Uncharted economic times…to test us, but we’re up for it
DESPITE many challenges on the business, including on the economical, technological and social media fronts, Shepparton and the wider Goulburn Valley appear to be steaming ahead in many sectors, namely in health care and social assistance, engineering, food processing, transport, education, agriculture, retail and property.
Greater Shepparton has again been identified as being one of Australia’s top 10 affordable regional areas for real estate investment. PRD Real Estate recently analysed all of Australia›s non-metro areas to determine the 10 best towns for regional property investment in 2024, with Greater Shepparton being named eighth. You can read these property trends further on page 59. Several local businesses shared with Our Goulburn Valley magazine that their business trading had returned to pre-Covid levels.
Records tumbled with the GMCU / Adviser popular shoppers’ competition with this year’s competition hitting a massive 85,388 paid entries where shoppers spent a minimum of $10 at the 150 participating businesses. The average spend per entry was higher than the previous year at $95.63 according to almost 1,000 entries surveyed.
Benalla Road, Shepparton continues on a strong growth trajectory, with one of the largest bulky goods developments in Shepparton in many years has been the multi-retail complex on the prominent corner of Benalla Road and Florence Street, opposite Shepparton Marketplace. A combination of new stores such as Adairs, Pets Domain and the relocation of Barbecues Galore, Jaycar, The Good Guys, Autobarn, Anaconda and Spotlight to the site has proved strategically successful.
Along the Benalla Road strip, a new 7-Eleven along with a BP Service Station, a Subway, and Inspira Kids Early Learning Centre have opened in the last 12 months.
Ag’N’Vet’s David Jobling said cropping farmers in many parts of the Goulburn Valley and Southern Riverina were shaping up to have a bumper fifth season in a row, which is almost unheard of. Subsoil moisture was quite good during the dry spell in early winter and even though there was a late break, the season for canola and wheat is looking good. “Canola at ~ $625 a tonne and Wheat at ~ $384 a tonne is profitable, and the farmers with water for their summer crops such as corn and cotton, should do well,” David said.
“The rural scene is good, except for orchardists, and there’s huge demand for milk – so much so that dairy tankers were being utilised from Tasmania,” David said.
Land prices continue to rise with country in the Dookie area commanding a sale price of approximately $10,000 per acre.
Our Goulburn Valley magazine very much likes uncovering success stories. A quiet achiever in business is Solar City Marine & Caravans in North Shepparton. The highly successful business run by Leigh and Carmen McCully features boats, caravans and 4WD camping equipment in one of the largest indoor showrooms in regional Victoria.
A big investor in the Goulburn Valley is Future Recycling on Old Dookie Road, Shepparton. Headed up locally by Daniel Thewma, Future Recycling is now offering a solar panel recycling service. This market segment is set to soar in the coming years as panels become damaged or are at the end-of-life.
Speaking of solar, Goulburn Valley Water is set to roll out a $21M investment in renewables of which solar will play a big part. The large-scale solar project is part of the State Government’s net zero target.
GV Water managing director Dr Steve Capewell said, “We know climate change poses a significant challenge broadly in our region and in Victoria, but also in how it may impact our future service delivery and planning. We want to be on the front foot of responding and adapting to climate change, so we’re planning to invest $21M in a project to deliver two new solar farms to our sites – one of the largest projects we’ve undertaken in a long time. These will each be five megawatts, both with the capacity to generate enough energy to power the equivalent of 2000 Victorian homes annually.”
Locally based Rubicon has become a powerhouse in the irrigation innovation space supplying 22 countries throughout the world with its world-beating irrigation technology. Countries such as the U.S., India, Italy and Chile are utilising Rubicon’s equipment and know-how and have increased their productivity by utilising water more efficiently. Rubicon’s Jason Smith told Our Goulburn Valley magazine that the ~ $2B investment by the State and Federal Governments in the early 2000s, better known as the Connections Project, in conjunction with the later Water Efficiency Project with Goulburn Murray Water, has proven a huge and ongoing success. In October 2023, the Water Efficiency Project achieved its water savings target (exceeding expectation) of 15.9GL per year, resetting the goal post to 18GL.
