Our Goulburn Valley 2022

Three years ago, La Trobe Rural Health’s Yangama Jokwiro started a ‘small project’ to help facilitate skill and knowledge exchange between nurses in Zimbabwe and other nursing diaspora globally. The idea was to create a smart app which also worked offline and with low bandwidth, making it accessible regardless of location.

The ‘small project’ took off and today the app hosts more than 29,000 nurses and midwives in Zimbabwe.

This initiative has given 95 per cent of nurses in Zimbabwe access to CPD, Digital Drug Book, Medical Protocols, and the ability to renew their practice certificates online without travelling to the capital city Harare.

The project’s now scaling up, working in 16 countries through partnering with East Central Southern African College of Nursing.

He’s working to standardise CPD, micro-credentialling, fellowship skills training, professionalism, innovation and entrepreneurship in common curriculum through a scalable training management system at nursesguild.africa

Yangama Jokwiro Senior Lecturer La Trobe University

HAVING SPENT MOST OF HIS NURSING CAREER IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, YANGAMA JOKWIRO KNOWS THAT REAL IMPACT TAKES REAL ACTION.

SO HE DESIGNED AN APP THAT HELPS NURSES GLOBALLY SOURCE INFORMATION, EVEN IN REMOTE AREAS WITH LOW RESOURCES.

Capp

Nieuwenhuizen

community for over 100 years

the Goulburn Valleys

produce

about charity and

an innovative business model,

strides towards a greener

advancements in

provide a broader offering to

Cheese Limited is

with

Goulburn Valley

Valley region.

and upwards

years of dairy expertise

irrigation with innovation

vision of resilient landscapes, thriving communities

highlighting the goodness of the Goulburn Valley

Infrastructure, Construction and Development

shape to a new level

Diversification, growth and family as an asset

From winter blues to summer heat

A real focus on Safety

Green light for youths future thanks to GAME

Trusted name in outdoor entertainment

Building on up for more than 150 years

all customers, big and small

Building on experience and excellence

Preparing for the future

A new era

Big land developments in the pipeline, Property market continues to power ahead

Putting the shine on our older homes

Fresh look for Maude Street Mall

Powered by the sun: GV leads the way

Green innovation with impact

Shepparton and the Goulburn Valley is well placed for continued strong property growth

Rural indicators permeate rural success

around the Goulburn

out what's happening

the Goulburn Valley:

Education, the Arts and Culture

success

119 Travis Heeney, Chief executive officer, GOTAFE

New beginnings for engineering stronghold

119 Barbara OBrien, Greater Shepparton Secondary College executive principal

SAM is a statement that Shepparton is powering forward, despite the challenging times

Engineering and Manufacturing

wealth of

Local firm helps Australia's largest committed renewable project

At the forefront of a male dominated industry

Energy solutions for our vastly growing region

New beginnings for engineering stronghold

Local business in $135M Spirit of Tasmania project deal

Transport

132 Three Peaks Policy at the heart of success

Family business leads way in food bowl

30,000 annual consignments for local freight business

Business acumen keeps the wheels turning

Strong family freight business continues to grow

Turning the wheels on a century

Shepparton business celebrates, 70 years of success

Sustainability model drives the motor at new dealership

A not-so-small addition rolls into Shepparton

Cheers to 70 years

Introducing: Legends of MOVE.

Welcome to this year’s Our Goulburn Valley magazine… a record 152 pages full of many interesting stories of success

The Goulburn Valley powers ahead in many sectors as we come out of a Covid coma.

Featured in this edition are a staggering 948 faces and 152 businesses and organisations.

The Adviser team is again humbled by the response received for this, our eighth edition of Our Goulburn Valley magazine

A sure sign of resilience is Shepparton and the wider Goulburn Valley’s ability to respond to adversity, multiple lockdowns and COVID itself by being resilient and dynamic. This year’s magazine theme reflects Inspiration, Innovation, Resilience and Passion in our community and as you’ll read, this edition is uplifting thanks to many wonderful people and their success stories in

the Goulburn Valley, along with a very dedicated Adviser publishing team who have put it all together.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the dedication, hard work and excellent teamwork of The Adviser publishing team:

Advertising…Melanie Spencer, Bron Timothee, Stacey Dalziel, Caroline Clarke, Will Adams, Geoff Adams.

Editorial…Deanne Jeffers, Stephanie Holliday, Tash Fujimoto, Steve Hutcheson, and Geoff Adams.

Photography…Kelly Carmody.

Production…Mathieu Ryan, Cameron

Bathman, Ryan Bathman, Sandra Saenz. Distribution…Melissa Burgess. GeneralManager…Will Adams. ManagingEditor…Geoff Adams. The front cover features a number of important cogs in the successful operations of business and commerce in the Goulburn Valley. Included are Cameron Shields, Joel Garner, Jessie Reid, Darren Young, Taylah Heinrich, Kelly Simsen, Rebecca Finnigan, Gabriella Calandro, Steph and Sam Boda, Wes Teague, James Wood, Rob Giles, Jack Dyer, Jak Trewin, Matt Sharp, Lisa Kubeil, James Thomson, Barry Irvin, and Victor Kyriakou.

There’s something for everyone in this bumper

edition of Our Goulburn Valley magazine, and we should all be immensely proud of what we collectively achieve in…Our Goulburn Valley! Our Goulburn Valley magazine takes this opportunity to commend the businesses and organisations in the Goulburn Valley for their extraordinary efforts and achievements having to pivot and adapt in these interesting times.

Last but not least, please consider and enjoy all the big benefits we have right here in own backyard…the resourcefully rich Goulburn Valley.

Geoff Adams, Managing Editor, Our Goulburn Valley magazine & The Adviser

At the forefront of community news...

The Adviser reaches 53 million copies milestone

Celebrating 38 years of publishing in the Goulburn Valley and an estimated 53 million copies of The Adviser letterbox delivered free during that period, The Adviser continues to bring community news from all parts of life in our vibrant region.

The Adviser has taken deliberate action to focus on local issues as a publisher. We enjoy putting the spotlight on what’s happening in our community…our own backyard. In the process, we come across some fantastic stories of locals doing well.

Australians are generally very humble of their success; however, The Adviser publishing team have taken the view that we ought to highlight success where it’s due. This is where Our Goulburn Valley magazine comes in. It’s important to occasionally shine the spotlight on success in our own backyard.

During the compilation of Our Goulburn Valley magazine, we have uncovered some wonderful people behind great

stories in business in the Goulburn Valley. You could say we’ve uncovered some gems that are well worth highlighting.

The Adviser publishing team is delighted to bring you the 20222023 edition of Our Goulburn Valley magazine, a 152 page record.

The magazine features a letter from our new Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, many messages from dignitaries and guest writers. It features a very healthy business sector of Primary Industries & Consumer Goods, Infrastructure, Construction & Development, Engineering & Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics, Education & the Arts, Professional

Services, a large Services sector on which Shepparton and the wider Goulburn Valley thrives; businesses of 20 years and older in our Hall of Fame section and much more.

As an easy to find directory of businesses featured in the magazine, you can refer to the Business Directory on page 150.

On behalf of The Adviser team, we take this opportunity to recognise the success of 100s of businesses across the Goulburn Valley - whether large or small - you play an

PUBLISHING OUR REGION’S SUCCESSES… Our Goulburn Valley magazine is back and bigger and better than ever. Pictured is the Shepparton Adviser’s managing editor, Geoff Adams, with Our Goulburn Valley magazine 2021. Photo: Kelly Carmody

important part in the success of our region. I also take this opportunity to thank The Adviser publishing team for their tireless work in compiling Our Goulburn Valley magazine and the weekly Adviser.

Geoff Adams, Managing Editor, The Adviser & Our Goulburn Valley magazine.

The things we like about Shepparton...

THE pandemic across the world has encouraged many of us to take some time to reflect upon life’s big questions and the course our lives are taking. You could say that it’s forced us to explore other opportunities and investigate a more exciting future.

Shepparton and the wider Goulburn Valley, continues to enjoy relatively strong population growth, and even more so during the pandemic. With Melbourne holding the unenviable record of the longest lockdowns in the world, the Goulburn Valley is experiencing a tree change in its favour.

There are numerous reasons why the Goulburn Valley and Shepparton is a great place to live, here are just some in no particular order:

Approximately 59.3 kilometres of shared paths and 12.2 kilometres of rail trails mostly along the Goulburn River.

A beautiful lake, Victoria Park Lake The lake has become the centrepiece of Shepparton with walking paths, nature walks, wide open space for family picnics and activities, rowing club, skatepark accompanied with Aquamoves, outdoor playground for young families and the city’s swimming pool.

The exciting new Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) on the banks of Victoria Park Lake. The $50M building houses one of the best collections of Indigenous art in Australia and has already attracted more than 60,000 visitors through its doors from across the nation and internationally since opening in November 12 months ago.

The all-new Museum of Vehicle Evolution (MOVE) featuring vintage, historic and classic cars, trucks, bicycles, motorbikes, a lifetime collection of gramophones, telephones, radios, the Loel Thomson OAM collection of Australian womens and mens fashions, from as far back as the First Fleet, there is also the Furphy Museum at MOVE Shepparton has always been big on sport, and the facilities for football, soccer, cricket, tennis, hockey, golf, cycling, athletics, BMX, horse jumping croquet are world class. Deakin Reserve, the home of Goulburn

Valley League footy is a standout ground, with excellent drainage and fully lit for night matches and training. Greater Shepparton City Council’s (GSCC) Activities in the Park program which has been in operation for several years is an excellent free program for families. Look out for their events.

Shepparton’s parkrun is a weekly event for any level of fitness. The highly successful program is free and is run on Saturday mornings starting at 8am near SAM on the banks of Victoria Park Lake

Our regional wineries are a standout…Tallis Wines at Dookie, Longleat Wines at Murchison, and many more are dotted around the region. A highlight on the cultural calendar is the longstanding Dookie Wine Show. The show is coordinated by local wine expert, Paul Phillips and has given great exposure to wonderful wines in the region.

Education is a fast-growing sector for Shepparton with already established schools, and the recently completed $130M Greater Shepparton Secondary College, the largest in regional Victoria.

In 2023, St Anne’s College in Kialla Lakes is offering enrolment in year levels Foundation to year 4, and year 7 to year 11.

On the drawing board and soon to begin construction the All Saints Anglican School on Verney Road will open its doors in 2024 Shepparton has become the home of many new restaurants and eateries in recent times, Vietnamese and Japanese are popular, among several serving Australian fare. Cafe's continue to boom with the spending power of Millennials. There’s a good feeling of activity and vibrancy around the city.

With the imminent opening of the $17.15M refurbished Maude Street Mall, Shepparton’s CBD will receive a huge boost to trading, retail shopping

and the café-dining out culture.

The project has been years in the making, driven by the Shepparton Chamber of Commerce & Industry, with support from Greater Shepparton City Council and former local Federal Member, Damian Drum

The opening of the Maude Street Mall will allow slow moving traffic from Fryers Street heading south and exiting High Street. Some parking will also be available. The opening later this year will be an extension of the beautification of Maude Street south from High Street to Vaughan Street which opened earlier this year.

One of the largest events on the business calendar is the Chamber’s White-King Pental Business Excellence Awards which sees approximately 450 guests at the presentation gala dinner on Friday 28th October at Eastbank. The Awards have been on hold for a couple of years, due to the pandemic, thereby giving a greater emphasis to this year’s event. Upwards of 100 finalists of which 11 winners will be announced plus the coveted Chamber Business Hall of Fame will be revealed on the night.

Set on the banks of the Goulburn River is one of the region’s best kept secrets (among non-golfers), Shepparton Golf Club. This stunning course set on the undulating landscape of the banks of the Goulburn River is rated very highly in regional Australia. Views from the clubhouse down the 1st, 9th, 10th and 18th holes are superb.

A dedicated group of locals have donated 1000s of hours into creating the Botanical Gardens in Kialla. The gardens are well worth a visit and are part of the scenic walking and cycling tracks on the southern side of the city. It continues to be a work in progress.

Kidstown has proven a haven for young families. Set between Shepparton and Mooroopna, the large playground area has heaps of slides and activities along with a miniature railway for train rides and is visited by 1,000s of children annually.

The Goulburn Valley has long been the food bowl of regional Australia, beginning in the 1920s with SPC (Shepparton Partners

Collective PTY LTD), and dozens of orchard and market garden operators ever since. Post-World War II, the Goulburn Valley has been blessed with a huge influx of migrants who have worked the land. It was our forebears who installed a world class irrigation system that helped build the Goulburn Valley into a powerhouse for producing fresh produce. From this the Goulburn Valley has an abundance of fresh food at its backdoor. Innovation by orchardists across the region has been huge. Shepparton has become an events capital. This has occurred over many years with the backing of Greater Shepparton City Council

The Council identified several years ago that to attract visitors, particularly on weekends, the city needed big events. The plan has worked well, the last major event being White Night which saw an estimated 32,000 people flood to the banks of Victoria Park Lake, Welsford and Vaughan Streets

Several major events are in the planning.

Although the days of volunteerism are under threat with increasing tentacles of government regulation, Shepparton and the wider Goulburn Valley have excelled and continue to do so. For generations extraordinary service has been given by 1000s of volunteers

At a grassroots level, our service clubs are critical to the success of our communities and are often underestimated by governments and bureaucracies. For the selfless acts of community giving…long live the volunteer!

At the top of the list of dynamics in the region, fresh food production, engineering, healthcare, construction and one of the largest trucking centres in Australia, help drive our local economy.

Looking at the business sector, if you have a good idea, work hard and play to your strengths, are dynamic, in general, people will support you and be a part of your journey of success in Shepparton.

We all can enjoy in some way the fruits of success in our great region…the Goulburn Valley.

