITY 3.5% GVA AGRICULTURE 2.8% $113.8M EVERYTHING ELSE 86.1% TOTAL TOURISM & HOSPITALITY SALES IN 2016 Page 2 Competitive Advantage

In the recent past Queanbeyan was often described as Canberra’s best kept secret. Ten years of rapid growth ensures that the benefits UNEMPLOYMENT RATE of living and working in Queanbeyan are no longer a secret, however the city has not lost its charm and remains unique, having a character and appeal quite different to the neighbouring Canberra suburbs. This ambiance is being further enhanced by the work that 2.5% Council is doing to transform the Queanbeyan CBD, incorporating place making and smart city concepts and realigning traffic and retail (SEPT 2017) areas. Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council is heavily invested in ensuring the region continues to grow and is looking to commit over $750 million in investment in the region over the next 10 years. LIFESTYLE EDUCATION GROWTH/INNOVATION The Queanbeyan region is a wonderful area The area is incredibly well catered for The Queanbeyan-Palerang story is one of to live and work in and has it all. Whether in terms of education. There are eight rapid growth, innovation and prosperity. you’re interested in heritage, arts, culture, primary schools and two high schools in Importantly for businesses, the region’s nature, sport, or food and wine. Queanbeyan itself, as well as access to proximity to Canberra provides businesses The city itself has a relaxed ambiance many other public and private schools just with access to Federal Government and offers many benefits to residents minutes away in Canberra. decision makers. Residents receive a including events that occur throughout The village of Braidwood has a Catholic comparatively higher income than other the year, along with all of the attractions primary school and a Kindergarten to areas of NSW and unemployment in the of our Nation’s Capital. Year 12 public school. Other areas such as region is lower than the NSW regional, state Bungendore and Captains Flat also have and national averages. The areas bounding primary schools. the ACT, such as Queanbeyan itself, attract Access to higher education is a big plus many residents who work in high paid jobs for school leavers and those seeking in Canberra, but want to live in the country further education, as there are six and enjoy a rural lifestyle. university campuses within 20 kilometres The region is in the top 10% (51st out of of Queanbeyan. Canberra is home to 563 local government areas) nationally for three universities; the Australian National innovation. This index uses factors such as University, University of Canberra and the innovative capacity and outputs through Around the district, there are many lovely Australian Military Academy at Duntroon. research and development and business historical towns such as Braidwood, a Canberra also hosts satellite campuses dynamics to measure relative innovation popular stop between Canberra and the of the Australian Catholic University, (Regional Australia Institute, 2017). The area South Coast. The Palerang region is known University of NSW, Charles Sturt University is home to many innovators and ‘creative for its iconic Australian countryside with and the Queensland Institute of Technology. types’ - a number of artists have studios, rolling hills and Lake George, wide plains Access to high quality education produces workshops and/or run galleries in the area. and productive pastoral lands. The area skilled workers, higher incomes and also contains many nature reserves and is expendable income which in turn ensures the gateway to the Snowy Mountains and that Queanbeyan-Palerang is a thriving the ski fields. community. The location of Queanbeyan within min- utes of Canberra Airport, with freight and leisure flights to Singapore and Qatar, and all major Australian domestic cities, makes Queanbeyan a gateway to the rest of the world.

Page 3 Industries & Opportunities

Key industries in the area include public administration and safety, construction and retail trade. Defence support, a sub set of public administration and safety, is significant to the region with the Headquarters Joint Operations Command being based near Bungendore (see Codarra case study on following page). Construction is also a key industry sector for the region and Queanbeyan’s rapid growth over the last decade is forecast to continue with the following major developments under way or in the planning stage. These developments offer great opportunities for businesses and people wanting to relocate to the area. QUEANBEYAN CBD The Queanbeyan CBD offers many sites for commercial investment. Queanbeyan possesses a spacious CBD which can accommodate a wide range of commercial investment opportunities and has generous floor space and height controls applying. Queanbeyan-Palerang is currently investigating strategies to encourage significant investment in the CBD using Council’s own assets in the CBD to leverage infrastructure investment. GOOGONG TOWNSHIP NTH & STH TRALEE SOUTH JERRABOMBERRA This self-contained township will North Tralee site rezoning is yet to be The proposed 40ha South Jerrabomberra eventually have around 5,550 dwellings and finalised but includes an estimated 23 Technology Park and 16ha Industrial a population of 16,000-20,000. Googong Ha of employment land. Precinct are set to become key drivers of will also have four village centres ranging South Tralee is zoned private recreation, the Canberra Region regional economy. in size from 1,000 m2 to 3,000 m2 and a neighbourhood centre, mixed use, These areas will become key assets that central commercial area of approximately general residential (plus additional can be promoted to attract and cluster 12,000 m2 – everything you’d expect to development area) and environmental new business to the region. This will also find in a thriving town. Googong is located conservation. assist existing businesses with growth near the Googong Dam on Old Cooma Road It will include residential land of 221 potential through co-location and creation in NSW, just 16 km from Parliament House. residential dwellings and 6.63 Ha of of an environment for businesses to Other infrastructure will include: a large commercial space. develop deep relationships and alliances. common, schools, seven sports fields, six Infrastructure and facilities will include: The potential for 70 large sites in the netball courts, five neighbourhood parks, a regional conservation park, three Technology Park is set to become another 13 local parks, a water recycling plant, playing fields or sports fields, a dog element in the sophisticated innovation a multipurpose centre, neighbourhood park, two local parks, tennis courts, eco-system that exists across the ACT and community facilities and an indoor sports two play areas, a skate park, reservoirs Queanbeyan. It will help complement and and aquatic centre. and other drainage reserves/facilities, enhance approaches to grow and expand as well as sewerage assets and a innovation led organisations across sectors multipurpose centre. such as Defence, technology and advanced manufacturing. The proposed new regional sports precinct adjacent to the proposed business and technology park is expected to provide ancillary recreation, health and child care facilities for workers in the park.

