Celebrating women

It’s been wonderful to see the achievements of women celebrated last week during NSW Women’s Week and into International Women’s Day on Saturday.

Congratulations to all our local winners who have been recognised with awards for the outstanding work they do.

The Exchange Orana held its own event to showcase the remarkable stories and accomplishments of women from across the region. We witnessed an incredible line-up at the event from our Sunrise, Sweat and Stretch class with Kate Ivey, the Midday Masterclass hosted by Westpac with guest speaker Jan Acikgoz and finishing with our afternoon Sunset Sip session, which focused on personal journeys from three outstanding keynote speakers and our fabulous MC award-winning journalist and deputy editor Grace Ryan.

Our inspiring keynotes include Trangie-based contemporary artist Lottie Rae, Molong Stores owner and hat specialist Robbie Carroll, and Contemporary Indigenous artist LIzzy Stageman.

To all young women and young-at-heart ladies out there - celebrate who you are, go confidently in the direction of your dreams and live the life you've imagined!

Baaka Cultural and Art Centre update

I’m so pleased to provide an update on the progress of the Baaka Cultural and Art Centre. Construction works are complete, and a handover of the building to the Baaka Cultural Centre Wilcannia Aboriginal Corporation is imminent.

It’s been a long wait for the Wilcannia community, who has been lobbying for funding for the project since 2017. 

The multi-million dollar facility will serve as a central node of Wilcannia, a place of renewal and a new shared future. A place that will dispel perceptions and invite visitors to see the real Wilcannia and Barkintji Country. A place that will be embraced by the community and facilitate cultural and economic activity particularly for young people. And above all a place where culture will be reinvigorated on Country.

The Centre will provide a central location for the Baakantji people to practise their living culture, including their art, recorded history and tradition. It will become a keeping place for Barkintji artifacts, language, and memories. It will also support inter-generational and inter-cultural teaching through the Ellipse keeping place and language lab that has partnerships with local schools and research institutions.

I will share the details about the official opening in future newsletters.

Orana Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) extension

Last week, I spoke about the importance of the Orana DAMA and keeping it specifically for what it was intended - to provide a skilled migrant workforce for inland NSW. I am pleased to announce that the Federal Government has extended the Orana DAMA, under the management of RDA Orana, for a further 12 months.

This is great news for our regional businesses who are struggling to find employees.

To find out more about the Orana DAMA visit: www.rdaorana.org.au/migration/dama

Skilled migration workshops with Minister Whan

I'm inviting all businesses and local government to attend the NSW Government’s 2025 Industry Workshop on Skilled Migration. The sessions will focus on region-specific migration practices to boost the skilled workforce and support local economies.

Workshop highlights include:

• Holistic Approach to Skills Planning: Insights into the NSW Skills Plan and State Migration Plan beyond the visa system.

• Addressing Workforce Gaps: Exploring migration strategies via a statewide Designated Area Migration Agreement.

• Feedback Mechanism: Providing a platform for regional industries and employers to share feedback on NSW government initiatives.

Event Details:

• Date: Wednesday, 12 March 2025

• Location: Dubbo RSL Memorial Club

Schedule:

• 12:15 PM – 12:45 PM: Networking Lunch

• 12:45 PM – 2:30 PM: Workshop Sessions

• 2:30 PM: Workshop Close

This is a crucial opportunity for regional industries, employers, and local government to gain valuable insights. Register now and don’t miss out!

In addition, the 2025 NSW Skilled Migration Seminars will be held from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM. This seminar provides key migration updates for regional migrants and employers.

Further details can be found at: 2025 NSW Skilled Migration Seminars.

Inland Growth Summit 2025

We have an amazing lineup of keynote speakers for the upcoming Inland Growth Summit - Stronger Together: Innovation, Change, Impact, which is being held next Thursday and Friday at Lazy River Estate. 

The summit will inspire attendees to break down silos, think across disciplines, and leverage collective intelligence to address global and local challenges.

Session topics include Workforce and Training, Agriculture, Tourism and Hospitality, Energy and Housing and Construction. The event will feature an array of facilitators, keynote speakers and panellists, including:

• Tech Team Whisperer Director, Claire Quigley
• Echuca Regional Health Program Manager Connecting the Dots, Gemma Bilardi
• Humans of Agriculture Founder, Oli Le Lievre
• Hipscotch Founder and Agency Director, Cara George
• The Energy Charter, CEO Sabine Heindl
• Weldonco Advisory Director, Cecille Weldon

RDA Orana is committed to supporting innovation as a key driver of economic growth, social development, and environmental sustainability.

To find out more about the event and register, visit: inlandgrowthsummit.com.au

Cheers for now

Justine

Business Briefings

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development will be hosting Business Briefings from 18 to 20 March in Mudgee, Dubbo, and Dunedoo. 

Business briefing dates and registration:

• Mudgee – Tuesday, 18 March
• Dubbo – Wednesday, 19 March
• Dunedoo – Thursday, 20 March

Capability Statement Workshops

ACEREZ, in partnership with Yarpa and the NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commerce (NSWICC), will be delivering Capability Statement Workshops from 18 to 21 March at Wellington, Mudgee, Dubbo, and Dunedoo.

Capability Statement Workshops:

• Wellington (Aboriginal Businesses – Led by Yarpa)
  Monday, 18 March | 9:30 am – 2:30 pm
• Mudgee (Aboriginal & SME Businesses – Led by NSWICC)
  Wednesday, 19 March | 8:30 am – 12:30 pm
• Dubbo (Aboriginal & SME Businesses – Led by NSWICC)
  Thursday, 20 March | 8:30 am – 12:30 pm
• Dunedoo (Aboriginal & SME Businesses – Led by NSWICC)
  Friday, 21 March | 8:30 am – 12:30 pm

ORISCON Hues of Harmony in Dubbo

Mark your calendars for Hues of Harmony, a spectacular theatrical production in partnership with Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre. On 22 March, audiences will be treated to an unforgettable blend of Bollywood’s finest—music, dance, drama, and comedy—showcasing the vibrancy of the Indian subcontinent.

Skill Migration Seminars 2025 with Minister Whan

The Skilled Migration Seminars roadshow with Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education of New South Wales, Steve Whan, will be running from 4 March to 25 March including in Broken Hill on 11 March and Dubbo on 12 March. The seminars will address key changes to employer-sponsored and state-nominated visas, including:

• The new National Innovation Visa
• The Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa
• Pathways for businesses to recruit skilled migrants where Australian workers are not available including the Orana DAMA

Wilcannia Careers Expo Day 2025

The Wilcannia Careers Expo will take place on Thursday, 10 April, at Bourke Oval, Wilcannia, from 10 am to 3 pm. This event provides an opportunity for attendees to explore career and training pathways, connect with industry representatives, and gain insights into future employment opportunities.

The program will feature a guest speaker, a dance performance, and entertainment from the Wilcannia Choir. A free BBQ lunch will be provided for all attendees.

Grant of the Week

Mid-Western Regional Council – Events Assistance Program

This program aims to assist local community events that benefit the local economy and attract visitors to the region. Grants of up to $2,500 are available in cash or in-kind.

Applications opened on 1 March 2025.

The Vault Talent Bank Spotlight

Name: Cara George

Occupation: Founder of Hipscotch

Bio: Hipscotch specialise in offering cost-effective solutions that allow busy tourism and hospitality owners/CEO’s/managers to scale up without the overheads of full-time staff. By providing remote, on-demand services, we enable operators and destinations to access top-tier expertise without needing to expand their internal teams.