Sam Birrell MP

Federal Member for Nicholls

I WAS able to re ect recently on the region I grew up in, call home and now have the honour to represent in Australia’s Federal Parliament. The re ection was in the context of my First Speech in the House of Representatives. My theme was ‘opportunity’, and could there be a better example anywhere in the world of a place where people create and take opportunities than the Goulburn Valley?

I talked about the opportunity I had been given thanks to the vibrant agricultural industries that surround us – particularly in fruit and dairy. The opportunity that the Goulburn Valley offers to so many who have come from around the world and who have made this one of the most successful examples of multiculturalism on the planet. The opportunity young people are increasingly being offered due to an array of tertiary education courses that they can complete without having to relocate to a major capital city.

The Goulburn Valley is an amazing part of Australia and has done so much for so many people. The challenge now is to not let the momentum slip and continue to create

PRIME MINISTER

MESSAGE FROM THE PRIME MINISTER

OUR GOULBURN VALLEY 2022

As the Goulburn River curls along the Goulburn Valley, it is witness to millennia ofgrowth and change. From the enduring presence of the eight clans of the Yorta YortaNation, to the towns, farms and industry of today, the history of your region tells a storyof love for place and people.

Today, the Valley is where families and communities thrive. In agriculture, industry,education and the arts, the Goulburn Valley is home to a connected community, workingtogether to build great lives.

Australia has long prospered from the passion, energy and resilience of our regions. TheGovernment is determined to answer your efforts, to recognise your diversity and to workwith you to build a more secure future in our changing economy.

Our priorities focus on the potential for growth –– in existing industries, clean energy andadvanced manufacturing. And we’re committed to infrastructure projects that are thebackbone of our nation– driving regional jobs, economic development, and access tohealthcare and housing.

As we face the urgent challenges, and work towards the long-term goals, I’m excited bythe prospect of getting things done alongside the magnificent people of the GoulburnValley.

2022

Our Goulburn Valley

and

in our community

The Hon Anthony Albanese MPPrime Minister of Australia

Nathan Bibby

Goulburn Murray Community Leadership chair

GOULBURN Murray

Community Leadership (GMCL) understands our communities bene t from a diverse range of leaders, who possess vision, skills and inspiration to create change in the communities where they live.

That's why their Fairley Leadership Program is focussed on providing professional and personal development opportunities to a broad cross-section of the Goulburn Murray Region. Specifically designed to maximise an individual's capacity for community leadership, the immersive program is designed to create adaptive community leaders who can solve our region's issues, identify emerging needs and concerns, and create positive change.

In order to create thriving communities, we need to continually increase our investment in identifying future leaders and providing them exposure to a diverse range of learning opportunities enabling them

to advocate for and create positive change. GMCL's motivated Board and operational team are dedicated to partnering with local organisations and linking Alumni of the Fairley Leadership Program to achieve critical community outcomes. Visit www. gmcl.org.au/ for more information.

Elizabeth Capp

Head of Shepparton Campus, La Trobe University

LA TROBE University continues to play a vital role in addressing regional workforce needs. The Shepparton campus graduates around 100 students every year, most of whom commence work in regional Victoria.

A major workforce challenge currently facing our region is the attraction and retention of teachers in our schools and early childhood centres. To help address this critical workforce shortage, we are excited to introduce an expanded Bachelor of Education program at the Shepparton campus. From 2023, students will be able to study Secondary teaching in Shepparton, adding to the Early

Childhood and Primary specialisations already offered in the Bachelor of Education. Greater flexibility for students to study where they live removes barriers to study; giving students greater access to this most important of professions will make a real difference to our community. We look forward to welcoming our new B Ed Secondary students to Shepparton campus next year!

While businesses get back on their feet and more people are out and about supporting the local economy, we can see an optimistic glow returning to our region and plans being made for the future.

We have many world-class events coming up in the next few months to enjoy with family and friends as well as celebrating the natural surroundings of the Goulburn Valley.

The Shepparton District is well and truly on the map and has been given the investment it deserves in the past eight years, and especially this year. Since my election in 2014, we received more than $1.5 billion from State Budgets, with a half a billion of that in the 2022/23 Victorian budget.

This year alone we received $163 million for a new mental health facility; $25 million for a 10-bed residential early parenting centre; $24 million to upgrade to Verney Road Specialist School; and $250 million was allocated for 12 new V/locity trains to travel on the Shepparton and Warrnambool lines; $5.8 million for the Joint Management Plan for the Barmah National Park to complete the Dharnya Cultural

Centre and manage its RAMSAR site; and $3.5 million towards the upgrade of a major highway intersection.

Employment is at an all-time high and we have many skilled career vacancies available in our district for new graduates or for those interested in traineeships.

The more skilled vacancies we fill with our locally-sourced workforce, the stronger our community will become. It will help grow a healthy and stable economy, which will set us up for a bright future.

We have much damage to repair from the pandemic, such as alleviating the pressure placed on our health system, which is not easily fixed. We should show our respect and help our health workers in whatever way we can to help them through this difficult time.

I would like to thank our essential workers who have been working hard over the past few years to keep our community safe and well.

Working together will make us stronger and more resilient.

Bim Rutherford Community Connector Program

To date, the program has relocated over 300 new-toarea professionals and their families, supporting people who

have relocated to Shepparton from all parts of the globe and assisting with securing a home, job for their partner, navigating the best school for their children and deeply

Matt Sharp

GV Health Chief Executive

THE Goulburn Valley community have again shown resiliency and support for one another in hard times and this past year has been no exception.

From care and food packages for our staff, to words of encouragement and understanding when some of our services were operating at reduced capacity, we have

received incredible support from the community in the past 12 months and we thank you for it. We continue to work on providing high quality access to services and care across the

John Anderson

Shepparton Chamber of Commerce and Industry president

MY vision and hope for the Shepparton community this time last year was to have our regional city open, free of Covid lockdowns and thriving.

I am proud that although we now live in an era with a different type of “lockdown” through Covid, our City once again is alive, well and businesses are booming.

Some challenges remain socially and for business.

We will find a way as a community to cater for the needs of those citizens who require public housing

We will find a way to ensure that education at all levels of school, tertiary and trade offer the best for our children, youth and young adults.

We have changing faces on Council with the departure of Rob Priestly and the stepping down of Mayor Kim O’Keeffe, as she makes the bold move of heading for state politics.

We are well catered for with the Mayoral position taken up by Cr Shane Sali who brings youth, strong intelligent leadership, and a vision for the community for the next 50 years.

Covid is not behind us but with the availability of vaccines and practicing common sense by mask wearing and social

distancing, I hope the people of Shepparton can be relied upon to protect themselves and their families as best they can.

Much has been achieved in the CBD with the progress of the mall rebuild well into the program and on track for a completion by November.

This beautiful new precinct will consolidate the CBD and with the future plan to redevelop Fraser Street, we will have a Town Square under the tower complimenting a vibrant business and recreation hub.

It is heartening that so many of what were empty commercial premises in Shepparton have been leased and occupied with new business and new enterprise taking up those spaces.

The next step in developing success in Greater Shepparton is the possible availability of accommodation owned or rented, for people who are not interested in a large patch of land to care for.

This is in addition to the need for public housing and would suit the needs for working people who, if possible, would choose to live in the CBD.

region which has included our partnership with the Dyson Bus Group in Shepparton to deliver vaccines to surrounding

connecting in the community.

Our connection in the community allows us to form great partnerships with industry and with local businesses.

I feel privileged to meet so many inspiring and interesting people from all over the world. I love being about to help them settle and connect in the community.

The program is what makes Shepparton unique, and the role is the first of its kind in Australia, which certainly showcases the

very best of Greater Shepparton and I love showcasing this great place that I call home.

The region is experiencing a huge surge in job opportunities and there are many “hard to fill” positions where we need to attract professionals from outside Shepparton.

If your business has not utilised this FREE service, then please reach out on bim. rutherford@c4gs.com.au or visit www.greatthings.com. au/community-connector/

towns in the Goulburn Valley catchment area.

The Local Public Health Unit have also continued to provide contact tracing and case and outbreak management as part of the state-wide response to COVID-19.

Alongside this, we remain focused on improving our facilities which has seen the opening of several areas related to the redevelopments at the hospital in Graham Street in Shepparton. We are also grateful for additional funding being provided by the

a café and rooftop function centre for those who wish to enjoy a bird’s eye view over the lake and Goulburn River and to increase the visitor experience in Shepparton.

In tourism, MOVE adds a unique opportunity for people to see history both modern and historic in automotive as well as the world class Thomson garment collection.

Victorian Government for a Youth Prevention and Recovery Centre, Early Parenting Centre and full redevelopment of our mental health facilities.

GV Health’s staff have again risen to the challenge in the last 12 months and have done an incredible job under very difficult circumstances at times.

I encourage everyone to look out for their family, friends and colleagues as we continue through the pandemic, unfortunately it’s not over but as a community we can work through it together.

needing advice and advocacy.

Most of the events and functions that were planned but stalled due to lockdown are back on the agenda this year.

In August, Chamber partnered with the Council and GV Brain to host a dinner with Anna Meares (Olympic cyclist) as keynote speaker.

The challenge for developers is to create street level commercial space with apartment living above which can further enhance the idea of CBD living.

For this to be achieved, we will need the support of Council in town planning to make such developments a realistic challenge for those with the interest and vision to create CBD living mixed with commercial business.

For the third year in a row, Council granted Complimentary Parking for the festive season and as a gesture of support to the whole community, provided complimentary parking for four months last summer.

I hope that we as a community can look forward to more such Council support ongoing to stimulate the sense of wellbeing that complimentary parking offers.

The magnificent SAM gallery opened in November 2021. An important and beautiful asset now open to showcase the vast artworks held in Shepparton and now also providing both

The visitation rates to both SAM and MOVE have been extraordinary since their openings in 2021 and prove that the vision for both these standout venues are worth the hard work in planning, fundraising and making it happen.

Close to the MOVE location is the Shepparton Botanic Gardens, a stunning example of community effort located on a reclaimed tip site. This location is now linked by a walking bridge that joins with the current Goulburn and Broken River trail which traverses Shepparton from North to South.

In all this, The Chamber of Commerce and Industry plays a crucial role in advocating for business, being the voice of Shepparton to the council and to government.

With an active board of volunteers, the Chamber intends to create new networking and education possibilities for businesses.

The past two years have been difficult, but the Chamber has not been in recess but rather working in the background during lockdowns assisting businesses

The event featured the concept of working through adversity and how that translates to business.

At the end of 2022, (October) the Chamber will host the Business Excellence Awards, an event that rewards and showcases Shepparton business and staff in many different categories.

This event is the red-carpet night, so enjoyed over the years and this year features the 25th anniversary of this event.

With innovation during Covid, adapting to the times, many new infrastructure projects, Shepparton is well placed to be an attractive option for people and families to relocate to Shepparton and enjoy a lifestyle that is second to none in Australia.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry intends to work with all groups that aim to make Shepparton the place to do business, to raise a family and to live.

Through success in business, jobs are created, which provides incomes for individuals and families and the flow on effect is obvious.

Shepparton is alive and open for business in 2022 and beyond!

THE Community Connector Program has led the way with its attraction, recruitment and retention of professionals through its relocation support service.

Carmel Johnson Development manager, Shepparton Art Museum (SAM)

NOTWITHSTANDING the challenges of the last twelve months, the opening of the new, iconic Shepparton Art Museum has been a welcome and exciting state-of-the-art addition to the Shepparton landscape.

Dr Steve Capewell

Managing director, Goulburn Valley Water

IF there’s one word to define the Goulburn Valley region, it would be resilience.

No matter the challenges of the past two years, people remain optimistic and passionate.

We’ve witnessed these qualities during our extensive consultation in planning and visioning for our future.

Retallick Director, Shepparton Festival

THE Goulburn

The recent win received by its architects, Denton Corker Marshall, at the Australian Institute of Architects’ 2022 Victorian Architecture Awards, grants us ever more pride in this astonishing institution.

SAM has provided the opportunity for the community to embrace and engage in the diverse and dynamic exhibitions, and to participate in the accompanying public programs and events.

With more than 60,000

We’re continuing our push to embed sustainability into our business, ramping up the second stage of our solar panel installation program and committing to meeting a target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2035.

We also put our customers at the centre of everything we do, as part of our commitment to delivering high quality services that serve to increase the liveability of our region.

Our aspirations to become a local leader are underpinned by our involvement in

visitors and the generosity of the many donors, the SAM Foundation’s $7.4M capital campaign is almost finalised–an extraordinary achievement given the difficulties of the last two years.

A dedicated and skilled team, the staff at SAM continue to demonstrate their commitment every day to ensuring that the community will always be inspired, challenged and enriched each time they visit.

a consortium of highperforming, innovative water utilities. Goulburn Valley Water has been recognised as a Leading Utility of the World by the Global Water Leaders Group – one of a select few in Australia to be accepted.

I look forward to another successful year, which will see us again focus on continued growth, progression, and innovation in our region to contribute to making our region a great place to work and live.

Regional arts practices have long since become much more than the “country cousin” to our metro counterparts, and Shepparton Festival is proud to be part of our region's growing and flourishing arts ecology.

Art is often most inspiring when it unlocks potential in those who come to it unexpectedly, over time well before a creative project is finalised, ideas are considered and explored,

unbounded by outcomes. Lengthening the developmental work of art projects is imperative to deepening experiences for artists and audiences.

A long-standing festival provides the platform for that to be possible and as I lead Shepparton Festival through its 27th, 28th and 29th year, I look forward to scaffolding creative relationships being built here.

Passion

our community

Shepparton Adviser

David McKenzie

Director of Opteon Property Group

AGRICULTURE and irrigation still the strong base for our economy.

It is well known that most agricultural sectors have enjoyed several strong seasons recently. Although some headwinds are emerging particularly for horticulture, recent data has given us some insight into where our region sits in the national picture.

