The Wheatbelt is so called because of its extensive agricultural industry. The region is the primary producer of cereal crops in the state and contributes other agricultural products such as canola, olives, vegetables, wine grapes, honey, citrus fruits and livestock.

Whilst agriculture remains the dominant industry, the economy of the region is also supported by mining, commerce, retail, manufacturing, fishing and tourism.

The natural and cultural attributes of the region make it extremely versatile in tourism service and product offerings.

Support for local government, business and communities is required to capitalise on the opportunities presented by the regional, state, national and international tourist sectors. A collaboration model across 42 shires is required.

A ‘Wander the Wheatbelt’ online platform is being investigated with short term opportunities to boost tourism.

The Wheatbelt is so called because of its extensive agricultural industry. The region is the primary producer of cereal crops in the state and contributes other agricultural products such as canola, olives, vegetables, wine grapes, honey, citrus fruits and livestock.

Whilst agriculture remains the dominant industry, the economy of the region is also supported by mining, commerce, retail, manufacturing, fishing and tourism.

The natural and cultural attributes of the region make it extremely versatile in tourism service and product offerings.

Support for local government, business and communities is required to capitalise on the opportunities presented by the regional, state, national and international tourist sectors. A collaboration model across 42 shires is required.

A ‘Wander the Wheatbelt’ online platform is being investigated with short term opportunities to boost tourism.

The Wheatbelt is so called because of its extensive agricultural industry. The region is the primary producer of cereal crops in the state and contributes other agricultural products such as canola, olives, vegetables, wine grapes, honey, citrus fruits and livestock.

Whilst agriculture remains the dominant industry, the economy of the region is also supported by mining, commerce, retail, manufacturing, fishing and tourism.

The natural and cultural attributes of the region make it extremely versatile in tourism service and product offerings.

Support for local government, business and communities is required to capitalise on the opportunities presented by the regional, state, national and international tourist sectors. A collaboration model across 42 shires is required.

A ‘Wander the Wheatbelt’ online platform is being investigated with short term opportunities to boost tourism.

Drought does not pay attention to lines on a map and is best planned for on a regional scale based on landscape, community, economy and climate, rather than borders.

A diversity of high conservation areas are contained within the NGSR, being home to six national parks and a number of nature reserves. With the future of the NGSR’s tourism industry hinging on its highly valued natural assets and diverse landscapes, environmental protection is vital.

The Wheatbelt is so called because of its extensive agricultural industry. The region is the primary producer of cereal crops in the state and contributes other agricultural products such as canola, olives, vegetables, wine grapes, honey, citrus fruits and livestock.

Whilst agriculture remains the dominant industry, the economy of the region is also supported by mining, commerce, retail, manufacturing, fishing and tourism.

The natural and cultural attributes of the region make it extremely versatile in tourism service and product offerings.

Support for local government, business and communities is required to capitalise on the opportunities presented by the regional, state, national and international tourist sectors. A collaboration model across 42 shires is required.

A ‘Wander the Wheatbelt’ online platform is being investigated with short term opportunities to boost tourism.

There is considerable university involvement in the Wheatbelt South through the Rural Clinical School in Narrogin and the Pingelly Future Farm.

The Narrogin Rural Clinical School is one of fourteen schools across the State which is an education partnership between the medical schools at UWA and Notre Dame. The major aim of the Rural Clinical School is to attract more Doctors to rural, regional and remote practice.

The UWA Future Farm 2050, opened in 2009, is a multidisciplinary project based on a 1600-hectare farm near Pingelly, Western Australia. The mission of the farm is to develop a profitable mixed-enterprise operation at the cutting edge of practical technology for cropping, animal, environmental footprint, and ecosystem and biodiversity management.

The Wheatbelt region has traditionally focused on broadacre grain crops – wheat, barley, oats and canola, and grazing paddocks with more recent developments having diversified production into intensive agriculture.

Livestock continues to be a significant contributor to the sub-region’s food production capacity. The processing of meat for the domestic and export market is well established with Hillside abattoir in Narrogin processing up to 1,300 animals per day.

An established cut flower, nursery and turf industry will continue to flourish and complement growing horticultural production.

Rock lobster is a key export opportunity for Western Australia. The region already has significant production and has established itself as a world class exporter, with markets in Asia and the United States. The Western Rock Lobster industry is the biggest single fishery in Australia.

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.

Mineral sands mining is a well-established activity and a significant employer in the NGSR with the raw resource being processed in Muchea before being exported from Kwinana Port. There are numerous potential projects in the region for future mining development.

Considerable reserves of high-value mineral sands, including high quality lime sand and silica sand, are a significant state resource with strong global demand. Lime sand, used to reduce soil acidity, is incredibly important for the State’s agricultural productivity. Silica sand has many industrial uses, such as glass production, construction and ceramics.

The Emu Downs and Badgingarra wind farms produce 210MW of the approximately 600 MW of wind energy produced in WA alone7. The recently announced Yandin project will produce an additional 214MW as the State’s largest wind farm that will be able to power 200,000 homes.

With natural amenity, proximity to Perth International Airport and high-profile tourist attractions such as the Pinnacles, Lesueur National Park, access to New Norcia and increasingly food trails, the Sub- region is in a key position for future tourism development.

Wave Rock is a major tourism icon for WA and by far the most popular tourist attraction in the Wheatbelt South sub-region. A natural rock formation in the shape of an ocean wave approximately 14m tall and over 100m in length is located near the town of Hyden in the Shire of Kondinin.

The Wave Rock is the largest of a number of similar, albeit smaller examples of this geological phenomenon in the sub- region. Wave Rock attracts over 140,000 visitors per year who are supported by a diverse range of local accommodation options and services. In addition to Wave Rock visitors also enjoy other attractions of the broader Hyden Wildlife Park, including Aboriginal tours and heritage attractions, wildflowers and Australian fauna.

The Dryandra Woodlands, is another unique and popular natural attraction in the Wheatbelt South. Located between the towns of Cuballing, Narrogin, Wandering and Williams, the Dryandra Woodlands covers approximately 28,000 hectares and features the largest remnant of original vegetation in the western Wheatbelt.

With increasing international trade and interstate interconnectivity, disease control and biosecurity is likely to become an even greater consideration for industry. The management of pests such as stable fly is essential in a region with animal industries producing waste products that are a food source for the flies. A threat to animal welfare, stable fly also affects human life, local fauna and industries such as tourism.

The regulation of poultry manure, post-harvest vegetable crop waste, and intensive agriculture waste products disposal may reduce stable fly numbers. Creating value from waste associated with intensive agriculture is an emerging opportunity for the NGSR. Power generation, fertiliser, gelatine and insect production, and food products from second and third grade produce and agricultural by- products present value-adding opportunities.

With the expanding population of the NGSR and surrounds, the need for appropriately managed waste facilities will only increase in importance. Shire commitments to a reduction in the per capita kilograms of waste sent to landfill and increased recycling have further highlighted the need for better waste management capacity into the future.