Page 4 Case Study

WOOD DUST- The Australian International Timber and Woodworking Festival is a new, independently organised, biennial woodworking event in the Australian woodworking heartland of Queanbeyan and Bungendore. For five days in October, Queanbeyan and Bungendore will be the centre of the woodworking world as local and international woodworkers descend for a series of ‘Yarns’, woodworking master classes, and a world class fine furniture exhibition, all topped off with a timber and tool marketplace. Evan Dunstone, one of the Festival’s organisers, is owner of DUNSTONE DESIGN, just one of the many successful, artist-run and owned, contemporary wood working businesses based in the area.

The Queanbeyan-Palerang area is home to many artists. In fact, the village of Bungendore, especially the Bungendore Wood Works Gallery, is a hub for woodworkers of international calibre. Many makers have studios and workshops located in the region. An example of one of these businesses is Dunstone Design. Evan Dunstone, from Dunstone Design, has a workshop and showroom in Queanbeyan. He says that, “we specialise in contemporary fine furniture and chair making, bespoke and commissioned work, but we also carry ‘ready to ship’ stock of our most popular designs. Our work is a celebration of wood and craftsmanship”. Wood Dust, The Australian International Timber and Woodworking Festival, is a celebration of all things woodworking. As Evan and his co-organisers say, “We decided to create a woodworking event that brings together all our experiences into one comprehensive event. We just want to create a woodworking event that we want to go to, and hope that you will want to go as well...... so, we have bitten the bullet, mortgaged our houses and rang all our friends from Tasmania to upstate New York in order to bring you Wood Dust”. Evan says, “Wood Dust is a festival where the first timer can hold a real hand plane, take a class and buy some quality tools. The enthusiast can meet their woodworking hero, have a yarn and hone their skills. And the professional can share their stories over a craft beer, kicking back while a hand-made guitar is played in the background. Woodworking is a universal craft that all can enjoy through the creativity, pleasure and friendships that it provides”. Evan is passionate about the Queanbeyan-Palerang area as well as woodworking. He says that the area provides a network of artists, a ‘creative cluster’, and that for him and artists in general, location near other artists and internationally respected galleries is crucial to maintaining a viable and sustainable business and art practice.

Page 5 Case Study

CODARRA ADVANCED SYSTEMS is a leading and wholly Australian-owned consulting, training and systems integration company. Codarra’s national headquarters are located in Queanbeyan and regional offices are established in Sydney and Melbourne.

Codarra formed 25 years ago to manage the challenges presented the premises we were offered in Queanbeyan struck a chord with by a complex world. The business assists clients in managing these our core business. Being in the RSL building and having the eternal complexities through professional management and technical flame at our front door relates closely to our main customer, which consulting, training and the provision of turn-key solutions. is the Australian Defence Force and the Department of Defence. Codarra is renowned for being innovative, responsive and ethical. We also found that the RSL people were fabulous to deal with as For many years the company has invested heavily in research our landlord and so we have been very happy that we made the and development to create solutions for unique problems and decision to relocate here some 13 years ago. Being in Queanbeyan, this has resulted in some outstanding products of world-class we have found that having our business in a NSW country town quality. Codarra has always maintained a reputation for the highest and on the border with the ACT is an excellent location. We are standards in business relationships. viewed as both part of the ACT regional defence industry and NSW Codarra’s professional services span disciplines related to informa- regional industry and so maintain a close relationship with both tion, communications, defence and technology. the ACT and NSW. This includes project and program management, logistics, Moreover, Queanbeyan itself is a great location - I have free parking communications security and information technology. Codarra two minutes from my front door, excellent coffee shops nearby, a has specialised expertise in military systems including systems wide range of shops within close walking distance and I am 15-20 engineering, communications, command, control, surveillance, minutes from most of my customers. We invested a lot of money reconnaissance and vehicles. Accredited training courses in project in our premises and have ample space and staff are usually happier and program management are provided as public and in-house to commute to Queanbeyan because our trip to work is against the courses. flow of traffic - the vast majority of the traffic goes in the reverse Codarra’s staff are professionals with expertise across a broad direction to us. In addition, the Monaro (State) and Eden-Monaro range of management, engineering and scientific disciplines. Most (Federal) electorate is a good place to be. Up until the last Federal staff have post-graduate qualifications and extensive experience in election Queanbeyan was a bellwether seat that always fell to the design and implementation of systems. the government. As a result we have had good Federal members Managing Director Warren Williams says, “We moved to Queanbeyan here in the region that are approachable and care about the local because our lease had come to an end in the ACT and we found that industries. We are pleased to be in Queanbeyan and plan to stay”.