The overall picture is complex and driven by externalities such as international market access, trade restrictions, exchange rates, conflict (particularly in Ukraine) and seasonal conditions in our competitors' regions. Dairy has rebounded, grains remain strong, protein has eased but is still in good shape, and fibre is also in a good place.

Recent ABS data has been promoted

as revealing where the ‘capital of Australian agriculture is’. The local government area of Mildura topped the nation for value of farmgate receipts at $1.13B for the 2020/21 year. However, close analysis of the ‘league ladder’ showed that Mildura was an outpost in its region, with no adjoining local government area in the top 15 shires. Similarly, Toowoomba, at number two ($1.09B), adjoined only the Western Downs council ($0.83B), for a regional total of $1.92B.

Our rich irrigation district the GMID, included four council areas in the top 15 in the country. Campaspe ($0.78B), Swan Hill ($0.76B), Greater Shepparton ($0.73B) and Moira ($0.72B) plus Gannawarra lower down the

list ($0.28B) combine for a regional farmgate output of $3.3B dollars.

This concentration of production is unique in Australia, and in a completely different league to any other region. Importantly, it does not take into account our food processing sector, and we add more value to our milk and fruit than anywhere else.

So, while our broader economy continues to grow and diversify, it is

good to remember that we are still in the midst of a truly remarkable agricultural region, built on efficient and affordable irrigation.

In these times of anxiety about global food security, affordability and supply, we should be singing the story of this success from our rooftops to everyone who will listen.

and exciting innovation between education and industries.

WHETHER it was by accident or design, Greater Shepparton’s compact footprint has created a city with the great bones and the potential for an exceptional future.

In the north is our health and care precinct with hospitals, aged care and concentration of allied health and medical services. To the east in our manufacturing precinct, home to iconic brands including Furphy, Pental and SPC and more than a quarter of our region’s manufacturing jobs that are key to our transport and logistics industry. In between is our education

precinct with two universities, GOTAFE and our secondary college campus with its tech and trade facilities.

There are more industry and education facilities across the city but as Australia grapples with the challenges of securing and developing today and tomorrow’s workforce, our city’s bones are sending a signal. We have an advantage to

explore new models of ‘learning and earning’, of micro-credentialing and in fostering genuine collaboration

There are a few missing building blocks like a clinical school, maybe a food innovation hub and we need to upgrade tech and trades facilities. But filling in the gaps further underscores the unique education, research and innovation ecosystem we have on the doorstep of our CBD.

Add in our existing research facilities at the Smart Farm, Dookie and the University of Melbourne medical campus, and our renewable energy resources, and we have the fundamentals to lead the way in solving some of the world’s most pressing health, energy and food challenges. Our past may have been by accident, but our future is ours to design.

Goulburn Valley

and Passion in our community

by Honeywell

Suzanna Sheed MP

Member

THE spotlight is on Shepparton.

With a windfall in the State budget, low unemployment rates, and a clearer future ahead for local businesses, we can look forward to a stronger economy in 2022/23 as we learn how to live with our “new normal."

The spotlight is well and truly shining on Shepparton with a spend

of more than $1.5B since I was elected in 2014. We received almost half a billion dollars in this year’s budget to expand our mental health care, set up an early parenting centre, improve train services, and see an upgrade to a specialist school.

Businesses are recovering thanks

The Hon. Daniel Andrews Premier of Victoria

THE Goulburn Valley is a showcase of the very best that regional Victoria has to offer.

From postcard landscapes, rolling hills, rich farmland, and some of the best food and wine that Australia can produce.

Your community is home to some of our states most enchanting natural wonders - and it’s made stronger every day by the Victorians who live, work,

to the innovative measures they took in the past two years and the loyalty of local people supporting them during tough times. Our children have returned to school and our social calendars have once again opened up as we live alongside the virus.

The pandemic has had an impact on all of us and I want to remind everyone to reach out and ask for help if you are experiencing mental health issues. Help is available in the Shepparton electorate.

Together we will rebuild our community.

and nurture this very special place.

The Goulburn Valley have faced some huge and difficult challenges in recent years, but through that adversity, your community’s strength and grit has always shone through.

Today, more and more people are choosing to live and raise their families in the Valley.

And it’s why our government is building the very best schools for local families, world- class hospitals to deliver better care closer to home, and the infrastructure that the Goulburn Valley needs to continue to grow and succeed.

support their local businesses.

Through innovative business practices and a driven commitment to succeed, the many industries of the Goulburn Valley are leaders in their respective fields, continuously supported by their loyal customers.

The evident passion for community that exists throughout the region, coupled with the resilience and innovation of our successful businesses makes me proud to call the Goulburn Valley my home.

A community that supports your business

Greater Shepparton City Council can help get you started with the process by understanding what approvals are required and what you need to make a start.

Lisa Kubeil is Council’s investment facilitation coordinator, ready to assist new or relocating businesses navigate the permit process across various Council departments and link you in to the Greater Shepparton Business Centre to offer business support services, workshops, information seminars and networking events and most importantly, a space to start your business – or to grow.

There have been many examples of successful businesses that started with the support of the Greater Shepparton Business Centre on New Dookie Road. One of those is Jemmervale Designs that craft high quality handmade furniture and décor, as featured recently on hit TV show, The Block.

Jemmervale Designs has now outgrown the Business Centre and recently moved into The Power House, an historic building and much larger premises on the outskirts of Shepparton.

Due to the heritage overlay they greatly utilised the services provided by Lisa Kubeil, Council’s investment facilitation coordinator to navigate all the building and planning approvals.

“We really did love our time at the

Business Centre and although we are excited for our new growth, we will miss the business community there and the support from the team.

“The Greater Shepparton Business Centre has played such a vital role in the growth of our business. We would not be where we are today without our time there. The physical shed space was just what we needed, and we also really appreciated all the support from the amazing team that work there.

“Running a business in a regional town has been so wonderful as we have been able to build strong local relationships, many of which have come from our time at the Greater Shepparton Business Centre,” Jannah Tucker said.

A passion for beer, family and community has paid off for local brewers James Thomson and Rhys Porter –another local success story. Wildlife Brewing Co has been well received by locals and a growing regional craft brewing market. They have now relocated

from Maude Street to a larger premises, 4-6 Williams Road, Shepparton. Their new premises required multiple permits across various Council departments and the boys didn’t want to waste time, so they utilised Lisa’s expertise to navigate the Council department processes so they had more time for brewing!

“Lisa played an integral role in the early stages of planning. She was able to pull together all the correct departments in the one meeting to get us some clear answers and direction,” said James Thomson.

“Council’s aim is to reduce the time it takes you to get the doors open, so you can get your business started, that’s where I come in. I meet up with you, discuss your business goals and help you along your business journey,” Lisa explained.

It is an exciting time for Greater Shepparton, many new businesses are opening, and existing businesses are growing.

Contact Greater Shepparton City Council for assistance: 03 5832 9700.

WANTING to start your own business but not sure where to start? It is exciting, but it can also be daunting and complicated.

PARTNERSHIPS... Greater Shepparton City Council’s investment facilitation coordinator Lisa Kubeil pictured with Wild Life Co. local brewer James Thomson. Photo: Alchemy Media

IDEAL PREMISES... Local business Jemmervale Designs recently moved into The Power House, a large historic building on the outskirts of Shepparton. Due to the heritage overlay they greatly utilised the services provided by Council’s investment facilitation coordinator, Lisa Kubeil to navigate all the building and planning approvals. Photo:Supplied

GREATER SHEPPARTON,

BUSINESS

INNOVATION LEADS TO GROWTH

Innovation is always on display within Greater Shepparton, with game-changing investments on schedule to further boost our thriving local economy, including a new

million medicinal cannabis production facility that is currently under development.

Owned and operated by Australian company Cannatrek, the site will ultimately employ 400 locals and produce 160 tonnes of medicinal cannabis per year, making it one of the biggest medicinal cannabis sites in the world.

The project was recently awarded Major Project Status by the Commonwealth Government, providing access to additional funding that is expected to quickly ramp up

Cannatrek’s export opportunities.

Greater Shepparton is the ‘Food Bowl’ of Australia, producing highly sought after quality fruit and vegetables that make their way onto dining room tables right across the globe.

The construction of the $60 million high-tech FruitCo plant at the old SPC Ardmona site is now complete, along with the giant, seven

metre high glasshouse spanning 6 hectares, containing truss tomatoes at Flavorite’s production plant at Tatura.

Our horticulture sector continues to demonstrate resilience with companies utilising the latest technological advancements.

Greater Shepparton remains a leader when it comes to innovation and growth.

retail

on the

of Florence Street

Benalla Road.

The total retail floor space

be 12,000 m2 and

operational it will

140 full-time jobs.

Leanne Hulm

GROW Greater Shepparton project manager

REFLECTING on the past few years, the Goulburn Valley has been through a lot. GROW has been there to listen, advocate, support, and empower local businesses and job seekers.

The predominant topic of conversation has been workforce – finding,

recruiting, training, and maintaining a skilled team to take local businesses into the future. Through these

conversations, we uncovered the disconnect between job advertisements and potential job seekers.

GROW Greater Shepparton created a website unique to the region for genuine local jobs to be posted at growgreatershepparton. com.au.

As the platform evolved, we expanded the website to help our young people break into the workforce.

GROW collaborated with GMLLEN on the Youth Tab which allows local businesses

to post entry-level jobs directly to youth. More recently GROW partnered with local organisations to hold a “Youth Employment Summit” which spoke to local businesses about how to navigate employing young people. With so much growth happening in our region, now is the time to provide an opportunity to those you may not have considered before.

So proud to have done it, so happy it’s over

Former Federal Member for Nicholls - Damian Drum

THE last few months, for the first time in 20 years has given me the opportunity to reflect on what it means to represent your community at both a State and Federal Government level.

Whether I was successful or not, or I did a good job or not, is for others to judge, but what I’m proud to have been given was the chance to represent wonderful communities, full of wonderful people.

I always felt as though I was in partnership with my electorate, I relied on my people in the electorate to educate me and shape my views on the most pressing of

issues affecting their everyday lives. In turn, they relied on me to go to work to create the best outcomes I could on each of those issues. I always felt that partnership was real and strong. Sometimes these outcomes manifested into projects that you’re able to deliver with Federal Government funding like the Echuca Moama Bridge, the upgrade to the Seymour to Shepparton Railway Line,

Amanda McCulloch

Greater Shepparton Foundation CEO

the new Shepparton Art Museum and my favourite of all, the new Shepparton Medical School. Plans to bring the school to Shepparton was decided five years ago and brings La Trobe University together with Melbourne University to start a program

that will produce over 30 locally trained doctors right here in Shepparton each and every year.

There are some issues such as water policy where you are constantly battling “opposition”, those with an alternative view as to how we find a better balance between people’s livelihoods and the health of our waterways.

Wins in these areas are small, incremental, and hard earned, but also critically important.

Being a Federal representative is a wonderful job but it’s also incredibly demanding. The cities, towns and communities you need to become part of are many, and their needs are ever present. Every day, every night, there is someone or some organisation

that wants to connect or need to talk to their local member and as I said at the start, this is a partnership and if your people want to talk its my job to listen.

I’m incredibly grateful to the Nationals - the most down to earth political party in existence for helping me along the way, and I’m equally grateful to the people of my home area within the Goulburn Valley for electing me firstly as the member for Murray and then for Nicholls. It was an amazing experience. Cheers, Drummy. Former Federal Member for Murray and Nicholls

The Greater Shepparton Foundation is recognised as a trusted local philanthropic hub with a

Meghan Thompson

Professionals president

SO, the challenges continue, we had hoped that things would settle and our new normal would appear. But alas, COVID-19 continues to influence our lives, or at least our social lives.

I'm still meeting "new" faces at events that have been here in Greater Shepparton for up to and over a year

goal to fund courageous and creative solutions to

tackle disadvantage. Evolving from the Community Fund, the Greater Shepparton Foundation strives to create an inclusive, interconnected community, where everybody has an equal opportunity to participate.

As the incoming CEO of the Greater Shepparton Foundation, I understand philanthropy, at its core, can amplify the voices, who traditionally may not have had a say in decisions made on their behalf.

Through truly listening,

and who are still struggling to make connections. We are very happy to be closely connected to the Shepparton City Council's Community Connector Program.

The biggest challenge for the GV Young Professionals at the moment is getting people out of their houses and interested in events again, but things are looking up, if the success of our trivia night in July is anything to go by. We

and activating local expertise, together our community can find creative solutions to some of our most pressing issues.

Our region and its people are known for their resilience, innovation and passion, and I look forward to listening to the creative and inspiring ways we can come together to tackle disadvantage in Greater Shepparton.

are also excitedly planning our GVYP Glitz & Glam party for October this year on the rooftop of the amazing Shepparton Art Museum.

My future aspiration for the GVYP would be to have an opportunity to connect our members with community volunteering options and strengthen people's connection with this amazing place we live and work in.

“PHILANTHROPY is not about money… it is about feeling the pain of others and caring enough about their needs to help.”

— Timothy Pina

Geraldine Christou

Greater Shepparton City Council director of sustainable development

GREATER Shepparton has had many big wins over the past 12 months.

It was a huge year for our economy, and we could not be

prouder of the positive results our region has achieved.

Peter Hill

Executive o cer, Museum of

Evolution

THE Museum of Vehicle Evolution has many facets but one common thread, a desire to create something positive for the Goulburn Valley.

Jim Andreadis has been the driving force behind this project, but the idea had been around for a generation.

Jim’s generosity extends well beyond his philanthropic support; his vigour and enthusiasm has inspired others to become involved and has expanded MOVE beyond our wildest dreams.

Substantial financial support from the Australian Government, Victorian Government and Greater Shepparton City Council has been critical, allowing us to develop a world-class museum that will play a crucial role in expanding our visitor economy and economic base.

