Millions in business stimulus to buoy regional economies
Handouts of up to $2m could entice regional business owners to invest in their local economies to bring country towns back to life under a new state government stimulus plan.
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Businesses are being given a once-off opportunity to access up to $2 million to launch shovel-ready projects in regional areas, to help in the bounce-back from COVID-19 restrictions.
Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister Tim Whetstone said to help fast track COVID-19 recovery, a special $15 million stimulus round of the Regional Growth Fund has been brought forward by the state government.
Mr Whetstone said this was a one-off opportunity for individual businesses to access up to $2 million to launch shovel-ready projects.
“The Regional Growth Fund usually isn’t available to individual businesses, however, the unprecedented nature of the coronavirus pandemic means we’re opening this once-off funding opportunity to stimulate investments by individual commercial enterprises,” he said
Green shoots are already starting to appear in regional economies, with growing interest in resident and commercial properties being reported.
Raine & Horne Murraylands principal John DeMichele said there had been a noticeable turnaround in recent weeks.
“Prior to COVID-19, this region wasn’t booming but it had steady growth, like most of SA,” he said. “Through the COVID-19 restrictions, it was obviously tough. But in the last couple of weeks we’ve started to get more phone calls with commercial inquiries.”
Mr DeMichele said since the Federal Government announced its $25,000 HomeBuilder scheme, there had also been an uplift in residential property interest in the region.
Patrick O’Brien, who owns O’Brien Conveyancers in Mount Barker and Murray Bridge, said COVID-19 had been a rollercoaster for his business.
“When restrictions hit, we were still busy with settlements. But for about two weeks, when people thought we might go into total lockdowns, there was no new jobs and no phone calls coming in,” he said.
“Recently, we’ve had a big rush of new work.”
Mr O’Brien believes rural lifestyle blocks will be in high demand post COVID-19.
“I live on a 100-acre (40 hectare) block and when we couldn’t really go anywhere, it was great having a property this size, because my family could still go for long walks and the kids could still go out and have plenty of room to play,” he said.
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“I think particularly with people trying to be more self-sufficient, small lifestyle blocks will be hot property.”
Regional Development Australia Murraylands and Riverland chief executive Ben Fee is hopeful the strong push from the South Australian Tourism Commission and the state government to visit country SA will drive a willingness to invest in regional areas.
“There hasn’t been this focus on regional areas for a long time,” he said.
Kookaburra Homes co-owner Steve Walker said there had been strong interest in building a home in regional SA, particularly the Adelaide Hills and Murraylands.
“People are starting to realise, it’s only 42 minutes from the bottom of the freeway to Murray Bridge,” he said.
“What you’d pay for a smaller sized property in Adelaide can get you a couple of acres in a regional area.”
Country living suits couple to a tee
Life in a rural area has provided couple Hannah and Jesse Chambers with not only career opportunities they would not have had living in the city but also an unbeatable lifestyle right on the river.
Mrs Chambers is a social worker with the Department of Education, based out of Murray Bridge High School, while her husband is a landscaper, with his own business, Chambo’s Earthworks.
The couple originally moved to Murray Bridge in 2017 when Mrs Chambers secured a position with not-for-profit organisations Headspace.
“I thought it was a great opportunity to get some experience in a mental health-specific role,” she said.
“We were based in Adelaide and originally we were planning to be here for one to two years.”
Growing up in country areas, with Mrs Chambers originally from Eudunda and Mr Chambers from Kangaroo Island, the move to the Murraylands wasn’t a stretch.
“Being country kids, a lot of our friends from home had left already anyway,” Mrs Chambers.
“We’re very lucky that this area has a real community feel and we’ve been able to create new connections here.”
Securing their dream home – a 1880s stone cottage at Zadows Landing on the River Murray – means the couple has no plans of leaving.
“Being right on the water, it’s pretty easy to switch-off here – it’s a pretty magic spot,” she said.
Mrs Chambers jokingly says there’s only one thing that could make country living even better – a Sushi Train opening up in Murray Bridge.
