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General Newsletter - 12 March 2024

Tuesday 12th of March 2024

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In this Issue

Welcome from the Chair
A Warm Welcome to Charlotte
Construction of Moree Sports Precinct Underway
Local Councils Working Together for Drought Resilience
UNE Celebrates 70 Years of Regional Education
National Recognition for Innovative Councils
Featured Grants and Funding Opportunities
What's On in the Northern Inland

Welcome from the Chair

Dear Northern Inlanders,

I am delighted to share with you that Charlotte Hoddle from Gunnedah has joined our team as a Committee Member. Charlotte has a wealth of experience in small business, farming and economic development. In the past, she has developed marketing and initiatives to promote investment in the Gunnedah Shire, as well as strategic project management and grant writing.

Ian Lobsey OAM, from Liverpool Plains Shire, will continue as Deputy Chair. Ian has a wealth of experience from over twenty-five years in Local Government. He has served on our Committee since 2012 and on the Northern Inland Regional Development Board before our establishment.

Thank you to everyone who applied for our Committee Member positions. Although it was a difficult decision, it was brilliant to see the number of people willing to volunteer their time and skills for the benefit of our region. It is a testament to the community spirit that makes our region a special place to live.

Another part of what makes our region such a great place to live is the innovation and proactiveness of our Councils. Projects like the Ron Harborne Oval sporting precinct by Moree Plains Shire Council will allow the community to come together and for sporting stars to hone their skills. I encourage our Local Councils to enter the National Awards for Local Government to have a chance to receive the recognition they deserve. Details on the Ron Harbourne Oval project and the National Awards for Local Government are below.

The willingness of Local Councils in our region to work together was highlighted by the number of consortia from the Northern Inland that were successful in Round 2 of the Regional Drought Resilience Planning Program. Three out of the thirteen consortia across NSW that were successful in Round 2 of the program were Northern Inland Councils.

Regards,

Russell Stewart
Chair

A Warm Welcome to Charlotte

We are pleased to announce our newest Committee Member, Charlotte Hoddle from Gunnedah Shire.

Charlotte is a highly motivated leader with a diverse background spanning both the public and private sectors in both Australia and overseas. With extensive experience in various industries, Charlotte brings a wealth of knowledge and passion for driving sustainable economic growth to regional NSW.

Currently managing her family farming business, Gunnible Pastoral Company, specialising in beef cattle and oranges, Charlotte oversees daily operations, including financial management, staff supervision, and overall business operations.

Prior to her current role, she held key positions at Gunnedah Shire Council, where she demonstrated her leadership abilities as Manager of Communications and Cultural Services and Manager of Economic Development. During her tenure, she led and managed various departments, implemented strategic plans, and fostered strong community engagement.

Charlotte's achievements include significant marketing and initiatives to promote investment in Gunnedah Shire, effective crisis communications management, successful delivery of key strategic projects, and securing substantial grant funding for the council.

She is excited about the opportunity to join the RDA Northern Inland committee to bring her skills and connections to contribute to the sustainable economic growth of our region.

Construction of Moree Sports Precinct Underway

Deputy Mayor Susannah Pearse joined with The Hon. Adam Marshall MP to turn the first soil at Ron Harborne Oval last month, signifying the commencement of stage one works of the Masterplan. These long-awaited upgrades will reshape the recreational ground into a more accommodating, multipurpose space for sporting groups to utilise and undertake their passion for sport.

Cr Pearse reflected on the man who was Ron Harborne, “Ron was a keen sportsman who served as a Councillor for Moree Plains from 1981 to 1986 and had a renowned sense of civic pride.” she said. “Ron Harborne oval, is not just an oval, but a place where our community comes together, and for visitors to sporting carnivals, it provides their first glimpse into what life on the Moree Plains has to offer. These upgrades to the precinct will enable us to put our best foot forward, supporting our budding young sportspeople, creating a regional facility we can all be proud of, and paying suitable respect to the man whom it is named after,” remarked Cr Pearse.

Cr Pearse was joined by General Manager, Kelvin Tytherleigh, Councillor Murray Hartin and sporting stakeholders from Moree Junior Soccer and Cricket. Stage one works include the construction of 6 new courts, comprising of 4 netball courts and 2 multi-purpose courts, seeing the current netball courts relocated.

Council worked with Transport of NSW to repurpose old bitumen from the current Newell Highway upgrades. This material will be used to compact the foundation and build up the ground underneath the courts. A welcoming space to the sports precinct will be a new clubhouse. This will be built on to the existing toilet and changeroom. For the first time the precinct will be able to offer change rooms for both males and females.

A great addition to the precinct will be the completion of the line marking of a 400m athletics track, something Moree has never had. “We’ve heard loud and clear that parking and drainage are major issues, especially on regional carnival days, often making access to the grounds a muddy and wet pursuit. As such, stage one works include a raft of drainage improvements, culverts and the addition of new, sealed parking which will run parallel with Gwydir Street.”