MOVE is really about us, showcasing the things we drove, wore or used.

It is full of interesting objects, some shiny, some rustic and some just rusty.

It is also full of people and their stories, particularly

Our region’s event calendar was and continues to thrive with several major events held during the year which

were a first for our region.

In March, Greater Shepparton proudly hosted the inaugural Illuminate festival which saw approximately 20,000 people converge on the SAM Precinct at Victoria Park Lake.

This festival brought music, food and art to life and was the perfect warm up for White Night which we hosted in June.

Our first official White Night attracted a huge crowd of 32,000 people across the evening which involved 28

large-scale illuminations and projections celebrating the city’s vibrant and diverse creative scene.

Both events had an extremely positive economic impact, with accommodation providers fully booked, cafés and restaurants trading extended hours and our retail scene thriving.

Our region has cemented its reputation as a thriving tourism destination, and we will continue to build on this prosperity in the years to come.

the families who built our region’s reputation as a transport and trucking mecca.

Through the Furphy Museum, the story of Australia’s oldest continuously operated family business is revealed.

Loel Thomson’s Clothing Collection is a marvel, collected over four decades and containing 10,000 items.

It is a significant attraction in its own right.

MOVE is a not-for-profit charitable enterprise, and we could not have achieved what we have without the generosity of our board members past and present, our staff, volunteers and sponsors. MOVE has been built by the community for the community. We hope you visit often, discover new displays and make an effort to tell your friends and family when next in Shepparton you must experience MOVE.

- Peter Hill

Cr Shane Sali

Greater Shepparton City Council mayor

WHAT a year Greater Shepparton has had!

From the inaugural Illuminate Festival to White Night being hosted in Shepparton for the first time, our region has come alive following a tough few years.

Greater Shepparton is known for its innovation and creativity, and this has certainly been demonstrated over the past 12 months.

While we have faced our fair share of hardship across the region, as did all of Victoria, during this time our region proved how resilient it can be.

As we continue to work through this recovery phase, let’s ensure we continue to support businesses, families and community members.

Council will continue to work closely with business owners to support them and ensure their ongoing economic prosperity.

I look forward to seeing what our community can achieve in the coming year.

We hope to see some positive outcomes following

the announcement of the 2026 Regional Victoria Commonwealth Games and the continued success of our events calendar.

I have no doubt we will continue to be the bold regional city we all know and love.

Cr Laura Binks

Strathbogie Shire mayor

COUNCIL acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands on which we strive, the peoples of the rivers and the hills of the Strathbogie Shire region who walked these lands for generations. We pay our respects to the elders of the past, and the speakers of the first words, who lived in harmony with this country.

In the past 12 months we worked on several projects including streetscape upgrades, adapting a comprehensive Climate Change Action Plan, initiating conversations around January 26 Australia Day celebrations, adopting a structure for the rollout of the Victorian Government’s four-bin system and much more.

In the first six months of 2022, we conducted 32 projects on Share Strathbogie, an online portal, which received 2,862 community contributions. Australia Day Celebrations Review, Four-Bin Kerbside Service, Nagambie Splash Park, Whroovale Estate Open Space and Euroa Community Cinema (monthly community choice voting) received the highest engagement.

We also advocated to Governments on important projects. To help, we developed our Advocacy Ask document that details Council’s top five priority projects.

These include our bid to host rowing events on Lake Nagambie at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, funding to complete the drought-resilience Greening Euroa project, improving

telecommunications, reliable power supply and infrastructure, and building a nature-based play space.

We look forward to the final part of 2022 as we continue to work on some huge projects including the construction of the Nagambie Foreshore Walk, rehabilitation of the Violet Town Landfill, the Nagambie Transfer Station Resale Shop and many more.

Cr Chrissy Weller Campaspe Shire mayor

IT has been a time of renewal in Campaspe Shire as we embrace the new normal and forge ahead. Our focus is on supporting local business, attracting funding for infrastructure, sustainability and boosting tourism.

A major milestone was the opening of a second crossing over the mighty Murray River, with the completion of the Dhungala Bridge.

Our projects continue full steam ahead with Stage 2 of the Echuca East Community Precinct redevelopment nearing completion. We look forward to the revitalisation of the Victoria Park boat ramp next year, with funding recently secured. Release of residential land in Echuca West has progressed and will enable 40 years of land supply supporting around 5,000 new dwellings.

Drawcard attractions including the Southern 80 Ski Race and the Winter Blues Festival returned, and we are excited to see our calendars fill with events. I praise the tenacity of the local business, health and hospitality sectors who showed resilience while facing staff shortages as we learn to live with Covid. I thank the community for supporting each other through this time with

continued vaccination uptake.

Our competitive strengths include a strong and diverse agricultural and food manufacturing sector. This combined with our rich natural assets continue to make our region a sort after place to live, work and visit.

Cr Libro Mustica

Moira Shire Council mayor

OUR region is a great place to live, work, and play and by working together we can capitalise on our natural assets and strong community.

Many issues that concern our community rely on State and Federal Government services, policy and funding.

As a consequence Council has made advocacy a priority to ensure our voice and concerns are heard by those who have the power to make the decisions that can improve life for the people of Moira Shire.

We have seen a large increase in internal tourism as well as a massive migration to our region.

This is a great opportunity for local businesses to capitalise on the visitor spend and Council is supporting them through events funding and marketing support.

Engaging with our communities is a key priority and we are committed to using multiple platforms to engage positively with the various groups in our community to ensure Moira Shire is an inclusive, vibrant place where all can voice their views and aspirations.

With an excellent agricultural

season and the return of regional and international tourism, our businesses have opened up with confidence and there is a sense of optimism and rejuvenation in all facets of life in our magnificent Moira.

$1,364

The Shepparton Adviser - Our Goulburn Valley Inspiring Innovation, Resilience and Passion in our community

Pictured from left, Daniel Thewma, Kirsty Argentino, Ebony Wilson and James Legge are some of the dynamic Future Recycling team

The future of our workforce

THE Apprenticeship Factory, a not-for-pro t organisation, was rst established in Shepparton in 1984.

They provide the crucial missing link between young people wanting to obtain a trade qualification, and employers looking to hire an apprentice or trainee.

The Apprenticeship Factory offers incentives to local businesses who employee hospitality trainees on a full-time basis thanks to funding from a Victorian Government initiative to try and help the sector bolster employment rates.

“We are looking for both suitable candidates to work in the hospitality industry along with host employers who are willing to take on these candidates,” said The Apprenticeship Factory CEO, Paula Ryan.

“We would love to hear from any businesses in the hospitality sector who would like to put on a trainee. Over a 12-month traineeship, there is approximately $10,000 in funding available.”

Georgia Williams has started a Certificate III in hospitality and is working full time as a valued member of The Milkbar team, thanks to The Apprenticeship Factory

“The opportunity to complete

a Traineeship in hospitality and learn more about the industry has been amazing. I’ve felt really supported in my ability to excel in the role,” said Georgia.

The Apprenticeship Factory is committed to assisting businesses with their employment needs. They are passionate about giving local young people opportunities to start their careers in an apprenticeship or traineeship and support them into becoming skilled workers and valuable contributors to our community.

“Over the 12 months, we want to continue to support our current hosts, their apprentices and trainees to achieve positive outcome work towards helping businesses with the gaps in their organisations,” said Paula.

“We realise the importance of preparing the future workforce and we will continue to work with young people to get them work ready, as well as with employers to assist them where needed. We need to continue to create opportunities for our young people if our region is to continue to grow and do well.”

and Passion in our community - The Shepparton Adviser

THE

We realise the importance of preparing the future workforce and we will continue to work with young people to get them work ready

AFTER 15 successful years in the ‘nuts and bolts’ business, the knowledgeable team at Ultimate Fasteners are preparing to move into their new premises, which is currently under construction.

“Nothing else is changing except our address,” says business owner, Dean Jones. “After 15 years, it’s nice to have a new start, the opportunity to reset again and start fresh.”

“When we moved into our current factory, it was great because it was brand new when we opened. All these years later and we have grown, and we need to continue growing with the times.”

Dean is proud that the locally owned business has remained a local hub for tradespeople and everyone else.

After years of unprecedented disruption, they have maintained the same great service while retaining their local workforce.

This October, Ultimate Fasteners returned to

the Elmore Field Days.

“Elmore Field Days hasn’t been on for two years. Being back is a great thing, it means that hopefully we’re getting on with life.”

As for getting on with business, Dean and the Ultimate Fasteners’ team anticipate moving into the new building by the end of the year. Customers can look forward to celebrations when they unveil the new development around the corner on Williams Street.

“Our suppliers are very keen to come on board. We’ll be doing new racking which will give the new store a whole new look.”

Dean said, “There’s no hurry. We’ll be there when we need to be there. I think that’s the best thing.”

The new home of Ultimate Fasteners Shepparton is 67 Williams Street. Until then, for nuts and bolts, industrial and trade-based products, as well as the popular Milwaukee and Kincrome ranges, call into 17A Mitchell St, Shepparton.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION... Ultimate Fasteners are excited to move into their new t-for-purpose factory on Williams Street in Shepparton at the end of 2022. Photo: Prue Peters Photography

Protecting our region

10 years

A TRUSTED name in security throughout Victoria, Sheppartonbased Fastsec Security is passionate about providing its clients with a service of the utmost quality and expertise.

Director Gary Sidhu is proud of his team’s accomplishments, having played a role in major projects in our region over the past seven years in addition to supporting community and sporting groups.

Fastsec Security provided site security and monitoring for the recently completed Echuca-Moama Bridge project including managing the receipt of equipment and deliveries, running perimeter patrol vehicles day and night, and maintaining guards on-site at all times.

“We had a constant presence,” said director, Gary Sidhu.

“It was tricky to manage resources at times, especially due to Covid, but we succeeded with no major security incidents. Navigating the challenges of working across the NSW and VIC

borders was a great learning curve and we were able to do it successfully.”

Fastsec Security are an employer of local people and provide security services to the hospitality, health, government, event, education, and nightlife sectors in Echuca, Shepparton and beyond. With a team of around 50 employees, they can provide security solutions for a vast range of projects in various industries.

Their contingent of highly trained, licensed and accredited security officers are constantly undergoing training in systems and procedures to stay up to date with security standards.

“For us it’s all about trust,” said Gary.

“Our customers know they can count on our security services.”

and Passion in our community - The Shepparton Adviser

Stephanie Holliday

Local Franchisees, Ray & Haxhije Cox

Purchases that make a di erence in your community

A purchase from a social enterprise as a business also helps to meet social procurement requirements.

Next time you require plants, domestic or commercial lawn mowing, gardening services, fresh flower arrangements, trade or cleaning rags, venue hire or are looking for a unique location for lunch or coffee, Billabong Garden Complex is your destination.

Billabong Garden Complex is a ‘social traders’ certified social enterprise, operated by local disability service ConnectGV. Growing and evolving over the years, the expansive garden complex, open seven days, is home to a large production nursery, retail nursery, gift shop, the Ruby Saltbush Café, a floral arrangement studio and most recently a venue hire facility for training, meetings and social

gatherings.

Every facet provides meaningful employment and work experience opportunities for ConnectGV’s supported employment workforce of around 40 people that work across its various social enterprises located at Billabong.

"It is tremendous to have people living with a disability, working and learning new skills within our social enterprise businesses. This

Billabong Garden Complex

BILLABONG

provides diverse opportunities working in retail, horticulture, hospitality, landscaping and supply chain sectors, and building skills and confidence before embarking on other roles within our community. Our social enterprise businesses provide direct positive

social impacts and all revenue earned is directly re-invested back into our service provision to support ‘seeing the possibility, not the disability’," said ConnectGV CEO Jacinta Russell.

Billabong Garden Complex is located at 295 Numurkah Road, Shepparton.

A PURCHASE from a social enterprise is the most impactful transaction a consumer can make, and it is the ripple on effects where the impact is really appreciated.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE...Billabong Garden Complex is a ‘social traders’ certi ed social enterprise, operated by local disability service ConnectGV. Growing and evolving over the years, the expansive garden complex, open seven days, is home to a large production nursery, retail nursery, gift shop, the Ruby Saltbush Café, a oral arrangement studio and most recently a venue hire facility for training, meetings and social gatherings. Connect GV program participant Melinda Bohun. Photo: Kelly Carmody

revenue earned is directly re-invested back into our service provision to support ‘seeing the possibility, not the disability’

FOR 25 years, Everyday Supplies have been a rst-choice cleaning specialist for customers in the Goulburn Valley, providing leading products and equipment to agricultural, educational and health care sectors, private industries, residential and more.

“If you flick through any Our GV magazine, you’ll find we supply a lot of the businesses you see,” said co-owner, Jac McCarty.

“One thing that has really made our success is providing exceptional customer service. Ensuring our customers’ needs are met and that they receive prompt attention and expert advice when they come to us is what keeps them coming back.”

What makes Everyday Supplies unique is their focus on the ‘everyday’ aspect of life.

“We want to simplify life – and cleaning – for our customers, that is why we stock everything from cleaning supplies and equipment to A4 paper, toilet paper and paper towel.

“We deliver for free, so even if all you need is one tin of coffee because you ran

out that day, we’ll send someone out with your order – that's what sets us apart.”

Looking to the future, Everyday Supplies are beginning to service areas beyond the region while also expanding their range of Scrubmasters, sweepers and industrial and commercial vacuum ranges.

“Maintaining our service to our valued customers is our number one priority. If we don’t stock something they want, we will source it and due to our large range of suppliers, we can get

the best price too,” said co-owner Brad Hill.

“We can conduct on-site audits and walk throughs to find ways you can minimise waste and save money for your business.”

With incredible buying power, seven team members and great value on products we use every day in our homes and businesses, it is no wonder Everyday Supplies has been a local industry leader since 1997.

