Snowy Monaro ABOUT THE REGION With the three main population centres all on major highways, easy access to Canberra as well as Sydney, Melbourne and the coast, good services and amenities, Snowy Monaro offers unlimited potential for the astute investor. Couple this with vibrant, cohesive communities, a stable workforce, strong economic drivers and a post card perfect natural environment, Snowy Monaro really is the place to live, work and invest. DRIVING TIMES FROM COOMA Sydney airport 4 hours Sydney CBD 4 hours, 15 minutes Canberra airport 1 hour, 15 minutes Canberra CBD 1 hour, 25 minutes South Coast (Tathra) 1 hour, 40 minutes Melbourne CBD 7 hours, 15 minutes DONGWHARELOCATION TIMBERS CASE STUDY Based in the south of the region in Bombala, this international company has constructed a state of the art mill for processing plantation grown pine. This sustainable resource provides a range of employment opportunities and on the job training opportunities which will be enhanced with the second stage of development – a particle board manufacturing plant – currently in early planning stages. Page 1 Economic Snapshot PEOPLE $1,200 PW MEDIAN POPULATION 20,880 WEEKLY HOUSEHOLD INCOME (2016) POPULATION GROWTH SINCE 2011 2% 4.6 % UNEMPLOYMENT RATE (SEPT 2017) PROJECTED GROWTH TO 2036 5.7% 9,764 LOCAL JOBS 40 GPs PER 10,000 PEOPLE 98% OF THE JOBS IN SNOWY MONARO ARE DONE BY PEOPLE PLACES WHO LIVE IN THE LGA COOMA $225K MEDIAN HOUSE PRICE 12 PRIMARY SCHOOLS $273 MEDIAN RENT PER WEEK 4 COMBINED (K- YEAR 12) $181K MEDIAN UNIT PRICE 2 HIGH SCHOOLS 2,511 BUSINESSES $45.5 M (2016-2017) VALUE OF BUILDING APPROVALS PRODUCTS TOP 3 INDUSTRIES BY EMPLOYMENT EXPORTS 2016 - ACCOMMODATION & FOOD $232M SERVICE - AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY GROSS VALUE ADDED 2016 (GVA) 1.5%* & FISHING - RETAIL TRADE TOURISM & HOSPITALITY 48.4% $935.9 AGRICULTURE 11.1% ECONOMIC $902.9M GROWTH TOURISM & HOSPITALITY MANUFACTURING 3% GVA SALES IN 2016 EVERYTHING ELSE 37.5% *HEADLINE GROSS REGIONAL PRODUCT JUNE Page2015- 2 2016 Competitive Advantage 4.6 % UNEMPLOYMENT RATE (SEPT 2017) HEALTH & RECREATIONAL LIFESTYLE EDUCATION FACILITIES Only in the Snowy Monaro can you ski Education is important to the Snowy Snowy Monaro has the highest mountain the highest mountain in Australia, take a Monaro communities, with the major range in Australia, world recognised specular drive through majestic forests to centres and a number of the smaller training sites and programs for snow the coast to see the whales, come back villages boasting both private and public based activities, a wealth of walking up the mountain to see the platypus at schools. Tertiary education is also catered tracks, mountain biking tracks, miles Bombala and then continue on through for at the Cooma Campus of Illawarra and miles of waterways for fishing and undulating farmland to watch the moon TAFE and at the innovative Snowy Monaro paddling, well equipped gyms to tone the rise over Lake Jindabyne. Country University Centre which sees muscles, heated swimming pools, golf And while the natural environment is a students studying and completing a range courses, pony clubs, horse riding schools, major highlight of living in the Snowy of degrees without the need to move from fishing clubs…the list goes on and on Monaro, the region also offers the their home base. and people are sure to find a recreational opportunity to experience fine dining, Ongoing training opportunities for pursuit that meets their needs. boutique wines, beers and spirits, quirky business owners are provided via both Health is well taken care of in the Snowy retail outlets and cohesive, vibrant State and Federal Government Agencies Monaro with a range of health providers, communities willing to share the unique and lifelong learning opportunities are clinics and hospitals. Locals also have history and legends of a region that is actively supported by the Council and easy access to the new Regional Hospital symbolic with adventure. numerous community groups. Businesses at Bega and of course the numerous Rich agricultural land, job opportunities are further assisted by strong, active public and private hospitals in Canberra. and inexpensive housing and land Chambers of Commerce and Development Being a cohesive community means that packages add to the many benefits of Associations which in turn are supported the needs of older residents are also living the dream within the inspiring by Council. catered for via Council run aged care Snowy Monaro region. services at Berridale, Cooma and Bombala, private centres and non government support services which are available DEVELOPMENT APPROVALS across the region. Snowy Monaro Regional Council aims to make the process of development easy. The Council offers one on one consultation prior to the lodgement of development approvals. This not only allows for open workshopping of all plans and fine tuning if needed, but also speeds up the approval process