Launched on the 24th February in Wagga Wagga, The Land Monitor Report 2023-24 offers an analysis of vacant land supply, demand, and housing trends in the Wagga Wagga local government area.

The Country Change team have been working hard this month planning for the upcoming 2025 - 2026 Country Change program year. Fresh designs were created, and membership proposals were sent out to LGA’s across the Riverina and Murray regions. We look forward to working with our members on this successful program.

RDA Riverina’s Welcome Experience Local Connector Jay, had the opportunity to attend the "You Should Be a Cop in Your Hometown" NSW Police Southern Recruitment Roadshow in Wagga Wagga—a powerful initiative focused on bringing police officers back to their hometowns

The Welcome Experience’s collaborative support approach, encompassing partner employment assistance and cultural integration, was proudly showcased at the Griffith Connection Meet and Mingle event held on Thursday, 27 February, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm.

On Wednesday, 12 March, Grow Our Own, in collaboration with The Smith Family, organised mock interviews at Mount Austen High School. These interviews were designed to prepare students for real-world job interviews, with around 25-30 students participating in the event.

Grow Our Own (West) has celebrated another successful month in 2025. March kicked off with the first ‘Behind the School Gates Tour’ of the year, in collaboration with Griffith Business Chamber, hosted at Murrumbidgee Regional High School (Griffith site).   

Country Change has begun 2025 with a bang, featuring the Murray River and Temora LGAs in January and following that up with Griffith and Narrandera in February. Next up, we have Berrigan Shire featured in March.

Please see below the refreshed Strategic Priorities for the 2024/2025 year as determined by the RDA Riverina Board.

A warm welcome to Maryann Lanelli who has come on board with the expansion phase of the Welcome Experience in the Riverina and has taken the position as the Local Welcomer for Leeton.

Jay recently engaged with the Tumut community, providing valuable settlement support to the new Occupational Therapist who joined the Tumut Hospital.

The Welcome Experience local connector Jay had a discussion with Wagga public school principals highlighting the growing challenge of teacher shortages and the role The Welcome Experience can play in addressing it.

The first quarter of 2025 has been busy as Grow Our Own industry liaison officers reconnect with careers advisors and workforce providers to firm up our collaborative Riverina calendars.

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communication and the Arts recently announced the New South Wales: Growing Regions Program – Round 2 projects.  Leeton Shire Council and Hay Shire Council were among those successful applicants who will receive Commonwealth-approved funding as part of Growing Regions Program – Round 2.

RDA Riverina recently held their third board meeting for 2024 in Coolamon. Board members met on September 5th for strategic planning, followed by lunch and a town tour with Coolamon Shire Council.

RDA Riverina in partnership with AusIndustry presented an update on economic development activities and trends across the Riverina at a recent Development Officer Forum in Narrandera.

For 200+ new arrivals to Griffith since 2023, this sign has come in the shape of Griffith Connection; a series of social networking events that bring together new members of our community with locals to share the unique opportunities and quality liveability that our region has to offer.

Geared towards supporting new workers to find their footing here, Griffith Connection is a joint venture of the Griffith Business Chamber, Griffith City Council and Regional Development Australia Riverina.

We would like to extend a big thank you to organisations and individuals who supported the Riverina Discovery Weekend and Country Change Expo on the 20th and 21st April. The weather was perfect and the expo attracted a diverse crowd, with visitors from Sydney, other capital cities, and inquisitive locals engaging with employers and exploring various industry opportunities.

The Country Change program, a longstanding Riverina driven initiative, rebirthed by RDA Riverina in 2009, has undergone a full makeover beginning in 2023 and finalised with the launch of this website. This iteration incorporates a full rebrand, redeveloped website with new and updated information and images, and a new and improved version of the Country Change magazine (launched in February 2024), all made possible by RDA Riverina's Workforce Development Strategic Partnership with Transgrid.

Regional Development Australia (RDA) Riverina is excited to announce the launch of the latest edition of the Country Change magazine featuring a major rebrand. The branding update brings an expanded fresh new look and feel to the program.

Last Thursday (30th November 2023), RDA Riverina in partnership with AusIndustry and Charles Sturt University AgriPark presented an update on economic development activities and trends across the Riverina at a recent Development Officer Forum in Wagga Wagga.

RDA Riverina, in collaboration with the NSW Government Growing Regions of Welcome pilot program, has produced a flyer highlighting the benefits of moving to the Riverina.

RDA Riverina in partnership with AusIndustry and Wagga Wagga City Council presented an update on economic development activities and trends across the Riverina at a recent Development Officer Forum in Wagga Wagga.

RDA Riverina, in conjunction with the Department of Home Affairs, held a Regional Migration Industry Meeting on 3rd February in Griffith.

The RDA NSW Housing Supply Workshop was held on the 12th October 2022 as Day 1 of the National Economic Development Conference (NEDC22).

A new partnership will secure substantial economic, employment and education benefits for Riverina communities as part of critical clean energy infrastructure projects in the region.