The Goulburn Valley is a major transport hub and there are many transport success stories throughout the region. While compiling Our Goulburn Valley magazine we caught up with the Keating family. Led by Ken with his sons Stephen and Mark, Keating Freight Lines continues to grow in a competitive market, transporting mostly refrigerated goods.
One of their larger clients is a2 milk out of Kyabram. Their fleet consists of 18 prime movers, four rigids and 22 trailers with a team of 38 staff. The company celebrates 42 years in business, in addition to strong trucking ties for many years prior in Bendigo.
Celebrating a major milestone is Graham Thomson Motors (GTM) headed up by Gerard Michel. The highly successful Kenworth dealership on the corner of New Dookie Road and Doyles Road has been in it for the long haul. Founded by Graham Thomson in 1984 and subsequently sold to Glenn and Rod Leake of Mildura in 2011, the business services a wide area of northern Victoria. Gerard said their business had been built on strong long-term relationships.
One of the region’s longest enduring engineering businesses is edp Australia Pty Ltd, based in Mooroopna. The successful company run by Ian Parsons was founded by Eric Parsons in 1947. Specialising in the manufacturing of fresh hard produce grading and handling equipment, it has strong ties with European equipment and consumable supplies, stocking an extensive range of packaging consumables. They also have a well-established export market in North America and various other markets in Asia and the Oceanic regions.
On the new business ownership front, longstanding air conditioning operator, Frank Hamer sold his business, Specialized Heating and Cooling, to air conditioning engineer, Graham Mason. Graham said he was excited at the prospect of helping grow the business with top quality brands and service.
One of the largest local projects to be completed in recent months is the Munarra Centre for Regional Excellence (MCRE), the brainchild of Paul Briggs AO. The complex, which is open to all was officially opened on Wednesday, August 7 by the Minister for Treaty and First Peoples of Victoria Natalie Hutchins and Paul Briggs AO, deputy chair of Munarra Limited. MCRE located behind the Shepparton Sports Stadium in north Shepparton and linked by a ceremonial bridge to link the Rumbalara Football and Netball Clubs, will be a critical enabler in delivering aspiration, enablement, responsibility, opportunity, prosperity and parity.
MCRE is Australia’s first Aboriginal-led pathways-based aggregator of university and other educational offerings, Paul told said at the historic grand opening.
Among many highlights during the last 12 months, Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) stands out as a continuing success story. Approximately 280,000 people have moved through SAM since it opened three years ago, drawing visitors from across the nation and many parts of the world, pumping millions of dollars into the local economy.
Jamestrong Precision Packaging in Kyabram continues to break new ground with its state-of-the-art Swiss German equipment. The company is known for its infant formula packaging and is now exporting abalone cans to South Africa which in turn head to the Japanese and Chinese markets. Manufacturing manager, Leo Voges said they were also exporting their packaging via Australian companies to the US.
There’s a new team member at McLardy McShane Insurance Brokers, joining Barry Freer is Nathan Findlay who has substantial experience in the insurance sector.
FOOTT Waste Solutions is enhancing its commitment to the Goulburn Valley and regional development through its participation in the CDS Vic scheme. With collection depots in Shepparton East, Benalla, Yarrawonga, and Cobram, FOOTT is a leader in helping local customers easily secure their 10c refunds on eligible containers.
In addition, FOOTT is actively expanding its domestic waste collection services, which it launched in July this year in Benalla Rural City Shire. This will be followed by Greater Shepparton City Council and Strathbogie Shire Council in 2025.
Embarking on ambitious and significant projects that include Uptown Estate on the Goulburn Valley Highway, Winslow Group is a national civil construction company that opened its doors in Shepparton this year. With significant resources to call upon, the independent business unit not only specialises in the residential subdivision space but has the backing and resources of the national group to service unique, local needs.
Our Goulburn Valley magazine is proud to share these successes and the strong trajectory of growth across the region. As we look to the future, the resilience and innovation of local businesses, coupled with ongoing investments in infrastructure, agriculture, and property, highlight a bright and prosperous path ahead for Shepparton and the wider Goulburn Murray Valleys. We look forward to continuing to uncover and celebrate the many stories of success that make this region thrive.