SUPPLIES FOR EVERYDAY...

Everday Supplies owners Jac McCarty and Brad Hill grow their business by putting the customer and their needs rst.

Photo: Deanne Jeffers

Brad Hill

Leaders in innovative security technology

ANYTHING we can do to ensure the safety of our families and property is invaluable.

Security and peace of mind are more crucial than ever and utilising an elite service with a wealth of knowledge and experience is the best way to safeguard what we need to protect most.

With over 30 years' experience, Standby Security are industry leaders in the use of innovative, cuttingedge technology. Director Angelo Kakouros and his team understand their clients want access to their monitoring systems whenever it suits them, and they have a plethora of options for business, domestic and commercial use to suit all lifestyles and premises’. Live notifications are sent to your devices to ensure the ability to monitor your property 24/7.

Mr Kakouros poses a great question when he asks people to have a think about the viability of their current security systems.

“Does your current alarm system have the ability to verify a genuine

intruder and prompt a police response, or does it just make a whole lot of noise?” Mr Kakouros asks.

Many homes and business alarm systems generate a lot of noise yet fail to verify a genuine intruder which requires a response from authorities.

Standby Security ensures their alarm systems integrate to work seamlessly using genuine, branded products and expert, licensed installation.

Criminals have become smarter and more desperate in their approach and Standby Security provides superior technology and service. By integrating smarter technology and manpower, substantial savings for our clients have been achieved. And most importantly, the creation of safer and more secure environments.

The future is bright for the security firm, with their vision to continuously develop and implement cutting-edge security solutions in firm sights.

A VISION TO CONTINUOUSLY ADAPT AND DEVELOP… Standby Security owner, Angelo Kakouros and his team are on standby to talk you through cutting-edge security systems for your business and home in the Goulburn Valley.

Photo: Steve Hutcheson

Comprising of a team of 70 service and administration staff nationally, 13 of whom are employed in Shepparton, they have worked with the Goulburn Valley’s biggest names in manufacturing.

In the last two years, they have worked with a local manufacturer Noumi to double the capacity of their wastewater treatment and significantly reduce waste volumes and their environmental footprint by introducing sludge de-watering, which also decreased operating costs.

developing their chemical blending and warehousing facility here in Shepparton which is designed to hold stock and supply customers and depots across Australia. Their current and recent ventures provided real insight into more efficient water treatment options that are more economically and environmentally beneficial for their clients.

- Dave Murray

Hydro Flow continue to work with a wide range of manufacturing companies, food producers and commercial customers across the Goulburn Valley. They are continually

“Our vision is to present our capabilities to more food producers to give the best local service, improve their environmental footprint and bottom line for businesses who have high costs and compliance issues,” said regional works coordinator of Hydro Flow Shepparton, Dave Murray.

“Expansion is constant, the Goulburn Valley provides an excellent base for companies such as ours with its diverse industry and progressive nature. We are striving to maintain our service levels under these challenges.

“We want to be known as a dependable company, with good people providing excellent service levels and engineering solutions. Maintaining good

relationships with our customers is at the forefront of our plans moving forward, and always will be.

“The diversity of our work provides stimulation for our employees and allows us to retain staff and maintain a healthy working environment for our people. That in turn translates to our performance for our customers. We are very fortunate to have what we do on our doorstep.”

Valley

Innovation,

and Passion in our community - The Shepparton Adviser

HYDRO FLOW Shepparton are water treatment and wastewater specialists, with ‘Worry Free Water’ being their focus.

WORRY FREE WATER... Hydro Flow is good for the environment and great for business. Pictured, Hydro Flow eld service engineer, Ryan Sprunt. Photo: Kelly Carmody

BACKYARD

DRIVER, LEE JARVIS.

professional and

customer experience

ESTABLISHED in 1984, Viatek is proudly Australian owned and operated. Located in 17 offices across regional and metropolitan Victoria and New South Wales, they are committed to delivering value through innovative solutions that drive business productivity and reduce operational costs.

One of Australia’s largest regional managed print services, Viatek are a servicesbased organisation with knowledge and technical experience covering all aspects of managed print services and business technology. The team take time to really understand their customers’ unique requirements and build solutions that meets their needs. Currently, 200 people work across their network, servicing over 4,500 customers.

Viatek have fostered strong partnerships with global leaders such as FUJIFILM Business Innovation Australia,

Microsoft, HP, WatchGuard, Lexmark, DocuSign and Access4, which enables them to deliver to their clients the best solutions, technology and services on the market.

At the heart of Viatek is a dedicated team focus, a flair for innovation, and a tenacious attitude towards delivering exceptional, professional and a highly consistent customer experience.

“We value the relationships with our people and our customers as well as actively supporting the local communities that we service,” said senior technician of 30 years, Craig Hogeboom.

REAL SOLUTIONS THAT DRIVE PRODUCTIVITY... One of Australia’s largest regional managed print services, Viatek are a services-based organisation with knowledge and technical experience covering all aspects of managed print services and business technology. Pictured from left, senior technician of 30 years Craig Hogeboom, sales manager Craig McInnes and account manager Brad Campbell are some of the 200-strong Viatek team. Photos: Supplied

The Viatek approach is to place the customer at the centre of everything they do and to build long term partnerships by understanding our

customers business needs and implementing the right solutions to address their business challenges. They are strong supporters of our community and often sponsor

events such as fun runs and golf days to show gratitude to the clients who support them.

"Sargeants Conveyancing is one of the largest conveyancing networks in Victoria. We offer the strength of a solicitor supported network and over 20 offices throughout Victoria” said Rebecca Finnigan, owner of Sargeants Goulburn Valley, a conveyancing firm that expanded into Shepparton this year.

“I started the business approximately nine years ago when I resided in Nagambie. I moved to Kialla two years ago and rebranded to Sargeants Goulburn Valley.”

“The past three years in the property industry have been hectic. There has been much growth in the Goulburn Valley where previously there was not, it’s created the perfect storm for the property market.”

“Whilst working for solicitors for 20 years I had been encouraged to study and obtain my conveyancing licence,” explained Ms Finnigan.

“It wasn’t until I had children that something changed. It taught me that

nothing worthwhile in life will fall in your lap, that if you want something for yourself, go out and make it happen.”

After achieving her qualification, Ms Finnigan began working under the Sargeants network, opening Sargeants GV at 632 Wyndham Street, Shepparton.

“Personally, it is a great industry to work in. I enjoy the satisfaction of helping clients navigate their way through the conveyancing process.”

Sargeants GV employs two staff – Kelly Simsen who has previously worked in the finance sector for over 27 years and Jason Rowles who was previously employed with Victoria Police for over 30 years.

Ms Finnigan said, “Buying and selling property is one of the most stressful decisions many people make. We like to think we make the process as easy and stress free as possible and offer fixed price fees for standard conveyancing matters providing our clients with certainty of costs.”

BUYING and selling property can seem intimidating, but when backed by local representatives who are well-supported by an extensive network of conveyancers, it doesn’t have to be.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE… Sargeants Goulburn Valley is one of the largest conveyancing networks in Victoria. Pictured from left, conveyancer Kelly Simsen and business owner and conveyancer Rebecca Finnigan. Photo: Supplied.

NO matter where you look, all industries have felt the effects of environmental and economic drivers, with more organisations seeking to save capital while protecting the environment and streamlining business practices.

One way that businesses are reaching new targets is by upgrading their dated water coolers to a modern Aquafil Fresh high-tech filtration system. Today, more than 1,000 local businesses and organisations have already made the change.

“I had been delivering water for over 15 years. Seven years ago, Bill installed what is now an Aquafil Fresh water cooler in my home as a trial. Two weeks later

I quit my day job and Aquafil Fresh was born. I knew hands down it was the way of the future,” said co-director, Craig McIntyre. “Businesses now have far greater awareness and focus on being environmentally friendly. They understand bottled water has to be pumped from the ground, transported to a factory, packaged, and transported again.”

“In 99 percent of cases, businesses actually save money on their bottled water bills. It’s a real win-win,” said Craig. “Aquafil Fresh water coolers are definitely the way of the future.”

Not only is an Aquafil Fresh system better for the environment and the bank, but because they

are plumbed into your water supply is no need to schedule deliveries or store large 15L bottles of water.

Workplaces that have adopted this innovative approach never had to order, store and stack or lift a bottle of water again. Furthermore, their staff and respected business clients have access to chilled filtered water. These systems have been popular in schools, where teachers have noted that students drink more water than before, which has had a positive impact on their behaviour and health.

With single-use plastics set to be banned statewide from February 2023, and an ever-growing list of glowing recommendations, there’s never been a better time to be part of the change and embrace locally driven innovations like Aquafil Fresh.

SAVE ON SPACE, MONEY AND TIME... While helping nature with an Aqua l Fresh water cooler. Directors Bill Dowling and Craig McIntyre have helped over 1,000 happy customers.

Photo: Kelly Carmody.

the rough

SUPPORTING local business and investing in our community

As an innovative and fully accredited leader in the resource recovery and recycling of all metals, Future Recycling on Old Dookie Road, Shepparton are proudly local, competitive and have been carbon neutral for eight years.

“It means a lot to the business to continue to get the support of other local businesses. As a local business, we need local support for our continued survival,” said branch manager, Daniel Thewma.

“It is a constant battle to hold our own. We’re constantly fending off external businesses from Wodonga and Melbourne.”

Future Recyling has its own public registered weigh bridge, which ensures customers get the most accurate and competitive rebate on materials.

Since last year, Future Recyling have acquired three new trucks, two walking floors for carting waste, and a metal tub that is taking metal from Shepparton to the recycling facility in Melbourne.

“We’re pretty much self-sufficient. We’ve got our own transport and everything that we need here to then do our business.”

After implementing the shear and bin tilter last year, Daniel said, “We can now export direct to overseas, which allows us to give the customer even better rebates.”

While outgoings have increased like diesel prices, Future Recyling continues to look for new sustainable initiatives and grow the business, their footprint and reach across the region.

LOCALS BACKING LOCALS...

Recyling continues to look for new sustainable initiatives and grow the business, their footprint and reach across the region. Pictured,

Recycling branch manager Daniel Thewma, administration assistants Kirsty Argentino and Ebony Wilson, with leading hand James Legge. Photo: Kelly Carmody

holistic approach

total

care

BUILT on a shared passion for best-practice treatment for all patients, the team at GV Vets are committed to a holistic healthcare model that ensures wholeanimal care is prioritised.

They strive to offer the highest quality of care and support for both family pets and farm animals in this region and offer onsite, home and farm visits to aid their scope of care.

“We are immensely proud to be 100 percent family owned and operated. With state-of-the-art veterinary equipment, we aim to provide the highest level of care for pets and animals in the Goulburn Valley,” said veterinarian and clinic partner Dr Frances Jenner.

“Our experienced vets and nurses take pride

in looking after your pets, keeping you informed along the way, with access to advanced radiographic, ultrasound, dental, laboratory testing and surgical equipment.”

GV Vets are committed to providing their clients with positive outcomes and are driven by their love of creatures, big and small.

They also know that good people are the key to a fabulous team.

“We support our staff as best we can, they do an amazing job. They have overcome so many adversities over the past two years, including supply chain issues. They have been apt at finding

alternatives and providing options to clients when making decisions regarding their animals,” said veterinarian and clinic partner, Dr Brett Davis.

The clinic plans to expand their premises over the next 12 months, thus increasing their capacity in terms of number of consulting rooms and surgeries, a dedicated dental facility, hospitalisation facilities and family-friendly, improved staff amenities.

“GV Vets has a strong focus on community involvement. We are excited to support other local businesses, sporting clubs, charities and students. We would like to thank everyone who has supported us on our journey so far,” said veterinarian and clinic partner, Dr Jeremy Lee.

FROM BACKYARD TO BARNYARD...The team at GV Vets are committed to a holistic healthcare model that ensures whole-animal care is prioritised. They strive to offer the highest quality of care and support for both family pets and farm animals in this region and offer onsite, home and farm visits to aid their scope of care. Pictured is GV Vets co-owner Dr Brett Davis.

Photo: Kelly Carmody

Dr Brett Davis

John Petzke

Jan Petzke

Paul Fleming

Clinton Campbell

We know insurance. It’s been our business for a very long time, and we are one of the largest

brokers in the nation. With experience, integrity

channels, we provide advice and guidance to help you make informed decisions.

a range of underwriter

are efficient and responsive in everything

always have your best interests at heart. Our management team

do and

more

their field, it’s this

that

storm

THE property market has been a rollercoaster over the past 24 months, with new terrain to navigate over the next nancial year as we face interest rate rises.

One thing Gagliardi Scott Real Estate will continue to focus on however, despite what challenges may be on the horizon, is the continuous investment and development of the real estate firm's greatest asset- its' people.

Gagliardi Scott comprises of a dynamic team of 28, with director Rocky Gagliardi even employing offshore staff members who help streamline the organisation’s processes.

With over 25 years' experience, Rocky has seen the property market go through various highs and lows and is confident the Goulburn Valley region can weather any storm.

“Shepparton is a resilient town. Our large manufacturing stronghold, further development of our healthcare, educational and shopping facilities, in addition to our general lifestyle, are drawcards to those wanting to establish a future in a regional city

as opposed to metropolitan areas,” explained Rocky.

“The next few months will be about stabilisation of the market more than anything.”

With a brilliant reputation cemented through real-life testimonials from both buyers and sellers, their exemplary customer service and other factors which differentiate them from franchised real estate agencies, Gagliardi Scott is

no stranger to being adaptable and proactive.

“One thing that drives us is a real passion for our community. The Goulburn Valley is a tight-knit region, full of business owners who are mindful of their impact overall and how decisions can be made for the greater good,” said Rocky.

“The mutual respect everyone has is what makes it a great place to live. It also gives us the tools to adapt to changes and respond to challenges as a collective and be resilient.”

