I wanted to share with you, one of our recent success stories, which has been The Welcome Experience Orana - a program that aims to help essential workers feel more at home in their new communities sooner by helping them to settle and establish connections and relationships with personalised support. This program has also resulted in RDA Orana opening two new offices in Bourke and Walgett so we have boots on the ground throughout the region.
Our three Local Connectors Alana, Julie and Kelly based in Walgett, Dubbo/Wellington and Bourke support essential workers and their families who are considering applying for or have accepted a job in these communities.
The Welcome Experience is a fantastic program, which is funded by the NSW Government and supported by local government in our region.
During March The Welcome Experience team will be hosting a series of strategic welcome events. Through valuable partnerships with Dubbo Regional Council, Walgett Shire Council, Bourke Shire Council, along with community organisations including Bourke Rotary Club and Walgett Branch CWA, these coordinated gatherings represent more than social occasions – they are crucial stepping stones in creating sustainable support networks for our region's essential workers.
By connecting healthcare professionals, educators, emergency service workers, and other key personnel with established community members, these events directly address The Welcome Experience's core mission of enhancing attraction and retention of essential workers while ensuring service delivery continuity across our regional communities.
These welcome events showcase the power of regional collaboration in action, with local councils, community groups, and RDA Orana working together to create meaningful connections that last well beyond the initial welcome. The initiative's wrap-around support approach, including partner employment assistance and cultural integration, comes to life through these gatherings where newcomers can connect with local networks and support services.
Our regional events will be held at:
- Walgett CWA Rooms, 32 Pitt St Walgett
Tuesday, 4 March 2025, from 5:00 pm
RSVP by Friday, 28 February: https://bit.ly/4jUuCA1
Orana DAMA success
For nearly 10 years RDA Orana has been lobbying the Federal Government to support migration into the regions through the Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA). In 2019, we were successful in being granted the only DAMA in NSW, with the aim of supporting business growth through skilled migrant labour. In early 2024 we were granted a geographical expansion of the Agreement and it now covers 60% of regional NSW - including 4 RDA regions and 53 local government areas. This has resulted in regional businesses being able to employ a skilled migrant workforce, when they were unable to find Australian workers - keeping their doors open and continuing to support regional growth in NSW.
One of the benefits of the Orana DAMA is that it supports inland growth. Regional NSW is the backbone of the state - we grow the food and fibre, mine the minerals for our country and exports and are about to power the state through renewable energy developments. Our regional businesses and industries are crying out for labour and can’t compete with metro cities and regional coastal towns.
We believe it is crucial that we keep the Orana DAMA specific to inland NSW and administered by a regional organisation that has close relationships with local government, business and industry. RDA Orana is the only organisation in the region that is regionally based and works across local, state and federal government and our regional industries. Our purpose is to support the development of the Orana region by anticipating and communicating about change, facilitating industry collaboration, encouraging public and private investment and supporting cooperation between all stakeholders.
Skilled migration workshops
The NSW Government will be hosting skilled migration industry workshops in March, with a focus on region-specific migration practices of both federal and state migration policies and programs to increase the skilled migrant workforce to support local economies.
The workshop will cover three important topics that support the future workforce needs of regional NSW:
- Beyond the visa system, a holistic approach to place-based skills planning – the NSW Skills Plan and State Migration Plan
- How migration levers can be designed to address gaps in the skilled workforce through a statewide Designated Area Migration Agreement
- Provide a mechanism for regional industries and employers to provide feedback on NSW government initiatives
This is an important opportunity for all regional industries and employers as well as local government.
Special guest and keynote speakers include Minister Steve Whan, Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education as well as Jason Wright (Regional Manager, Training Services, NSW Department of Education) and Anne McCotter (Associate Director, Business and Skilled Migration, Investment NSW).
The Dubbo workshop will be held on Wednesday, 12 March at the Dubbo RSL Memorial Club with a networking lunch starting at 12.15. Further details and to register can be found at: 2025 NSW Skilled Migration Seminars
Don't miss this opportunity to participate in the 2025 Industry Workshop on Skilled Migration, as this workshop will provide critical information to guide the future of skilled migration for our region. Register now.
Expansion of coworking spaces at The Exchange Orana
The new year has seen incredible growth at The Exchange Orana, with strong demand for our coworking space. I’m pleased to announce that we have increased our capacity in our coworking area and now have 18 desks with second screens and two standard workstations available.
Coworking by definition is a membership-based workplace where diverse groups of small business owners, freelancers, remote workers, start ups and other professionals work together in a shared, communal setting. At The Exchange Orana, coworking means 24/7 access to a flexible and all inclusive office, work, meeting and event space facility for our region.