as a result of having a full understanding of what is required. THE BOMBALA TRAILBLAZERS, an initiative of local business owner Arthur Dracopoulos, was established some years ago. The initiative which is run through Council, supports community members with mobility issues to remain connected and involved with the local community. The Bombala Trailblazers meet monthly, enjoying an afternoon tea provided by Arthur at his business, Cosmo Café. The initiative also receives support from Mobility Matters, a Cooma based business, and the Bombala RSL Club. Arthur says, “I am more than happy to continue supporting this group with their free coffee and cake every month...after all it’s what community is … we all help each other .. it’s why I have *HEADLINE GROSS REGIONAL PRODUCT JUNE 2015- 2016 my business here”. Page 3 Industries & Opportunities Snowy Monaro’s well established engines of growth – tourism, agriculture and timber – continue to evolve and have encouraged the development of a wide skills base which in turn has seen supportive industries such as welding, fabrication and engineering, thrive. With such a diverse mix of businesses, easy access to Canberra airport and the Port of Eden, security of water, a community seeking to grow and embrace new opportunities, perfect location and natural beauty, it is no wonder that innovative operators, technical specialists and artists are calling Snowy Monaro home. SNOWY 2.0 Excitement is growing around the opportunities that Snowy Hydro’s pumped hydro expansion of the Snowy Scheme, Snowy 2.0, could provide to the region. A Final Investment Decision for the project is expected in late 2018. The construction of Snowy 2.0 would create up to 5,000 direct and indirect jobs across the region, as well as opportunities for local businesses and service providers. ALL YEAR TOURISM Tourism is the lifeblood of the region and it is not just the snow that is attracting a growing number of visitors to the area. Visitors also come to the area to experience the National Parks which are among Australia’s best. Imagine camping out under the starry southern skies after a day spent bush walking or mountain biking on well-maintained tracks and trails through majestic forests and over crystal clear waterways. Other tourist experiences include horse riding through landscape immortalised in “The Man from Snowy River” or canoeing the mighty Snowy River with an Aboriginal guide who will explain the legends of this ancient land. Page 4 Case Study SNOWY MOUNTAINS COOKIES is a high end brand supplying premium gourmet produce. Their products are served on multiple airlines including Qantas, Air China, Emirates, REX and Virgin Airlines through to five star hotels and independent cafes. The company takes great pride in their attention to customer service and vigilant food safety standards. Snowy Mountains Cookies/Savoury/Snacks, launched in 2006, is proudly located in the beautiful, iconic, alpine town of Jindabyne and is arguably Australia’s highest commercial bakery, perched at 1020 metres above sea level. Over ten years of operation, the ‘Snowy Mountains’ branding has consistently delivered positive outcomes including, instant product recognition, acceptance and a key point of difference. The key words, ‘Snowy Mountains,’ have furnished the brand with values, personality and attributes that it would not have attained if the cookies were called something along the lines of “Daisy & Nolen’s Cookies”. The company isn’t just another city based manufacturing plant – the Snowy Mountains Cookies brand comes with an authentic story about a family business, true to its name, based in the iconic regional town of Jindabyne in Australia’s Snowy Mountains. The products reaffirm the brand message, made wholesome and appetising by baking with premium ingredient options, with a focus on ‘keeping it natural by keeping it simple’. Page 5 Case Study EUCUMBENE TROUT FARM offers a premium fishing experience on their 6 hectare “Stony Lake” and patrons, in the absence of success at the lake, have the opportunity to try the “sure catch tank”. The farm also offers farm tours, award winning value added trout products and local produce, a cafe and accommodation. Karen and Peter Cottrell had been frequent visitors to the Australian high country for decades chasing the distinct seasonal patterns and of course the snow. When they saw that Eucumbene Trout Farm was for sale, they acted. The iconic farm had fallen on hard times, with a failure to address changing water and energy needs and general maintenance resulting in the farm’s closure in 2008. Peter and Karen turned their hand to the challenges and have reinvented the farm. Karen and Peter are extremely happy with their decision to leave Sydney and they love living in the beautiful Snowy Monaro. 2,850 trout are estimated to be in the lake and the farm is the number one destination for trout fishing in NSW. The farm has had 27,000 visitors since opening.