EPITOME OF RESILIENCE...With over 25 years’ experience, Rocky Gagliardi, director of Gagliardi Scott Real Estate, has seen the property market go through various highs and lows and is con dent the Goulburn Valley region can weather any storm. Photo: Kelly Carmody

Understanding the nature of

business

IN a changing world where events can often overtake things, maintaining adequate nancial protection becomes paramount.

Deciding who is best to provide that protection often comes down to deciding who best fits the niche that you operate in.

Will Phillips, owner manager at Elders Insurance (Shepparton) sees their company providing specialist service to the agriculture sector, ranging from on-farm insurance to serving the needs of those businesses that work within the agricultural sector.

Recent events across the country such as fires and floods have put additional pressures on providing the best coverage with premiums having to rise across the country to meet the increasing risks people face.

Future flood predictions have forced the Insurance Council to infer that up to 60 percent of dwellings within the Shepparton region may become uninsurable due to their proximity to flood plains and fire zones.

This changing climate will also have an increasing impact on damages to crops and livestock in the near future giving cause for the team at Elders

to develop policies with farmers that are going to suit these business owners going forward.

Like many industries in the region, securing new staff to help growing businesses becomes harder all the time. Will sees insurance as a great opportunity for people with rural knowledge in particular to build long term careers.

“At Elders Insurance, we have multiple career opportunities from admin, to sales to claims processing,” said Will.

Unlike many other insurance intermediaries, Elders Insurance in Shepparton can handle, process and pay most claims directly to their insurers.

The choices for rural business are many however, managing adequate coverage will become critical in the future and being able to look at those options in a constructive way will challenge both farmers and business owners to work closely with your local Elders Insurance agent who better understand the nature of their business and manage the risks accordingly.

FINANCIAL PROTECTION EXPERTISE...Will Phillips, owner manager at Elders Insurance (Shepparton) sees their company providing specialist service to the agriculture sector, ranging from on-farm insurance to serving the needs of those businesses that work within the agricultural sector. Photo: Supplied

the wording

CAMERONS Lawyers in Shepparton is a team of experienced lawyers, clerks and administrative staff who take pride in their ability to assist businesses and local residents with timely advice around the many facets of law people encounter each day.

Camerons Lawyers assists their clients with contract law, dealing with wills and probate, litigation, criminal and family law, civil cases involving contracts and leases, and of course, making sure that purchase contracts for property are secure for lasting peace of mind.

Camerons

Chelsie Sharp, the practice manager at Camerons Lawyers said, “This past year has seen our workload increase and like many businesses we have been working remotely where possible. With recent in-house staff promotions, we have embarked on a search for new lawyer and administrative talent to join the Camerons family and maintain timely completion of the workload.”

Camerons Lawyers recently moved to brand new offices in Maude Street, central

Shepparton, cementing their foothold in the local community.

“Camerons Lawyers is a very enjoyable place to work," said director Jayne Law who began her career many years ago at Camerons. The culture here is excellent, it’s a flexible workplace and an enjoyable place to come to,” said Chelsie.

Camerons Lawyers places high value on the fostering of local relationships and is well respected with a time-honoured history supporting many long-term clients since establishment in 1887. The future is looking bright for the Goulburn Valley and Camerons Lawyers is excited to be part of that.

TEAM OF EXPERIENCED LAWYERS...Camerons Lawyers comprises of lawyers, clerks and administrative staff who take pride in their ability to assist businesses and local residents with timely advice around the many facets of law people encounter each day. Pictured from left practice manager Chelsie Sharp with directors Jayne Law and Owen Lai. Photo: Kelly Carmody

places high value on the fostering of local relationships and is well respected with a timehonoured history

ANTHONY COOTE -

JAYNELAW -

SHANAMCDONALD

SIMONBURKE

MELISSA

Business solutions collectively changes the game

WHETHER it be business or personal, your time is better spent doing what you do best. That’s where Artery comes in.

Comprising a treasure-chest of professionals from a wide range of backgrounds and industries, Artery is best placed to navigate the complex issues and deal with red tape, so that you don’t have to.

Whether you are starting or selling a business, managing insurances, dealing with tax, looking to improve your office culture, investing, divesting, wading through a relationship breakdown, or anything in between, Artery is with you for the journey. Much like an actual artery, the team operates as a collaborative vascular system of advisers working together to provide

foundational professional services to clients, with a focus on achieving real-world outcomes.

“Our business is completely incomparable to any other model out there. We offer a trusted sounding board to our clients across such a large range of advisory services,” said chairman, Nathan Goodall.

“Whether your current path involves reviewing or managing your insurance program, reducing overheads within your business, buying or selling a property or a business, or setting yourself up for retirement, we are with you for the journey.”

Venkata Gadde, a director of Artery with similar

Goulburn Valley origins to Mr Goodall, has watched the impressive culture of the business grow.

“Our team leans on each other daily and we trust each other implicitly. We are all in constant contact with each other and leveraging our wealth of knowledge across the group to create efficient and price-effective outcomes for our clients.”

“Our aim is simple – to protect client interests while making the entire process as seamless and stress free as possible,” said Mr Gadde.

RETINUE FOR BUSINESS AND FOR LIFE... Whether you are starting or selling a business, managing insurances, dealing with tax, or whatever your needs in business or in life, Artery works together to help you cut through red tape. Pictured in the centre is Artery chairman Nathan Goodall with two clients. Photo: Supplied

Your Trusted

•

•

Artery Legal More than just lawyers.

Be it business or personal, we believe your time is better spent doing what you do best, not dealing with red tape. Whether your current path involves buying or selling your home, starting or selling a business, or managing the breakdown of your relationship, we are with you for this journey, and the next. Our aim is simple – to protect your interests while making the entire process as seamless and stress-free as possible. By working to truly understand your drivers, your circumstances, and your end game, we are then best placed to provide advice that comprises the right balance of commercial, legal and personal considerations. Whether your needs are transactional or situational, we are there to help you reach your next goal.

Services include:

• Commercial advice on problem solving, project management & strategy

• Fractional general counsel

for start-ups, SME’s and middle market clients

• Conveyancing, property & leasing, building & construction

• Non-executive director, advisory board and family council appointments

• Family law

• Wills & estates, powers of attorney

• Insolvency

• Taxation

Artery Optimise Optimise your efficiencies and long-term business capabilities.

Businesses

Key

Artery Wealth Your bespoke wealth advisory solution.

Our fundamental belief is that strategic asset allocation across various asset classes (local & international equity markets, private equity investments and fixed interest opportunities) needs to be dynamic.

This dynamic asset allocation is dependent on:

• Risk management: your understanding and desired appetite for risk

• Financial markets: how each asset class may be tracking at any point in time (within its own cycle)

Our methodology is based firmly on our observations about the cyclical nature of financial markets and studied with a perspective framed over 3 to 5 years. We approach the task of portfolio construction

through the use of three major screening processes, namely:

• Macro factors

• Valuation

• Momentum

This approach is underlined by a disciplined rules-based approach to risk management - well beyond traditional asset class diversification.

We apply our belief that retaining full exposure to equity markets throughout the economic cycle, invariably leads to significant cyclical falls in capital. Instead, by reflexing the level of risk presented at various stages of the economic cycle – we endeavour to step away from equity exposure (either partially or entirely) when systemic risk is high and being reflected in the underlying market/s.

Nathan Goodall

Michael Jensen

Michael Canzoneri Director

Loula Haramis Legal

David Chia Director

Ben Brockhurst Director

Venkata Gadde Director

Bill McLellan Director

Aryan Goodall Client Solutions

Artery Performance Your go to for all things leadership, people, culture and performance.

Taking any business to the next level requires talented leaders capable of developing themselves and others exceptionally well. We support those leaders to facilitate a productive and harmonious workplace allowing the business to achieve and exceed key performance indicators.

Services include:

• Facilitating full lifecycle people and culture ecosystems underpinned by supporting software

• Whole of business predictive analytics technology

• Executive mentoring and business coaching

• Leadership team workshops

• Advisory board appointments

• Fractional people and culture appointments

Artery Collective Your complete advisory treasure chest.

Our rotational advisory board solution can take your business to the next level with our group of leaders helping you embrace opportunities and overcome challenges as they arise. As a truly unique offering, we can provide your business with valuable insights from the perspective of each Artery division when it is needed in real time. Our advisory board team has the real world experience in leading successful companies and they have the scars to prove it.

Key principles and services include:

• Clarity of scope clearly articulated

• Independent and diverse representation

• Advisors are fit for purpose to fulfill the scope and meet objectives

• Structure, discipline and protocols to establish, manage and review effectiveness

• Ongoing measurement of organisational impact and alignment

when

Using a combination of enduring fundamental skills in conjunction with innovative problemsolving capabilities, our team is well placed to formulate complete insurance and risk management solutions specific to your needs. Our unique methodology includes our staff being legally trained or supervised, ensuring your insurance program is structured so as to avoid potential fine print pitfalls, also providing you with the comfort of knowing our team can interpret and resolve any claim of any size.

segment solutions include:

• High Net Wealth

• Agribusiness and Large Farm

• Food & Beveridge, Cold Storage

• Transport, Warehousing & Logistics

• Corporate & Professional Risks

• High Risk Exposures

• International Programs

• Insurance Due Diligence Reports

• Scheme Facility Arrangements

Fostering progression and career growth

CAREER satisfaction can be a fundamental element to one’s happiness, the ability to have your hard work recognised, feel supported and work for an organisation your values align with is an integral component to setting the foundations for a solid and long-term career.

Working at GV Health for almost two years, Mr Arun Varkey is a registered nurse and is proud to be part of a team that supports our community and provides crucial healthcare services to our region.

Mr Varkey is a Shepparton local, he

attended school locally before studying nursing at La Trobe University Shepparton.

Thus far, Mr Varkey has undertaken rotations in critical care and medical ward and will next be moving into dialysis, the foundations of a comprehensive nursing career.

Arun Varkey

“I really find the clinical experience of mixed presentations, and experiencing a diverse and mixed case load rewarding,” explained Mr Varkey.

“My experience at GV Health has

been really good, they provide such a supportive, open and welcoming team environment.”

Mr Varkey is keenly aware of how vital it is for regional cities to have sufficient medical care, and he aspires to progress his nursing career locally with GV Health.“I’m passionate about giving back to the

community that I grew up in and helping local people,” he said.

GV Health are so much more than a regional health service. They have a commitment to creating a welcoming and caring environment where their people feel safe, supported, respected and their career aspirations and development are encouraged.

McLardy McShane Shepparton is a collaborative team responsive to client needs

BARRY Freer understands only too well the security and confidence that tailormade insurance brings and when the unthinkable happens; clients require swift, responsive service. With additional staff joining Barry’s team, McLardy McShane Shepparton has grown, emerging from lockdowns more resilient and passionate about providing higher service levels than ever.

They provide a broad range of general insurance products, for Manufacturing, Farm, Transport, Retail, Trades, and Professional Business packages. Having access to many insurers allows the team to extensively search the market for clients.

As Barry said, “Our values hold true because they are at the core of what we do. We believe strongly in keeping our focus on service levels, we aim to be available to support our clients and to be responsive to their needs as soon as they arise.”

as one of the fastest growing insurance brokerages and authorised representative network groups in Australia, and Barry and his staff are proud to be McLardy McShane Partners local, authorised representative.

Barry Freer

Nationally, the award winning McLardy McShane Group is recognised

Barry said “The commitment, drive and passion of the group led by Don McLardy and Mike McShane make our collaborative efforts a pleasure.

Their enormous success ignites and replicates our passion here in Shepparton for excellence in service, impelling growth.”

LOVE YOUR CAREER...Working at GV Health for almost two years, Mr Arun Varkey is a registered nurse and is proud to be part of a team that supports our community and provides crucial healthcare services to our region. Photo:Supplied

My experience at GV Health has been really good, they provide such a supportive, open and welcoming team environment.

We believe strongly in keeping our focus on service levels, we aim to be available to support our clients and to be responsive to their needs as soon as they arise.

RESPONSIVE TO CLIENT’S NEEDS... Barry Freer leads an exceptional team at McLardy McShane, who combine experience and knowledge to cater to a broad clientele.

Photo: Kelly Carmody

Support you to reach your

ever-changing

everything

do.

to

WE

HIRING NOW

Stage 1 of GV Health’s $229 million

of

Street

Celebrating 20 years of award-winning finance broking

ESTABLISHED in Shepparton in 2002, Vehicle and Equipment Finance have become one of the largest rural-based nance brokerages in Australia. This year is the 20th anniversary for the well-respected rm, and their ability to remain a pillar of the Shepparton business community is a testament to their outstanding service.

The business supports clients from all over Australia, sharing with their client base their extensive knowledge in the field of Asset Finance Broking. Their experience and extensive network of cross sector, industry relationships enables them to provide their customers with a wide range of financial products and advice. Be it agriculture,

transport or earthmoving, food production, health, government or manufacturing, business owners across the nation seek the expertise of Vehicle and Equipment Finance.

The company works with over 30 different accredited financiers, meaning they can provide their clients with a range of options far beyond the scope of many finance brokerages.

“We strive to deliver the best results for our clients, in the timeliest manner possible. Working with a range of financiers across different market sectors allows us to be dynamic and arrive at the best solutions for our clients,” said director, Warren Helman.

In terms of prosperity, the future is bright. Having weathered the Covid storm and current market uncertainties, there’s not much that can sway the hard-working team.

“The current financial year had been an interesting time for the business. Many organisations have needed to update their current business assets after Covid,” said general manager, Steven Tricarico.

“Also, being acknowledged as the ANZ Commercial Broker Of The Year for regional Victoria consecutively confirms for us that staying true to our ethics is working. We will continue to work with the same level of professionalism and dedication as we have for the past 20 years.”

