Melbourne’s north is fast becoming a world-class food and agricultural hub. The region is home to some of Australia’s best loved food and beverage brands, as well as an eclectic mix of artisan businesses, including boutique microbreweries, premium chocolate makers, coffee roasters and gourmet food distribution companies.

The region leads the state in the production of many food categories including bakery, confectionery, dairy, seafood and meat.

Melbourne Health is responsible for funding and providing health care services in the Melbourne metropolitan area.

The Royal Melbourne Hospital operates across two campuses in Parkville, and provides health services, conducts medical research programs, and trains health professionals.

The Royal Melbourne Hospital is responsible for NorthWestern Mental Health – which provides hospital-based mental health services in hospitals across north-west metropolitan Melbourne.

The Doherty Institute - a partnership with the University of Melbourne that specialises in providing health care services in the area of infection and immunity.

Is Australia’s housing crisis self-inflicted? If so, then we need a series of reforms to reverse it
The best long-term solution to the structural problems of the rental crisis is to build more public and/or affordable housing.

Make renting more Sustainable. Increase rent assistance or look at rental caps, similar to countries in Europe and some US states, long term tenancy agreements with incentives for all parties to the agreement.

Build to Rent
The Build to Rent property sector is growing in Australia – this new class of housing is focused on providing high quality purpose designed and built rental stock, creating an additional housing choice for Australian renters with greater security and service.

Build to Rent developments are typically owned by institutional investors for the long term and the owner could be the developer/ongoing building manager. The format provides tenants with the flexibility of renting with the security of home ownership.

Build-to-Rent developments are usually large-scale residential properties specifically designed, built and managed for long-term ownership and rental.

Social Housing
In the 40 years between 1981 and 2021 the percentage of all Australian households living in social housing (i.e. state owned and managed public housing or community managed housing) has ranged from 4.9 per cent in 1981 to 3.8 per cent in 2021. Such a drop in the proportion of social housing raises the question of has Australia achieved the balance right, and also just what is the right level of social housing for Australia?

In 2018 Statistics Canada said 628,700 Canadian households, more than one in ten renter households nationally (13.5% of 4,652,500), were living in social and affordable housing.
In New Zealand, as of 30 June 2021, there were 74,337 public housing households. This equates to 4.0% of households living in social housing.

In England (in 2018) 17% of households (3.9 million) lived in social housing, while the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development publishes that 1.2 million households live in public housing, which is 0.98 per cent of all housing.

The City of Melbourne has partnered with the University of Melbourne and RMIT University to create Melbourne Innovation Districts (MID), a smart city initiative that is set to drive investment in the knowledge economy and help shape the city’s future.

Melbourne is home to a number of incubators, hubs and co-working spaces.

Melbourne’s defence industry is renowned for its highly skilled workforce, excellence and unparalleled capabilities in advanced manufacturing, world-class research & development and delivering complex defence projects.

Often described as Australia's heart of culture, Melbourne's attractions include sporting events, art galleries, live music, festivals and fashion events that are popular with tourists and locals alike.

Explore the National Gallery of Victoria, Australia’s oldest and most renowned public art museum. The Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne offers a mix of diverse plant collections and tranquil lakes.

Melbourne’s Luna Park is renowned as the city’s oldest amusement park. From roller coasters to motion simulators, the park offers classic family entertainment with its state-of-the-art attractions.

Featuring the highest observation deck in Melbourne, the Eureka Tower offers surreal views of the entire city.

Recycling Victoria's purpose is to strengthen Victoria's waste and recycling system. It aims to increase the reliability and transparency of the sector and maximise the ongoing use of products and materials that would otherwise be waste.

City of Melbourne has set a target to divert 90 percent of waste from landfill by 2030 and a 20 percent reduction in household waste per capita between 2019 and 2030. Moving towards a circular economy, which eliminates waste and reuses resources, will help keep Melbourne a sustainable, beautiful, safe and liveable city.

It will divert materials from landfill, minimise extraction of natural resources, and reduce carbon emissions. Improving building design is critical to improving resource recovery, easing congestion, reducing noise and odour pollution and keeping our city clean. It is up to everyone in the city - residents, workers, developers, visitors and businesses – to work towards zero waste.

The historic Western Treatment Plant in Werribee is a world leader in environmentally-friendly sewage treatment, and one of Victoria’s most unlikely hidden treasures.

Roughly the size of Phillip Island, the vast site is home to more than just sewage treatment facilities – doubling as a working farm and internationally-recognised bird habitat. Here, agriculture and biodiversity meet resource recovery, education and ecotourism, supporting Melbourne’s renowned liveability.

Australians have a talent for ingenuity and creative thinking. From ancient times, Australians have used the materials around them to develop unique and practical tools to help them live and prosper. Among the huge variety of Australian inventions are the boomerang, cochlear implants, polymer banknotes and wi-fi technology.

