Imagine if you finally found your ideal work-life balance and satisfied your nature cravings all at once? This is a deep desire for most city folk, but it’s a daily reality for Narrandera residents.
This lifestyle is a reflection of the Shire Council’s key focus areas; community and culture, environmental sustainability, and economic prosperity. Not only are these factors key to a healthy, low-stress lifestyle, but it’s also a recipe for business success. Narrandera, along with the Shire’s villages, Grong Grong, Binya and Barellan, is a place where heart-centred, community-focused businesses of all sizes can prosper.
Narrandera is located in the heart of the Riverina, adjacent to the Murrumbidgee River and just an hour’s drive from two vibrant regional cities, Wagga Wagga and Griffith. The Narrandera Airport is only 5km from the town centre, with daily flights operating to and from Sydney, while Canberra and Melbourne are just a short road trip away.
Most regional towns are known for their agricultural output, and Narrandera is no exception. However, enterprises in the arts, cultural and education realms are not only most welcome here, but they can expect to flourish as well.
The Narrandera Shire Council actively invests in a healthy and culturally diverse community, which is reflected in enterprises such as The Cad Factory. This artist-led organisation creates an international program of new, immersive and experimental work guided by authentic exchange, ethical principles, people and place. The Cad Factory is a source of inspiration and connection for Narrandera residents and visitors alike, and even boasts a studio for recording albums, soundtracks, film and television works, dance rehearsals, and more. Take a look at some of the Cad Factory’s current projects.
Michael Lyons is another artistic entrepreneur thriving in Narrandera. A Wiradjuri Man, Michael leads cultural tours around his traditional country, teaching about bush foods, bush medicines and survival. He leads a team of locals producing hand-crafted boomerangs, didgeridoos, paintings and other traditional Wiradjuri items. This craftsmanship was passed down to Michael from his father, and items are available for purchase at his workshop; Sandhills Artefacts.
Perhaps a community-focused craft beer is more your taste? From the friendly village of the same name, Barellan Beer is not your average craft brewery. Not only is the beer produced from barley grown locally in Barellan, but this unique not-for-profit enterprise is a 100% community-owned project. Barellan Beer is a role model for inclusivity and collaboration; a true reflection of Narrandera’s community values. Come and taste the hard work!
Not only are entrepreneurs from all backgrounds welcomed and supported by the Narrandera community, but there is also a lot of support and opportunities offered by the Shire. Narrandera is trying to grow its population, so the Shire proactively encourages new business, while providing growth opportunities for established business; especially those which reflect the town’s sustainability and community values. These opportunities include state-sponsored workshops on energy and the environment, as well as BEC business mentoring.
Businesses looking for room to grow need look no further than the flexible and affordable opportunities at Red Hill Industrial Estate. In close proximity to the Newell Highway, Redhill Industrial provides serviced and un-serviced large lot industrial land suitable for a range of industries. With land on offer just 3km from Narrandera's CBD, the well-serviced location and low-cost land options are simply too good to pass up.
Entrepreneurs have their voices heard in Narrandera. The Narrandera Business Group was born with a discussion by several business owners in the community. The group has created a collective voice taking the town’s important issues to the local and state governments.
As a result of the community and council support, many Narrandera businesses are experiencing sustainable growth. Agri Australis, Belvedere Almond Farm, Arcadia Saltbush Lamb, and Glendale Citrus and Hazelnut Orchard are a few of the key economic players showing us what’s possible through the opportunities Narrandera provides.
Narrandera is passionate about sustainable practices that protect and add value to the beautiful natural environment. There are so many stunning public spaces in Narrandera, and the Council take great pride in the businesses that are leading the way in sustainable practices.
One of those businesses is Whispering Pines Organics; Narrandera’s quintessential family farming business. Producing cereal crops and organic lamb, Whispering Pines has been certified organic for twelve years, and owners Betina and Robert Walker are proud of their premium paddock-to-plate products. Not interested in compromising on their values and selling through major chains, the Walkers grow, mill, pack and sell everything themselves. Despite early struggles, business is now booming for the Walker’s. As more people become environmentally conscious and want to know where their food comes from, the demand for buying direct from the farmer is growing. Robert and Betina also acknowledge one of their best early business decisions was to enlist the low-cost assistance of a BEC Business Mentor.
David and Wendy Mumford come from a family of beekeepers in Narrandera, and the couple are passionate about practicing and promoting sustainability in their industry. This passion is born from the fact that around 90% of the world’s nutrition is pollinated by bees, and King Bee Honey fosters the art of true beekeeping. These bees feed on the nectar from a range of nature Eucalypts found in the region, giving the resulting local product a lush and distinctly Aussie flavour.
As Narrandera is known for its many stunning waterways, it’s only fitting to mention the Narrandera Fisheries Centre. First opened in 1962, today the Centre’s mission is to raise public awareness about the native fish populations. The Narrandera Fisheries Centre leads the way for freshwater fisheries research and community education in New South Wales, in addition to breeding programs, conservation, environmental surveys, NSW river management, aquaculture, and reporting on illegal activities.
Narrandera will soon lead the nation in renewable energy with two solar farms already approved and several others on the drawing board. These developments will produce over 1 million megawatts of power and boost the local economy in areas of employment, accommodation and services.
Operating a sustainable business practice in Narrandera not only means feeling good about doing your bit for the environment and your community, but it’s also an opportunity to inspire and encourage an entire town to get on board with eco-friendly lifestyles.
Whether you’re looking for a stress-free way to get into the property market for the first time, or you’re ready to escape the clutch of your big-city mortgage, you may be interested to know that the median house price for a family home in Narrandera is just $189,000. It’s little wonder that Narrandera has an unusually large percentage of residents who own their homes outright.
Perhaps you’d like to try before you buy? The average weekly rent for a 3-bedroom home is $240; well below the national average.
To make heart-centred entrepreneurship work, you need to spend time doing what ever fills your heart up. Living and working in Narrandera means enjoyinga diverse range of experiences that you don’t find all in one place anywhere else. Whether it’s hitting the trails for a bike hike, playing on the water, exploring the great parks, or sampling the incredible local produce on offer at the vibrant cafes and restaurants; Narrandera locals work hard, but they also play hard.
If you’re a heart-centred entrepreneur looking for a town that will fill you up and help you thrive, get in touch to plan a visit, and discover how you can make a Country Change to Narrandera.
In the meantime, get some Country Change inspiration from Kathy and Tony Taylor’s story.
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