More Than Local Lawyers

Faram Ritchie Davies (FRD) has been providing quality legal and migration services to Shepparton and surrounding areas, interstate and internationally across a range of legal matters since 1991.

The firm places an emphasis on providing sensible and realistic advice and assisting their clients to reach the right outcome for their personal circumstances or needs.

The firm proudly supports the local community by providing pro bono services to a number of schools, sporting associations and clubs. FRD has also been a nominee in the Shepparton Chamber of Commerce Business Awards.

FRD pride themselves on being Shepparton’s local lawyers.

community - The Shepparton Adviser

STRIVING FOR THE BEST REULTS FOR THEIR CLIENTS...This year marks the 20th anniversary for Vehicle and Equipment Finance and their ability to remain a pillar of the Shepparton business community is a testament to their outstanding service. Pictured from left is nance broker Paul Trinick, general manager Steven Tricarico, director David Edwards and director Warren Helman. Photo: Kelly Carmody

We strive to deliver the best results for our clients, in the timeliest manner possible.

Director, Warren Helman

Est 1991

From left Claire Soccio, James Maxwell, Nicole Batey, Rebecca Osborne, Tim Davies, Sarah Montgomery, Sam Calleri and Khady Ajro

Solutions,

Griffiths

ONE of the largest insurance brokers in the nation, PSC Griffiths Goodall, has the right combination of expertise, experience and leadership to ensure the very best level of customer service across a diverse portfolio of insurance products.

The family name, Griffiths Goodall, in insurance has been synonymous with exceptional client service and delivery for over 30 years. With entrenched family values, account executive and team leader, Nathan Findlay said, “We maintain a really strong sense of client worth in our culture, I think that really helps when you are talking to clients. It’s very relatable.”

Merging with PSC three years ago, PSC Griffiths Goodall has experienced significant organic growth while externally expanding its reach globally. Expanding business by 34 percent, the brokerage now employs a dedicated team of 47, directed by adept leadership.

With senior executives supporting new candidates coming through the ranks, Nathan said the blend of experience at PSC Griffiths Goodall fills the point of difference for clients, “We pride ourselves in finding solutions for our clients and because of our

experience and knowledge in the industry, we will always strive to find an option for the client.”

But despite PSC Griffiths Goodall’s experience, expertise and growth, it is a resolute dedication to client service that remains core to the business’ sustained success, as Nathan asserted, “Every business tries to improve in their customer service and communication with clients. We do feel like we have a really good understanding of our clients, and they are the most important thing to us. Always. And we do our very best to service those clients.”

THE RIGHT COMBINATION OF EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE...Team leader and account executive, Nathan Findlay and senior account executive, Mandy Gladman lead a growing team. Photo: Kelly Carmody

employs

of

directed by adept leadership.

Pictured from left, Frank Vivona, Marie & Leo Oliver, and Patsy Demase of Lift 'N'

Looking to the future after servicing the community for 130 years

FROM its humble beginnings as a grocery store in 1887 to its modern concern on Numurkah Road, Fairleys SUPA IGA has been on a continuous trajectory of expansion.

Passing from the Fairley family to the Gaylards in 1925, and then onto Michaels IGA Group in 2012, the business has not only become an entrenched part of the community but has grown into a thriving and award-winning supermarket.

On the cusp of an exciting new development, Fairleys IGA is set to build a new state-of-the-art supermarket as part of a new commercial and retail centre in North Shepparton.

To be built on Numurkah Road and Hawkins Street, the $63M investment will service the growing needs of the burgeoning community, with the new supermarket as a key feature.

Long-time advocate for the development, and managing director of Fairleys IGA, Michael Lorenz said,

“Fairleys has been meeting the needs of Shepparton residents for more than 130 years. Since taking ownership in 2012, we have been lobbying for a new, improved supermarket building to ensure we provide shopping experience for our customers.”

While maintaining that the new IGA will continue to ‘stay alive’ to local demand and buy local ‘supplies’ wherever it could, Michael reaffirmed the business’ core values,

“Fairleys will continue to offer the largest range of supermarket items for the community in Shepparton at the best prices with a friendly smile and great service. The new building will be important in many ways, from improving sustainability issues to better meeting our customer demands.”

ON THE CUSP OF EXPANSION...Fairleys IGA is about to build a new stateof-the-art supermarket. Pictured is Fairleys IGA order writer Diane Thoresen and store manager, John Mourmourkis. Photo: Kelly Carmody

Numurkah Road

TRUST is something earned over time, is built with consistency and is words met with action.

Celebrating 20 years of servicing Victoria and beyond in providing tailor-made security solutions to both residential and commercial clients, Mark and Vicki Liversidge know the vital role that trust plays when clients come to them.

As managing director, Mark stated, “It’s you that clients are really buying when they need security solutions for their property. You can show customers a product and explain to them how it works but really, they’re putting their trust in you. They’re banking on your experience.”

With three new apprentices rounding out the 11 strong team at Insight Protection Solutions office manager, Vicki ensures that the trainees understand the significance of the trust that is

bestowed upon them, while also acknowledging the vitality that youth bring to the business as well.

“With all the young ones coming through, they breathe life into the business. You are training the next generation of technicians which is exciting, and they bring technical edge as well.”

Along with integrating security systems and providing technical solutions to problems in the field, staying abreast of technological innovation is another feature that provides Insight Protection Solutions with its edge in the market, said Mark. With an average shelf life of two to three years, knowing state-of-theart products and gaining manufacturer accreditation on those products is a must.

“New technology comes mainly through industry groups,” said Mark, having recently returned from the Asian conference. “It is here that manufacturers get together and showcase their latest products. We normally come away from these conventions with three or four really good ideas and we aim to implement these in our business over the next 12

months before the next convention.”

With 20 years of innovation implementation, ongoing training and respect for the importance of trust, Mark and Vicki Liversidge attribute their success and business growth to word of mouth based on providing consistent and excellent service.

“We strive for excellence,” said Mark, “We have always aimed to provide the best possible service, and that’s where your word of mouth and business growth comes from.”

Shepparton

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS...Mark and Vicki Liversidge have provided tailor-made security solutions for residential and commercial clients for 20 years in an ever changing, dynamic market. Photo: Kelly Carmody

ones coming

they breathe life into the business

Vicki Liversidge

Continiously

LIFT N Shift is a local, family run business, and has been servicing the transport needs of the Goulburn Valley for over 20 years.

Tony Pastucci, together with his wife, Julie, started Lift N Shift in 2000 with one heavy tilt tray truck.

With years of hard work and dedication, Lift N Shift has grown to a fleet of over 20 trucks and 20 employees. As a family run business, these employees include his two daughters, Marie and Victtoria, who have both held positions in the office. The recent arrival of the first grandchild, Leo, ensures the continuity of the business in the future.

The fleet of heavy tilt trays, lowloaders and crane trucks was further enhanced with eight tip trucks, six semis and two quad-dogs. This has enabled the company to expand into gravel sales for customers in the local area.

Lift N Shift’s latest acquisition is an axle widening low loader and dolly that has a carrying capacity of 60 tonnes and an extended width of 4.3 metres for the transport of larger equipment.

CORNERSTONE OF OUR TRANSPORT INDUSTRY...Servicing the transport needs of the Goulburn Valley for over 20 years, Lift N Shift has grown to a eet of over 20 trucks and 20 employees. Pictured from left, foreman Frank Vivona with Marie and Leo Oliver, (daughter and grandson of owners, Tony and Julie Pastucci) and of ce manager Patsy Demase. Photo: Kelly Carmody

Tony, along with Frank and Patsy, work as a team with capable and experienced drivers and approach each and every job with a professional attitude.

“We aim to ensure we provide high quality service and customer satisfaction,” said Tony.

Lift N Shift has been and continues to support

many local charities within the Goulburn Valley with sponsorship and donations which include Shepparton United Football & Netball Club, several GV Lions Clubs, Shepparton and Mooroopna Harness Racing Clubs, Christmas For Those Alone and Give Me 5 For Kids, just to name a few.

Tony Pastucci

servicing the region

WITH over 19 years of technical experience, Mr Brad Doherty became the managing director of Shepparton Sewing Centre in 2022, a local business which has been operating for over 30 years.

Brad is a sewing machine technician, an area of expertise which has become a rarity, and his wealth of knowledge of sewing machinery lends to his ability to recommend the perfect machine for beginner through

to advanced sewers and an offer in-house machine repair service.

“Every day brings a new challenge, and I never stop learning. This is an incredibly rewarding environment, and no two days are ever the same,” said Brad. Brad has the assistance of the incredibly knowledgeable Sandra and Chris, who are passionate about all things sewing, and pride

themselves on their exemplary customer service.

The colourful and neat-as-a-pin store is a sewers dream, which boasts a range of quilting fabrics, top of the range sewing machines from Bernina, Janome, Brother, Pfaff and Juki, sewing lessons and so much more.

“We are grateful for the continued support by long-term and new customers alike and strive to be an establishment where we offer not only a comprehensive product range, but also lend our knowledge, support and expertise to those who visit our store. We truly have some of the nicest customers and it is a joy to help them out every day,” said Brad.

A SEWER’S DREAM...With over 19 years of technical experience, Mr Brad Doherty became the managing director of Shepparton Sewing Centre in 2022. Photo: Stephanie Holliday

The name Collins continues to be strong in caravans

IN late 1984, Craig Collins embarked on a career in the caravanning industry alongside his father Don, which after 39 years is still going strong.

First starting as Valley Caravans and Canvas in Shepparton South, where Tradelink is located now, the business transformed into Don Collins Caravans selling all the latest and greatest models including Capricorn Caravans, Viscount and then expanded to include Jayco.

Once the time came for Don to retire 18 years ago, after running

the workshop with five other employees, Craig took the reins with a leap of faith and began his venture as Solar City Caravans.

Servicing the greater part of Victoria and surrounding areas ever since, Solar City Caravans are service providers for Dometic, Thetford, Leisuretec, Enerdrive and carry a well stocked showroom of bits and pieces.

Genuine customer service makes local business iconic

IT is no mean feat to become an iconic local business, but for almost 50 years of unfailing commitment to providing the nest customer service, that is exactly what Pat and Tina’s BP Service Station has achieved.

It is a striking point of difference that the business continues to provide service at the pump along with complimentary windscreen cleaning. Quaint and exceptional, the staff engage each patron with warmth and jovial banter while the enduring popularity of the BP is affirmed by the station’s loyal and constant clientele.

Having opened in 1973, ownership has passed from Pat and Tina Di Conza to

their son Joe, and his wife Angela.

While combining over 145 years of experience, the business has also garnered significant recognition from the business world.

In 2013, Pat and Tina’s Service Station was inducted into the Shepparton Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Hall of Fame in recognition for its superlative levels of service.

For Joe, however, a dedication to customer service is simply the way it has always been in the family business, as he said,

“Having a model of service which is the same today as it was over 45 years ago is important. The experience and service we offer mean the most to our customers and that’s why they keep coming back.”

A SHEPPARTON ICON... Joe Di Conza continues his family’s commitment to providing exemplary customer service. Photo: Kelly Carmody

STRONG FOUNDATION... After 39 years, Solar City Caravans has seen immense change with business still going strong, servicing the greater part of Victoria and surrounding areas. Pictured is Craig Collins, who started in the industry alongside his father, Don Collins. Photo: Deanne Jeffers

Celebrating Shepparton Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s Awards

Awards Hall of Fame recipients

EVERY year since the early 1990s, the Shepparton Chamber of Commerce & Industry has facilitated the region’s premier business awards to pay recognition to local businesses and individuals that demonstrate excellence in their fields (excluding the Covid years of 2020 & 2021). Since 2007, 13 recipients have been added to the business award’s Hall of Fame.

The awards have not been able to go ahead since 2020, meaning this year Shepparton Chamber of Commerce & Industry will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the awards, making now the opportune time to acknowledge previous Hall of Fame recipients, those many long-standing businesses

from around the region that have contributed greatly to the Shepparton we know and love.

This year’s Hall of Fame recipient will be announced at a gala dinner on Friday, October 28 at Riverlinks Eastbank, Shepparton.

Previous Hall of Fame recipients:

2019: Graham Hill Eyecare

2018: Dale Wright Portrait Maker (Photography)

2017: Purdeys Jewellers

2016: Cellar 47

2015: Renato’s Florist

2014: John Anderson Pharmacy

2013: Pat and Tina’s BP Service Station

2012: Traffik Boutique

2011: Stubbs and Wallace and Partners

2010: McArthur’s Shoes

2009: WB Hunter Pty Ltd

2008: Lovell’s Shepparton News Agency

2007: J. Furphy & Sons Pty Ltd

2011: STUBBS WALLACE AND PARTNERS... From left, business development manager Naomi Hoenig,

2007: J. FURPHY & SONS PTY LTD.. Adam Furphy of J. Furphy & Sons

2009: WB HUNTER PTY LTD... Dot and Bill Hunter are congratulated by 2008 Hall of Fame winner, Gary Lovell

2017: PURDEYS JEWELLERS... From left, Pam and Stewart Lynas, and Jo and Michael Kearney of Purdeys Jewellers

Grasso

2010: MCARTHUR’S SHOES... From left, Shepparton Chamber of Commerce former president Howard Forster, with McArthur family representative, Ellie McArthur

2008: LOVELL’S SHEPPARTON NEWS AGENCY... Pictured from left, Gary and Shirley Lovell and Louise Brown (nee Lovell), Lovell’s News Agency

2012: TRAFFIK BOUTIQUE... owner, Hismet Sali

2018: DALE WRIGHT PORTRAIT MAKER (PHOTOGRAPHY)... From left, Dale Wright Portrait Maker owners, Lorraine and Dale Wright

2014: JOHN ANDERSON PHARMACY... Agata and John Anderson of John Anderson Pharmacy

2013: PAT AND TINA’S BP SERVICE STATION... Pat & Tina’s BP Service Station owner, Joe Di Conza

2015: RENATO’S FLORIST... Renatos’ Florist proprietor, Sam Renato

Primary Industries and Consumer Goods

HOUSING

Population boom: 137,618

Pictured from left, Cameron West, Rebekah O'Hara, Rob Bruns and Bianca Murphy of Online - Ag Shepparton

HOME gardeners and the broader community called on to help protect against Queensland fruit y. If left unmanaged, the effects of Queensland fruit y can be devastating.