Science, research and innovation are central to securing Australia’s future. For too long Australia has relied on the commodity cycle to underwrite its prosperity. Australia must become a ‘smart’ nation, drawing on knowledge and ideas to build competitive and sustainable businesses that create high skill, high productivity jobs and that capture value through integration into the global economic system.

Advances in digital and other enabling technologies are transforming some commodity industries into ‘high tech’. But these industries only employ a small number of workers. It is therefore important to develop other parts of the economy, particularly in advanced manufacturing and services, where there are untapped opportunities for innovation and the creation of high skill, high wage jobs.

Australia can also build on its already strong mining, energy and agriculture base and extend it into value added products and services through the application of science, advanced technologies and creative talent.

Australia must be able to respond to and capture the opportunities of changing patterns of international trade, especially through our closer economic ties with China, India and the Asia-Pacific region. At the same time, like other countries, Australia also faces the challenges of climate change, urbanisation and securing a sustainable energy future.

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.

For the agricultural industry a circular economy presents possibilities for significant efficiencies and input cost reductions through energy generation and smart grid distribution, innovative off-grid energy solutions, recycled water use, and opportunities for renewables and waste solutions.

Across the region, rainfall is projected to increase in autumn and spring by 2030. Winter rainfall is projected to decrease by 2030 across the region. Seasonal shifts in rainfall can impact agricultural productivity as well as natural ecosystems.

The number of cold nights is projected to decrease with climate change. However, dry winter and spring seasons result in more cold nights across the region.

The number of hot days is projected to increase by another three days by 2030 and seven by 2070; with increases most pronounced in spring and summer. Minimum temperatures are projected to increase across the region with the least increase away from the coast.
Prolonged periods of hot days increase the incidence of illness and death amongst vulnerable people and adversely affect ecosystems.

Just 2 hours north of Sydney is the start of the Mid North Coast where you will discover a venue to suit your needs whether it’s classical or contemporary music, theatre, dance or other performance arts. Extending as far north as Coffs Harbour the Mid North Coast is one of the fastest growing regions in Australia with over 325,000 people to be entertained.

Creative Industries is a sector that harnesses a range of creative and business skills for commercial production and dissemination. Creative industries include film and television production, broadcasting, electronic games, architecture, design and fashion, publishing, media and advertising.

It is widely recognised that arts and culture make a powerful contribution to the overall health of individuals and community wellbeing. Arts, cultural and learning environments provide many contexts for lifelong learning beyond traditional schooling.

Research shows that engagement in creative activities, art practices and education activities outside of traditional education settings (in places such as public libraries, museums and galleries) can help build soft skills, self-esteem and confidence, helping to re-engage young people who have dropped out of school.

The Bunker Cartoon Gallery (a building leased and subsidised by Council) is Australia's only dedicated cartoon gallery managed by a community organisation Bunker Cartoon Gallery Inc. (BCGI). It houses the largest private collection of original cartoons nationally.

The Mid North Coast is a country region in the north-east of the state of New South Wales, Australia. The region covers the mid northern coast of the state, beginning from Port Stephens 160 km north of Sydney, and extending as far north as Woolgoolga, 562 km north of Sydney, a distance of roughly 400 km. It also includes the World Heritage Area of Lord Howe Island, about 600km east of Port Macquarie.

The Mid North Coast lies between the Great Divide and the east coast. The landscape is typified by winding rivers that feed lush hinterland, and over one hundred kilometres of pristine beaches. It benefits from a high rainfall and is considered by many to have the most ideal climate in Australia. Taree, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie.

Over the last twenty years the NSW Mid North Coast Region has evolved from a coastal retirement and tourist destination with a significant agricultural base - forestry, fishing and farming to a region with a diversified service- based economy.

On a local scale agriculture in the region will provide further opportunity for education of communities on how their food is produced and the challenges facing farmers. This education is important for consumers who might not otherwise understand how their food is produced and the intricacies of the food production chain.

Urban farming is important in promoting the contribution of agriculture to the supply of fresh food, reducing food miles, providing an alternative supply of food and greening an area. Informal production systems such as community gardens, market gardens, orchards, bee keeping, edible streetscapes and verge gardens can be important contributors to food security and amenity and an important means of educating the community.

Southern Cross University’s National Marine Science Centre (NMSC) in Coffs Harbour is a local hub of scientific research for our aquaculture industry.

The location of the NMSC (adjacent to the Solitary Islands Marine Park) is unique in that
it supports an enormous diversity of marine life, owing to the confluence of tropical and temperate water currents. This allows researchers to grow and study a vast range of marine species.

One such species is the sea urchin. While virtually unknown in Australian cuisine, edible sea urchins are highly prized in Japan, China and Korea. The particular sea urchin that we are growing is a species that is also native to Japan and has received the thumbs up from Japanese seafood importers.

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.