HQJOC BUNGENDORE An example of a project managed by Codarra Advanced Systems was the establishment of the command, control, communications, computing and intelligence capability for Headquarters Joint Operations Command (HQJOC) recently established in Bungendore. The aim of this project was to integrate the various agencies responsible for the planning and execution of military operations in a state-of-the-art headquarters which is equipped with the world’s best practice command and control system.

Page 6 Case Study

FORM STUDIO AND GALLERY is an independent contemporary artist-run space in the vibrant arts district of Queanbeyan. NATIONAL PLUMBING is a large plumbing and gas fitting contractor who maintains an office space upstairs. It seems an unlikely pairing, but the space and location in Queanbeyan works well for both businesses.

Exhibiting both established and emerging artists working in traditional and new media, the gallery focuses on selecting the most exciting contemporary art for its program, sourced through an annual submission process. Established in August 2011, Form Studio and Gallery was conceived as a space where the artist is central. The guiding principle of the Gallery is that if they look after artists well, the rest will fall into place. The Gallery’s founder, Claire Primrose describes the semi-industrial area of Queanbeyan in which the Gallery is located as,“a bit of a hub for artists, as well as being a place traditionally associated with building businesses and suppliers”. The location in Queanbeyan is good for both businesses.“It is close to suppliers and clients in Canberra”, says Jeremy, from National Plumbing. Jeremy likes the fact that clients enter through the Gallery and that his clients like that the office is a bit different to entering a normal building contractor’s office. His clients often comment that the “offices are very plush”. He says that the co-location of the businesses sets the tone for the services that they provide and it“gives his business more class!”

Page 7 Notes, photo credits, references, contacts & acknowledgements

NOTES FAST FACTS, REGIONAL SUMMARY AND ECONOMIC SNAPSHOTS Current population. These estimates for Local Government Areas (LGAs)are prepared by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)to correct for the Census under count and are updated annually. These are the closest to official estimates of resident population and are often used by State Government in allocating per capita funding to LGAs. Population Growth since 2011. Based on ABS Census data 2011-2016. Projected population growth to 2036. Estimates are to 2036 and are prepared by ID Profiles and available under the Canberra Region Joint Organisation of Councils subscription. Median house & unit price. This data comes from local real estate agents and is based on property sales over the previous 12 months (January 2017-January 2018). Other data in the Economic Snapshots the Joint Organisation of Councils subscriptions to ID Profiles or directly from 2016 census data. PHOTO CREDITS QUEANBEYAN-PALERANG images courtesy of Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council, Form Gallery and Studio, Dunstone Design, Queanbeyan Visitors Centre, Wood Dust and Codarra Advanced Systems. REFERENCES (2017) https://www.goodschools.com.au (2017) https://www.realestate.com.au (2018) http://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/D3310114.nsf/Home/2016%20Census%20Community%20Profiles (2018) http://www.codarra.com.au/ (2018) http://www.dunstonedesign.com.au/ (2018) https://www.economy.id.com.au (2018) https://www.facebook.com/CountryUniversitiesCentre/ (2018) https://www.facebook.com/formstudioandgallery/ (2018) http://www.insight.regionalaustralia.org.au (2018) http://www.serree.org.au/ (2018) https://www.wooddustaustralia.com/ CONTACTS

Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council Regional Development Australia Southern Inland 256 Crawford St, Queanbeyan NSW 2620 Shop 5, Central Arcade, 158-162 Auburn Street 10 Majara St, Bungendore NSW 2621 Goulburn NSW 2580 144 Wallace St, Braidwood NSW 2622 Phone: 02 4822 6397 Phone: 1300 735 025 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] www.rdasi.org.au www.qprc.nsw.gov.au Postal Address: Postal Address: PO Box 775, Goulburn NSW 2580 PO Box 90, Queanbeyan NSW 2620 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Regional Development Australia Southern Inland (RDASI) would like to thank the NSW Government for their funding assistance in producing this report. We also thank the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council for their assistance. RDASI is an Australian Government Initiative. Prepared by Strategic Economic Solutions May 2018.

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