Much of the RDA Murray Regions’ economy is driven by agriculture, timber production, viticulture, horticulture, health care, retail, manufacturing, construction and tourism.

Of critical importance to the RDA Murray Region is water availability. The Region is situated on the Murray River and is reliant on the river system for its contribution to production, tourism and liveability.

The Australian nut industry is experiencing its largest expansion in a decade with the farm gate value expected to rise from $1billion in 2018 to $1.7 by 2025. Permanent nut tree infrastructure (including irrigation) and plantings are expanding significantly in the Murray Region

Much of the RDA Murray Regions’ economy is driven by agriculture, timber production, viticulture, horticulture, health care, retail, manufacturing, construction and tourism.

Of critical importance to the RDA Murray Region is water availability. The Region is situated on the Murray River and is reliant on the river system for its contribution to production, tourism and liveability.

The Australian nut industry is experiencing its largest expansion in a decade with the farm gate value expected to rise from $1billion in 2018 to $1.7 by 2025. Permanent nut tree infrastructure (including irrigation) and plantings are expanding significantly in the Murray Region

Much of the RDA Murray Regions’ economy is driven by agriculture, timber production, viticulture, horticulture, health care, retail, manufacturing, construction and tourism.

Of critical importance to the RDA Murray Region is water availability. The Region is situated on the Murray River and is reliant on the river system for its contribution to production, tourism and liveability.

The Australian nut industry is experiencing its largest expansion in a decade with the farm gate value expected to rise from $1billion in 2018 to $1.7 by 2025. Permanent nut tree infrastructure (including irrigation) and plantings are expanding significantly in the Murray Region

New South Wales is transitioning to a circular economy over the next 20 years. This means we will minimise what we throw away and use and reuse our resources efficiently, making them as productive as possible. We will end up with less waste, less emissions, less harm to our environment and more jobs. The move will boost innovation and help drive our economy.

Dealing with the impacts of climate variability is a challenge for our whole community. We need to prepare for increasing variability in our region’s climate and make ourselves more resilient to extreme weather.

It’s never been more important to get together as a community and help each other manage and bounce back from climate-related challenges.

Based on long-term observations, temperatures in the Murray Murrumbidgee Region have been increasing since about 1950, with higher temperatures experienced in recent decades.

Spring and summer are projected to experience the greatest increases in maximum temperatures, increasing by 2.4°C in the far future. Increased maximum temperatures are known to impact human health through heat stress and increasing the numbers of heatwave events.

Rainfall is projected to decrease in spring and to increase in autumn. Severe and average Forest Fire Danger Index is projected to increase. Severe fire weather for the region is projected to decrease in autumn in the near future.

Managing climate risk is about being ready to adapt to changes. For future generations in Albury and the region to enjoy the quality of life and experiences we currently have, we need to become more resilient to the impacts of climate variability.

This exciting new community venue is dedicated to the presentation of experiences that nurture creativity, connection and curiosity in an accessible and inspiring environment. It is a place where the community of Wodonga, together with visitors to the city, can encounter, discover and connect with ideas, skills and knowledge.

Hyphen features several galleries – Artspace Gallery, Playspace Gallery and Community Gallery – as well as a full library service.

It also features three meeting rooms - the Community Studio overlooking the courtyard suitable for workshops, meetings and presentations, Creative Studio for resident artists, Tech Studio and Sound Studio, and, a Sculpture Terrace.

Murray Art Museum Albury hides one of Albury’s best kept retail secrets! MAMA Store is a showcase of independent Australian designers, local makers and artists, with a spotlight on the Murray region.

Much of the RDA Murray Regions’ economy is driven by agriculture, timber production, viticulture, horticulture, health care, retail, manufacturing, construction and tourism.

Of critical importance to the RDA Murray Region is water availability. The Region is situated on the Murray River and is reliant on the river system for its contribution to production, tourism and liveability.

The Australian nut industry is experiencing its largest expansion in a decade with the farm gate value expected to rise from $1billion in 2018 to $1.7 by 2025. Permanent nut tree infrastructure (including irrigation) and plantings are expanding significantly in the Murray Region

Albury-Wodonga is a vibrant regional centre situated on the border of NSW and Victoria. It is home to a great range of shops, theatre, cafés and restaurants, and just a stone’s throw from snowfields and wine regions.

Thurgoona has received international attention for its environmentally sensitive design and focus on sustainable living. It stretches over 87 hectares including wetlands and has a distinct focus on native flora and fauna, and a herbarium.

The Albury City site includes networked libraries, anatomy and physiology laboratories, and a podiatry clinic.

The Snowy 2.0 - Pumped Hydro Expansion project is an expansion of the existing hydro system, linking two dams and constructing an underground power station between them that will ensure clean affordable energy.

There are two large projects to construct high-capacity electricity interconnectors that will enable greater integration of renewable energy in the National Electricity Market, improve security of electricity supply and reduce costs to business and households.

Balranald has two of the largest solar farm projects in the southern hemisphere underway -
Sunraysia - 255 megawatts, and Limondale - 349 megawatts.

Agriculture is a key industry in the Murray, both economically and for the unique scenic and environmental qualities of the rural lands.

There is a rich diversity of agricultural commodities and highly innovative in the processing and development of food and beverage products. The area is particularly important for broadacre crops, pigs, beef, dairy and wool production.

The Mediterranean climate, reliable high-quality water supplies, mostly flat ground and well-drained soils provide important agricultural lands suitable for cropping, horticulture and grazing.

Water trading has driven water into higher value irrigated businesses and environmental water recovery has reduced water availability throughout the Murray Darling Basin.

Challenges for agriculture are connected to climate change, commodity prices and in some areas, land use conflict and right to farm.

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.

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.

The Defence Riverina Murray Alliance (DMRA) is a regional network of government, partner organisations and industry operating throughout the Riverina Murray regions of NSW.

Although Defence facilities in the Murray Riverina are predominantly centred around Wagga Wagga, there is a strong industry base in the Albury Wodonga region in advanced manufacturing, communications and technologies. Defence industry in the Murray Riverina is focused on military training, specialised contract engineering, propellant and military explosive manufacturing and includes design, engineering remote control systems and munitions disposal.

Defence investment is already one of the drivers of employment and economic growth in many regional centres. The defence industry is a major employer and attractor of skilled workers in regional NSW and the local economy also benefits from the movement of skilled workers out of Defence and defence industries into local education and technology-dependent sectors.

The Murray region is home to the winding Murray River and its waterways, Lake Hume - six times larger than Sydney Harbour, an array of food, cultural icons, contemporary museums, linkages to our migrant history, our indigenous people and with secret resting spots around every corner.