If you would like to learn more about The Exchange Orana and our coworking spaces visit https://www.yourexchangeorana.co/ or contact The Exchange Orana Manager, Georgie Kennedy on email: georgie@yourexchangeorana.co or phone 0435 312 768.
Highlighting the achievements of Women for NSW Women’s Week
Our Women Winging It event, being hosted by The Exchange Orana on Friday 7 March will bring together a powerhouse of special guests and keynote speakers for a full day of activities.
Special guest and renowned fitness trainer Kate Ivey will lead the first session with a ‘Sunrise, Sweat and Stretch' session in the Heritage Plaza green space and cater to all ages and stages of life. Kate is the founder of the online fitness community DediKate - she knows how to inspire rural and regional women, busy mums and anyone balancing life’s demands. Kate speaks from the heart and will share her authentic and empowering way, showing rural women what’s possible.
The Midday Masterclass is being hosted by Westpac with guest speaker Westpac Corporate Partnerships Manager, NSW/ACT Jan Acikgoz. Jan will focus the masterclass on empowering financial independence for women. The session will provide practical tools for women to improve themselves financially and professionally. The midday class will delve into budgeting, women’s wealth and what you need to know, superannuation, along with personal and business planning and planning for the future. The session includes lunch and networking opportunities.
Our afternoon Sunset Sip session will dive into real stories about taking chances, embracing opportunities, and bravely embracing opportunities—with plenty of laughs along the way and feature a number of inspirational keynote speakers being hosted by MC, Nyngan-based award-winning Deputy Editor of the Daily Liberal, Central Western Daily and Western Advocate, Grace Ryan. Grace is also the founder of the regional newsletter ‘The Catch-Up,’ which celebrates the achievements and accomplishments of regional women. Our keynote speaker line-up includes:
- Trangie based contemporary artist Lottie Rae who is redefining cool from the serene surroundings of regional NSW.
- Molong Stores owner and hat specialist Robbie Carroll, a central-west boy from Dubbo and now living in Molong, who has a 30-year career in Sydney working in hat designing and millinery as well as 15 years designing and working with Akubra.
- Contemporary Indigenous artist LIzzy Stageman, another Dubbo local whose work is a profound reflection of her heritage and shaped by personal journeys and a deep connection to culture.
Join us for the whole day or just your favourite session – it’s up to you! A full day pass for Women Winging It is $140 and includes a co-working space for the day. To find out more and book your tickets, visit: https://www.123tix.com.au/events/46671/women-winging-it
2025 Inland Growth Summit
Our seventh annual Inland Growth Summit will be held in Dubbo from 13-14 March. The 2025 Summit theme is Stronger Together: Innovation Change, Impact and will focus on communities working together to achieve outcomes for regional NSW.
Each year RDA Orana hosts the annual Inland Growth Summit to highlight important topics that affect the growth of inland Australia. Our ultimate goal is building stronger policies and incentives for people and businesses who choose to make inland Australia their home. The summit will feature a variety of panels and networking opportunities for anyone interested in innovation, entrepreneurship and the future of regional NSW.
You will hear from inspiring keynote speakers, interact with experts and professionals in their field, and discover new ideas and opportunities to further the development of regional NSW.
Our keynote and inspirational speakers include:
- Tech Team Whisperer Director, Claire Quigley
- Echuca Regional Health Program Manager Connecting the Dots, Gemma Bilardi
- Humans of Agriculture Founder, Oli Le Lievre
- Guraayurral Director, Brett Ashby
- University of NSW Academic Lead, Trailblazer for Recycling and Clean Energy, Sandeep Kirapalani
- The Energy Charter, CEO Sabine Heindl
- Weldonco Advisory Director, Cecille Weldon
Regional and national experts will join these keynote speakers for panel discussions about the issues affecting our region and innovative sustainable solutions to help the Orana grow and prosper into the future. The event will be held at Lazy River Estate from 13-14 March. Tickets are on sale now.
For more information, visit https://inlandgrowthsummit.com.au
.jpg?upscale=true&width=1120&upscale=true&name=New%20RDA%20Newsletter%20(16).jpg)
.jpg?upscale=true&width=1120&upscale=true&name=New%20RDA%20Newsletter%20(17).jpg)
%20(580%20x%20280%20px)%20(1).png?upscale=true&width=1120&upscale=true&name=Golden%20Fleece%20Garden%20Party%20(262%20x%20100%20mm)%20(580%20x%20280%20px)%20(1).png)
.jpg?upscale=true&width=520&upscale=true&name=Untitled%20design%20(10).jpg)
.jpg?upscale=true&width=520&upscale=true&name=Brand%20Awareness%20(2).jpg)
