Women from the bush are proving you can live anywhere and still have a successful career.

While working remotely was thrust upon many of us, former primary school teacher from The Rock in southern NSW Jo Palmer built a business on the concept well before restrictions and lockdowns were common vernacular.

Businesses in regional Australia could be central to Australia’s economic recovery from coronavirus after a spike in the number of new job listings outside of the capital cities, a new report has shown.

Figures from the Regional Australia Institute have shown a 22 per cent increase in the number of new job postings in June compared to the previous month.

Early this year, when COVID-19 panic buying stripped supermarket shelves of staples like pasta and red meat for the first time in living memory, it was a rude wake-up all for all Australians. Despite being a net food exporter – three-quarters of our agricultural produce is sent overseas – this country is a net importer of six major food categories – seafood, processed food fruit and vegetables, soft drinks, oil and fats, bakery products and confectionery. So should we make more stuff in Australia?

The experience of dealing with of COVID-19 has removed one of the most significant barriers to a substantial population shift in this country, according to the Regional Australia Institute (RAI).

RAI CEO Liz Ritchie says the notion of how we work has been turned on its head and she hopes this change will see significant population growth in regions, following on from a trend that has already been set over a decade.

Prior to COVID-19, Rebecca Day, founder of The Cheeky Chocolate Queen, didn’t need to brainstorm ways to stay adaptable, but once the coronavirus crisis hit, Ms Day found herself in search of ways to pivot her business to keep orders rolling in.

There is more to Goulburn than grazing land and sheep. It’s a place for many different farming industries. When farmers have money, they circulate it round. When they are doing well, the towns are doing well.

National Ag Day is held on the 21st of November each year and brings awareness to the importance of Australia’s farmers and our agricultural sector. RDA Southern Inland, with support from a number of sponsors, organised the Southern Inland Ag Day Gala Dinner to recognise local farmers and agricultural businesses residing in the Southern Inland region.

Regional Development Australia Southern Inland (RDA Southern Inland) was delighted to receive a $10,000 grant from Coordinare - South Eastern NSW Primary Health Network, through their Empowering Communities Drought Support Program for Goulburn’s Ag Day Gala Dinners where the event will celebrate the contribution farmers make to our regional economy and provide an opportunity for farmers and the community to come together.

Regional Development Australia Southern Inland (RDASI) staff and Committee members ventured to the Yass Valley region on the 19th and 20th November, to visit and meet with local businesses and hold its last Committee meeting for 2020.

Food waste across the globe is a major issue, with one-third of food produced globally being wasted. One local Goulburn business is tackling the issue head on and actively making changes to reduce their food waste and save on costs.

Throughout this period, RDA Southern Inland has remained focused on being a trusted source of information and support for our region. BusSi has been a regional game-changer and we’re so proud of the positive engagement that has seen.

Recovery in our regions is going to take some time and we know there are still many people doing it tough. RDASI is here to help wherever we can, so please get in contact if you need our support.

RDA Southern Inland, provides support to time-poor businesses in the region to connect with others and access business support and information.

We know all too well the benefits living regionally can bring. Lower housing prices, faster career progression and improved lifestyle choices are all secrets us locals already hold dear. And we’re happy to share these advantages to build stronger, more vibrant communities.

With direct contacts to all levels of Government, industry experts and business support we’re here to help. We may not have all the solutions, but we’ll try our best to point you in the right direction at the very least.