The Welcome Experience expands to Gunnedah, Narrabri, Walcha and Liverpool Plains

Local Connector for Gunnedah with Mayor Colleen Fuller OAM

Regional Development Australia Northern Inland (RDANI) is excited to be expanding its’ work with the NSW Government’s  The Welcome Experience to include Gunnedah Shire, Narrabri Shire, Liverpool Plains Shire and Walcha Local Government Areas (LGAs). Two new part-time Local Connectors have joined the team to offer the program in Gunnedah and Narrabri for the first time. These new locations join Armidale, Tamworth and Uralla, where RDANI has been successfully running The Welcome Experience program for the past two years.

Local Connector for Narrabri, Kate Rice with RDA-NI Chair, Russell Stewart

“The Welcome Experience is a great initiative from the NSW Government, utilising local organisations and staff to achieve settlement and employee retention outcomes, valued by workers and employers alike,” RDANI Chairman Russell Stewart said.

“It involves Local Connectors assisting new essential workers to settle in local communities, enhancing their community experience and ideally, ensuring they stay to live and work in our region,” he said.

Through the program, a range of essential workers and NSW Government employees that are moving or have recently moved will be welcomed and provided with free assistance to settle and enjoy the benefits of regional living. The support is tailored to the individual and includes assistance with ‘life stuff’ such as finding accommodation, spouse employment, enrolling children into school and connecting with community groups. Government and non-government employees in specified sectors are eligible for the program, including general practitioners, aged care nurses, early childhood educators, allied health professionals, teachers, health workers and emergency services workers. The Local Government sector was recently included.

“Emily Surman in Gunnedah and Kate Rice in Narrabri will join our existing Local Connectors, Katrina George (Armidale/Uralla/Guyra/Walcha) and Emma Grant (Tamworth/Liverpool Plains), to deliver the program for their home towns and surrounds,” said RDANI Executive Director, Nathan Axelsson. “Our Local Connectors not only have a wealth of knowledge about their communities, but also the connections to assist new residents moving to our region with their partners and families.”

“The program has had strong positive outcomes, with around 250 essential workers and their families already being supported in Armidale, Uralla and Tamworth, since it began in October 2024,” he said.

“On average, one essential worker relocating to regional NSW has been shown to add $116,050 of value to the local economy, so that equates to around $28 million in economic benefit for the Northern Inland NSW region since the program began here,” Mr Axelsson said.

The Welcome Experience is an initiative that was piloted in eight locations in NSW and due to the overwhelming success, has now been expanded to boost outcomes in regional areas across NSW, in supporting tree-change migration to regional NSW from metropolitan areas, interstate and from overseas.

Minister for Regional NSW, The Hon Tara Moriarty MLC said the Welcome Experience has now been rolled out to 88 LGAs across the state, with Local Connectors helping essential workers settle into their new regional communities with ease.

“Regional NSW is a fantastic place to work and raise a family, and with the support of The Welcome Experience, more highly trained essential service workers are choosing to make the move.

“The Welcome Experience is helping to ease pressure on vital services across the region, particularly within the health systems that support communities throughout Armidale and Tamworth.

“Behind each registration for The Welcome Experience is not just one person, but often an entire family, with partners and children also putting down roots and becoming part of the local community.

“These essential workers are the heartbeat of our communities. They keep hospitals running and communities safe, care for our elderly, and educate the next generation, providing the skills and services the Northern Inland region needs to thrive.”

“Moving to a new area is a daunting experience for anyone, and we are excited to be able to help make it easier for new residents to take that step and make the move to our region,” Mr. Axelsson said. “The community spirit in our region is part of what makes it an incredible place to live, work and raise a family, and we are pleased to be able to support new residents to share in that.”

“If you have recently moved to the Gunnedah Shire, Narrabri Shire, Armidale Regional, Uralla Shire, Tamworth Regional, Walcha or Liverpool Plains Shire Council areas, you can view the full list of eligible sectors and register for the program on the NSW Government’s website to get in touch with our Local Connectors. This program is also being provided by other organisations in the Moree Plains, Inverell, Gwydir, Glen Innes and Tenterfield regions, which are also available through the above link,” Mr. Axelsson said.