Food and Beverage Manufacturing is the largest sub sector of our region’s Manufacturing industry. Add in the Agriculture & Fishing sector, of a comparable size, and it’s clear the food industry is a crucial one for the Mid North Coast.

Food and Beverage Manufacturing has a particularly large flow on effect for the regional economy and for local jobs. Every time a new job is created in Food and Beverage Manufacturing, an additional 2 jobs are spawned in other industries.

Wingham Beef Exports have been processing prime quality beef since 1995, when Japanese company, Nippon Ham Foods, purchased the processing sites at Wingham and Macksville.
With almost 400 workers engaged across the two sites, Wingham Beef Exports is an important part of the local economy.

The Raleigh milk factory near Bellingen is one of two milk factories run by Norco. The factory is dedicated to making dairy based products such as the range of Norco branded white milks, flavoured milks, cream, sour cream and custard. The factory produces 41 million litres of bottled milk every year.

Saxbys is Australia’s oldest family-owned soft drink manufacturer. Saxbys produces its own brands of traditional flavours as well as contract packing for others. In recent years they have added some new styles such as ginger lime and bitters, ginger and pineapple, ginger and cranberry, and fun seasonal styles like toffee apple, snazzberry and grape.

The Nestlé factory at Smithtown still produces the MILO we drink in Australia, as well as exporting to New Zealand. The Smithtown factory also produces a range of other popular Nestlé products, most recently the new NESCAFÉ Café Menu range. Around half of the raw materials used at the factory are still sourced locally, including barley, rice, sugar and milk powder.

Our region is home to a diverse range of population groups, including Aboriginal people, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) people, refugees, people on low incomes, people living in small, isolated communities, people with disabilities and other minority groups.

Is Australia’s housing crisis self-inflicted? If so, then we need a series of reforms to reverse it
The best long-term solution to the structural problems of the rental crisis is to build more public and/or affordable housing.

Make renting more Sustainable. Increase rent assistance or look at rental caps, similar to countries in Europe and some US states, long term tenancy agreements with incentives for all parties to the agreement.

Build to Rent
The Build to Rent property sector is growing in Australia – this new class of housing is focused on providing high quality purpose designed and built rental stock, creating an additional housing choice for Australian renters with greater security and service.

Build to Rent developments are typically owned by institutional investors for the long term and the owner could be the developer/ongoing building manager. The format provides tenants with the flexibility of renting with the security of home ownership.

Build-to-Rent developments are usually large-scale residential properties specifically designed, built and managed for long-term ownership and rental.

Social Housing
In the 40 years between 1981 and 2021 the percentage of all Australian households living in social housing (i.e. state owned and managed public housing or community managed housing) has ranged from 4.9 per cent in 1981 to 3.8 per cent in 2021. Such a drop in the proportion of social housing raises the question of has Australia achieved the balance right, and also just what is the right level of social housing for Australia?

In 2018 Statistics Canada said 628,700 Canadian households, more than one in ten renter households nationally (13.5% of 4,652,500), were living in social and affordable housing.
In New Zealand, as of 30 June 2021, there were 74,337 public housing households. This equates to 4.0% of households living in social housing.

In England (in 2018) 17% of households (3.9 million) lived in social housing, while the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development publishes that 1.2 million households live in public housing, which is 0.98 per cent of all housing.

Between Nelson Bay and Woolgoolga, the coast is riddled with lakes and shot through with swaths of coastal eucalypt and rainforest, much of it protected in national parks.

The joy here is forsaking the Pacific Hwy for leafy roads that cut across to the coast, taking detours and switching back. What you'll find at the end of the road are wonderfully unpretentious beach towns, basic campgrounds beside dunes and rivers, and miles and miles of lush nothing.

The big towns here are Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour, which can appear busy and built-up but nevertheless manage to maintain a languid holiday pace.

The Worimi people are the traditional custodians of much of the land in this region and a visit to the Worimi Conservation Lands at Stockton Bight is a beautiful spot to learn about their cultural heritage.

The Mid West region has abundant renewable energy resources such as solar, wind, wave, geothermal and biomass. A number of renewable energy projects operate in the region and several more are in planning. The region’s renewable energy potential is constrained until the 330kV line (stage 2) is developed, enabling new projects to feed power into the SWIS.

Storage and the commercial realities of renewable energy in comparison to conventional sources also constrains further development of the local industry.

The Mid West hosts a rich diversity of industry and opportunity for investors. Join in this growing economy that comprises mining, tourism, fishing, agriculture industries and a wide array of mineral wealth comprising iron ore, mineral sands, talc, energy deposits, natural gas, silver, nickel and copper.

The Gascoyne showcases a diverse economy with tourism playing the key role in wealth creation in conjunction with fishing, horticultural, mining and pastoralism. The strong growth of the tourism sector, good water resources and management of natural environment, encourages economic and social development in this region.