Works on Stage 1 of the project are expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Local Councils Working Together for Drought Resilience

Regional communities in New South Wales are joining forces to better prepare for soaring temperatures and dry conditions thanks to a joint Federal and New South Wales Government initiative to help agricultural regions build a drought-resilient future.

An additional 13 consortia of councils have been awarded grants under Round Two of the Future Drought Fund’s Regional Drought Resilience Planning Program, expanding the network of communities developing strategies to respond to drought risk. Among the awardees are six Northern Inland Councils that will be working together as three partnerships to increase the drought resilience of their communities:

Glen Innes Severn and Tenterfield Shire Councils
Liverpool Plains Shire and Gunnedah Shire Councils
Armidale Regional and Uralla Shire Councils

“This program aims to empower ag regions to create meaningful drought-resilience plans tailored to their individual needs and circumstances, informed by data, communities, farmers, and industry,” Minister King said. “Our rural communities are once again experiencing the impacts of hotter, drier conditions so it’s vital they’re equipped with the right tools to be more resilient to drought, and to bounce back quicker.”

Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said the expanded program in NSW aims to help agricultural communities forward-plan to prepare for inevitable periods of reduced rainfall. “The beauty of this program is it acknowledges each region in NSW is different and requires a tailor-made approach to drought preparedness to be truly effective. Having community-led Regional Drought Resilience Plans will help set them up for success.”

Tenterfield Mayor Bronwyn Petrie and Glen Innes Severn Council Mayor Rob Banham said the RDRP program was a key component of sustainable regional development that focused on fostering cooperation among neighbouring councils to deal with the challenges of prolonged dry periods. “The grant awarded to Glen Innes Severn and Tenterfield Shire Councils will facilitate the implementation of strategic measures aimed at enhancing water security, promoting agricultural sustainability, and bolstering community well-being. Together, we are laying the foundation for a more resilient and thriving region,” they said.

Tenterfield Shire and Glen Innes Severn Councils noted that the objective of these drought resilient plans is to come up with practical solutions to support communities to prepare for and respond to drought. The development of these plans is underway and will involve stakeholder and community consultation as a key element. Their plans will present:

historical and predicted impacts of drought in each region
an evidence-based, triple-bottom-line strategy to mitigate or adapt to future drought impacts
a prioritised list of actions and pathways to build drought resilience, specific to the region and that addresses the needs of the community.

The Regional Drought Resilience Planning Program is part of the Future Drought Fund, a range of resilience initiatives for farmers and communities to prepare for the impacts of drought. Details of the next phase of the fund will be released in mid-2024.

UNE Celebrates 70 Years of Regional Education

UNE is celebrating its 70th anniversary year in 2024, and is reflecting on the contributions of the staff, students and community members who built – and continue to build – the university over the years.

UNE’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chris Moran, observed that the New England community fought for decades to get its own university so that students who lived at a distance from a city could have better access to higher education. “For anyone who was prepared to work for it, the University of New England was there as an unconventional alternative to the established metropolitan institutions,” Professor Moran said. “We are still here today, providing those same opportunities.”

UNE broke away from the University of Sydney on 1 February 1954 under the visionary leadership of first Vice-Chancellor Robert Madgwick, who drove UNE’s pioneering development of distance education as part of a broader agenda to support regional Australia.

“Our seventieth year is an opportunity to reflect on the work that has made UNE what it is today, but even more importantly, it is a time to think about how the university will evolve over coming decades," Professor Moran said. “What will it mean to be a regional university in the mid-21st Century? We need to start charting that course now, with the same boldness and disregard for convention that distinguished UNE in its start-up days.”

“We already have plans to more closely engage with our students to help them succeed. Some of that intent will be achieved through technology, as an extension of UNE’s work in distance education that has changed the lives of tens of thousands of people. But we are also planning to revitalise the physical campus. UNE was built around an exceptional residential experience for students. As communities and interpersonal relationships are changed by digital technologies, not always for the better, UNE is exploring how to re-establish the physical experience of university that is so fondly remembered by thousands of alumni who spent their formative years in the UNE colleges or in Armidale.”

Further information about UNE’s 70th Anniversary celebrations on their website.

National Recognition for Innovative Councils

Entries are now open for the 2024 National Awards for Local Government, which recognise outstanding innovations implemented by councils that have enhanced local communities.

Now in its 38th year, previous award winners have been celebrated for incredible initiatives. This includes the Glen Eira Mums Program from Glen Eira City Council in Victoria, designed to provide early intervention to family violence, and the Ghost Walks Program by the City of Gosnells in Western Australia, which provides a “Spook-tacular” experience during the full moon.

There are 11 award categories in 2024: Women in Local Government, Waste Management, Road Safety, Regional Growth, Productivity through Infrastructure, Indigenous Recognition, Disaster Readiness and Recovery, Creativity and Culture, Cohesive Communities, Career Starter, and Addressing Violence against Women and their Children.

All elected local government organisations, local government associations and other recognised organisations that provide direct services to Australian communities are eligible to enter.

“As a former mayor and regional councillor, I know how hard local councils and their staff work to improve the lives of their communities – which is why it’s important we take the time to recognise and celebrate this.” said Minister for Local Government, Kristy McBain. “Councils are at the forefront of the day-to-day services that we all rely on, and in the face of devastating events such as floods, bushfires and the pandemic, they have continued to innovate and meet their regions’ needs.”

“By shining a spotlight on these resourceful and creative solutions, we not only celebrate the dedication and innovation of councils, but also support these ideas being adapted and replicated elsewhere.”

Further information, including how to enter, is available on the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, and the Arts website. Entries will close on the 18th of March. Voting will open to councils and the broader public the next day and until the 26th of April.

Featured Grants and Funding Opportunities

Below are some featured grants and funding opportunities from the multitude of open grants listed in our Grants and Funding Opportunities Database on our website. Our website is updated weekly with new listings and updates and all are applicable to our region, so it is a great resource if you are looking for funding for a specific project.

You can also sign up to our free Business and Infrastructure Funding Opportunities and the Community Grants and Award Programs newsletters through the simple form located in the footer of our website, www.rdani.org.au, to receive monthly summaries of current grants.

Telstra’s Connected Communities
Closes: 27th of March 2024
Value: Up to $10,000
Run By: Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal

Telstra’s Connected Communities Grant Program will boost support for communities across remote, rural and regional Australia to improve resilience, environmental sustainability and liveability through the power of connection.

The program offers grants up to $10,000 for not-for-profit community organisations that are providing access to information, technology, education and facilities to support their communities to embrace new technologies and ways of working to build social capital and digital capability.

The program seeks to foster:

Resilient communities that are well prepared and socially connected when disaster strikes with the ability to renew and recover together;
Sustainable communities that are diverse and inclusive, planning for the health, wellbeing, and prosperity of their people and the planet; and
Liveable communities that have digital capability, and help to equip individuals with the skills to live, learn and work in a digital society.

Support Plantation Establishment 2024–25
Closes: 15th of April 2024 - 9:00 pm
Value: $40,000 to unspecified maximum
Run By: Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

The Support Plantation Establishment Program will run over 4 years from 2023–24 to 2026–27. The funding will support the establishment of new long-rotation softwood and hardwood plantation forests and assist the sector to respond to the projected growth in demand for domestically sourced timber resources. Through focusing on long-rotation plantation forests the program’s key intended outcomes are to increase domestic timber supply, particularly construction and manufacturing timber resources, and to contribute to Australia’s carbon emissions reduction commitments.

Investing in Women Program - 2023-24
Closes: 8th of April 2024 - 4:00 pm
Value: $25,000 to $250,000 per year
Run By: Women NSW

This program funds NSW organisations to develop and implement projects that advance the role, status and contribution of women and girls in our communities.

The Investing in Women Funding Program seeks to fund innovative projects that focus on the three pillars that align with the NSW Women’s Strategy (2023 – 2026), in particular pillars two and three; Health and Wellbeing, and Participation and Empowerment.

Projects must involve high-quality activity, engagement, and participation with one of the following focus communities of Women NSW.

More than one focus community can participate in the project, but applications must nominate one focus community to be targeted.

Junior Landcare Grants 2024
Closes: 15th of May 2024
Value: Up to $1,000
Run By: Woolworths

Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants offer primary schools and early learning centres a $1,000 grant to engage students in hands-on projects to support the environment.

This is an opportunity to set up a brand-new project or enhance an existing one. Previous grant recipients are welcome to apply again if they have submitted a final report for their previous Woolworths Junior Landcare Grant project.

This program gives children across the country an opportunity to get hands-on with environmental and sustainability projects, learn new skills and knowledge, connect with their peers and enjoy the wellbeing benefits of time spent outdoors in nature.

The Woolworths Junior Landcare projects can include planting a vegetable or bush tucker garden, creating a sensory garden or a butterfly garden, installing a yarning circle to learn more about First Nations perspectives, or tackling waste issues through a composting or recycling project.

Climate-Smart Agriculture Program - Capacity Building Grants - Round 1
Closes: 28th of March 2024 - 9:00 pm
Value: $10,000 to $1 Million
Run By: Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

The Climate-Smart Agriculture Program will support Australia’s agriculture sector to drive climate-smart, sustainable growth, and protect Australia’s natural capital by funding best practice sustainable agriculture and natural resource management activities.

This grant opportunity will support farmers to increase their awareness, knowledge and skills of best practice climate-smart sustainable agriculture approaches. It will also increase the capacity and capability of community, Landcare groups, First Nations groups and organisations, and industry partnerships to assist farmers to adopt climate-smart and sustainable agriculture practices. A range of climate-smart, sustainable agriculture projects will be eligible.