The Goulburn Murray Valley Fruit Fly Area Wide Management Program brings together community, industry and government to apply a coordinated approach to the control of fruit fly.

According to the program's coordinator Ross Abberfield, we all have a role to play in the control of fruit fly, with community awareness and increased education critical in protecting the region against the pest.

The management and control of fruit fly requires continued action from home gardeners, property owners, commercial growers and the broader community.

"Unless Queensland fruit fly is effectively controlled the impact on Victorian exports, and our horticultural industry could be devastating with a whole of community effort required to stop the spread of fruit fly, which also impacts home grown fruit and vegetables," Mr Abberfield said.

It is essential that anyone with a fruit tree or home veggie garden take a range of measures to help control fruit fly and its impacts on our region.

"There is no single action that will stop the spread of fruit fly, instead a range of simple and ongoing measures are required and we are asking home gardeners and the broader community to play an active role in coming together to protect against fruit fly," Mr Abberfield said.

Fruit trees that are unmanaged or no longer wanted should be removed and replaced with non-fruiting options in order to reduce the number of potential breeding grounds. Property owners are encouraged to have unwanted fruit trees removed through the free Fruit Tree Removal Program available in Moira, Greater Shepparton, Strathbogie and Campaspe Shires.

"The removal of unwanted and unmanaged fruit trees has a disruptive effect on fruit fly habit, making it harder for populations to get a foot hold and build up," Mr Abberfield said.

The community is also asked to keep an eye out for fruit on Crown land, creek or channel banks, abandoned orchards and

roadsides and report fruit growing in these areas to the Regional Fruit Fly Office, by emailing gmvfruitfly@moira.vic.gov.au. Since the program's inception in 2017 there have been more than 9,000 tree removals from private land, more than 11,000 removals from public land and more than 81,000 unmanaged orchard trees removed across the Goulburn Murray Valley.

Fruit fly can spread and grow in size extremely quickly so control strategies to reduce the impact and early action once fruit fly is detected is required.

"One mated female fruit fly can lay nearly 2,000 eggs from which up to 800 adult flies can emerge and 4-6 weeks after these eggs have been laid, they mature and go on to reproduce another generation of fruit flies and

another and another," he said.

"This fruit fly population explosion during November, December, January, February and March decimates backyard fruit and vegetables and can impact severely on commercial horticulture."

Effective control measures include the use of netting and baits, along with picking fruit as it ripens rather than letting it sit on the tree or fall to the ground. It is important to visually inspect your home grown fruit and vegetables for signs of fruit fly, and use a simple fruit fly trap, that can be purchased at nurseries and home hardware stores or home made, to detect fruit fly activity in your garden or yard.

"We are asking the whole community to get involved and play an active role in the control and management of fruit fly," Mr Abberfield said.

The Goulburn Murray Valley Fruit Fly Area Wide Management project coordinates a suite of control and management measures across the Goulburn Murray Valley region to stop the spread of fruit fly.

Program partners include Cobram and District Fruit Growers Association, Fruit Growers Victoria, Summerfruit Australia, Lions International and includes the council areas of Moira, Greater Shepparton, Strathbogie, Campaspe and Berrigan.

TheGoulburnMurrayValley FruitFlyAreaWideManagement ProgramissupportedbytheVictorian Government. For more information onfruitflycontrolandmanagement, visitwww.fruitflycontrol.com.au.

PROTECTING OUR FOOD BOWL...

According to program coordinator Ross Abber eld, we all have a role to play in the control of fruit y, with community awareness and increased education critical in protecting the region against the pest. Photo: Supplied

ONE of the nation’s leading farmland investor, developer and managers, goFARM Australia, is transforming agriculture in the Goulburn Murray Irrigation District.

The Australian owned business specialises in large scale projects that improve the productivity and profitability of its farming systems.

Co-founder and Managing Director, Liam Lenaghan, says the business sees a bright future for the region.

“The GMID [Goulburn Murray Irrigation District] has the soils, climate, water and infrastructure to support a range of high value crops. At goFARM, we see great opportunities to bring together capital, people, and technologies to unlock the underlying potential of the region’s land and water resources.”

As part of its purpose to transform Australian agriculture, goFARM has made substantial investments in soil amelioration and water-efficient irrigation equipment.

General manager of goFARM’s operations in the region, Nick Raleigh, says the business is committed to implementing best-in-class farming systems and remaining ahead with new technology.

“goFARM continues its use of lower-cost drip irrigation for annual crops, and additionally, we are engaging with SupPlant to roll out precision irrigation scheduling technology. We’ve also been trialling autonomous orchard machinery to understand the role it might play at a commercial level”.

In 2021, goFARM established its first two commercial orchards in the region, a 207-hectare self-fertile almond orchard and a 71-hectare high density ‘Afourer’ mandarin orchard. Later this year, the business will

commence work on a second self-fertile almond orchard development, approximately 220ha in size.

“The development of new, high value irrigated agriculture will support job creation in the GMID region. We are serious about transforming agriculture and leaving a positive legacy in the communities and industries in which we invest,” Mr. Lenaghan said.

In June, goFARM purchased Aware Super’s Lake Boga portfolio, a 9,014ha aggregation, including 3,721ha of irrigated land and 8,167ML of low-reliability water entitlements. goFARM is in the process of aligning its ‘best-practice’ farming approach to the Lake Boga aggregation, which will include simplifying farming systems and investment in key infrastructure.

Innovation, Resilience and Passion in our community - The Shepparton Adviser

TRANSFORMING AGRICULTURE...One of the nation’s leading farmland investor, developer and managers, goFARM Australia, is transforming agriculture in the Goulburn Murray Irrigation District. The Australian owned business specialises in large scale projects that improve the productivity and pro tability of its farming systems. Co-founder and managing director, Liam Lenaghan, is excited for the future of goFARM in our region. Photo: Supplied

Murray Dairy partners with grains industries to boost Fodder for the Future

RAPID change is underway on cropping and dairy farms in northern Victoria and southern NSW.

In response to this, Murray Dairy has partnered with six cross-sector agricultural organisations to deliver the Fodder for the Future Project. A three-year, $1.6M research project designed to investigate ways to support the development of complementary farming systems that optimise the use of both irrigated and dryland resources across the southern Murray-Darling Basin.

This project is funded by the Federal Government under the Murray–Darling Basin Economic Development Program and builds upon Murray Dairy’s focus on providing information and resources

that support the integration of alternative forages in dairy farming systems across the Murray region.

The $1.6M, three-year project partners with:

· Irrigated Cropping Council

· Birchip Cropping Group

· Southern Growers

· University of Melbourne

· Riverine Plains

· Agriculture Victoria Crops grown across these six cropping demonstration sites in the Murray region included different varieties of wheat, barley, oats, vetch,

fababeans, maize and sorghum. Various treatments were applied between the different partner sites and included differences in sowing times, sowing rates, nutrient applications, irrigation strategies, and cutting times with the goal to increase yield and quality of hay and silage specifically for use in dairy cow diets.

The project’s most recent results are currently available in a series of long and short form videos and can be viewed online at, www. youtube.com/c/MurrayDairyVic/videos.

The project has another year of results to collate and present.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT...Murray Dairy has partnered with six cross-sector agricultural organisations to deliver the Fodder for the Future Project. A three-year, $1.6M research project designed to investigate ways to support the development of complementary farming systems that optimise the use of both irrigated and dryland resources across the southern Murray-Darling Basin. Photo: Supplied

Fonterra Stanhope, supporting the local community for

years

A HUNDRED years on, milk is still owing through the veins of Fonterra’s Stanhope factory and great-tasting dairy still rolls off the line.

The site has truly stood the test of time – it’s changed hands, it expanded, it burnt down, it was rebuilt, and it expanded again.

It's been a centrepiece in Stanhope for over 100 years, and 300 of Fonterra’s people and farmers, their families and the local community recently came together to celebrate its centenary.

Steve Taylor, who heads up the site, said the state-of-the-art cheese plant plays a key role in Fonterra’s operations in Australia with capacity to produce 80,000 metric tonnes of cheese each year.

“Stanhope is now home to around 180 Fonterra employees, whose expert craft turns the high-quality milk we

collect from hundreds of local farmers across northern Victoria into great tasting cheese –including cheddar, parmesan, ricotta, romano, gouda and mozzarella, as well as anhydrous milk fat, ghee, whey and milk powders.

“Stanhope is known as the ‘town of the tastiest cheese’ and it was recently recognised at the International Dairy Awards – taking home the Champion Asia-Australasia Cheese Trophy and a

gold medal for Best Mild Cheddar in Australasia,” said Steve.

Stanhope is also home to number one culinary cheese brand in Australia, Perfect Italiano, which is found in almost one in every two Aussie households.

“We’re incredibly proud that Perfect Italiano is made right here in the heart of northern Victoria.

“Not only is this in fridges right across the country, but we also

export it to markets including Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Philippines and New Zealand,” said Steve.

One thing has remained the same throughout the site’s history, and that is the community which has stood by it every step of the way.

“When we celebrated with a community open day back in June, it was great to hear stories about why this site is so important to the local community here.

“We’re a big employer in this part of Victoria and we collect milk from hundreds of farming families and turn it into great-tasting dairy – so it was great to celebrate,” said Steve.

and Passion in our community - The Shepparton Adviser

Stanhope is now home to around 180 Fonterra employees, whose expert craft turns the highquality milk we collect from hundreds of local farmers across northern Victoria into great tasting cheese

BIG IMPACT... Fonterra operations manager, Steve Taylor pictured outside Fonterra’s Stanhope factory, which employs around 180 employees. Photo: Supplied

Marketing

produce globally

THE Freshmax Group is about innovation. Sourcing new varietals of apples and pears from across the globe, the fresh produce marketer and distributor has worked in partnership with the Goulburn Valley’s finest orchardists over the last five years to exclusively produce Modi® apples as well as Honey Belle™ and Piqa® Boo® pears.

With a growing presence on the international apple and pear market, the Australasian company is now looking at ways to engage a youthful, health savvy demographic, as national marketing manager of Freshmax Group, Sona Padman stated,

“All these brands target an international audience that is young, like to experiment, loves quality products and combines the pleasure of good food and healthy living. With that notion, our focus is to drive these brands using consumer-driven content strategy.”

Distributing to over 87 countries through its international arm, Valleyfresh™, the Freshmax™

story has evolved rapidly since its inception in New Zealand, 27 years ago.

Distributing

countries

international

Acquiring intellectual property in fruit varietals and continuously striving to find more innovative and efficient supply chains, the Freshmax™ Group is a formidable force to be reckoned with in fresh produce marketing.

The Modi® apples, Honey Belle™ and Piqa® Boo® brands produced by the Pomona consortium, comprising Oakmoor, Turnbull

evolved rapidly

A GROWING PRESENCE ON THE APPLE AND PEAR MARKET... Will Snelling of Freshmax proudly displays a crate of delicious Piqa® Boo® pears. Photo: supplied

Brothers, Chatswood Farm and Pickworth Orchards, offer consumers a delicious array of fresh produce with prolonged shelf-life, eye catching colour and early season ready-to-eat fruit.

Uniquely Australian Grown in the Goulburn Valley

Modi® Apples

Super Crunchy,

of

in Goulburn valley and only at

in stores from March - September.

Grown in the Goulburn Valley, Victoria.

Piqa®Boo® Pears

A stunning orange/red pear that delivers both on looks and taste. Impeccably juicy and crispy that keeps you coming back for more. Grown in Goulburn Valley and available at selected independent retailers. Available from April - May.

Piqa®Boo® is proudly grown by passionate growers in Goulburn Valley, Victoria.

Honey Belle™ Pears

A deliciously sweet early season pear, Honey Belle™ is best eaten while crisp and crunchy and is ready to eat from the moment it is picked. Grown in the Goulburn Valley and only available at Coles. Instore for a limited time March - April.

Grown in the Goulburn Valley, Victoria.

CHAS Cole cellars have endured many hardships the past few years have thrown at the hospitality and retail sectors but have prospered and established themselves as purveyors of ne liquor, beverages produced by local manufacturers and stockists of wines and beers to suit every budget.

The Shepparton site is currently being expanded and the store is going from strength to strength as they continue to be a well-loved destination for repeat customers and new alike.

“We are looking forward to the addition of a drive thru to our store,” said business project manager, Will Lastarria.

“Supporting both the local community in general

and small micro-breweries, micro distilleries and wineries is something we highly value and it’s gratifying to see the support being returned to us through the customer base we have developed since we came to Shepparton.”

Chas Cole Cellars are also passionate about charity and community. They work closely with Shepparton Brewery to raise funds through a series of well-attended charity event dinners with all proceeds donated to the community chest initiative, which supports local

organisations such as Greater Shepparton Foundation and are sponsors of several sporting clubs in the region.

In 2020, the chest went towards providing 200 much needed meals to members of our community, with further monetary donations provided to organisations such as Foodlink. Over $15K has been raised and donated since the dinners commenced.

With the rapid expansion of Shepparton North, Chas Cole Cellars are poised to enjoy a prosperous next 12 months and their site revamp will be a welcome addition to the ever-growing shopping precinct.

our community - The Shepparton Adviser

EXPANDING THEIR HORIZONS...Chas Cole Cellars is currently being expanded and the store is going from strength to strength as they continue to be a well-loved destination for their customers. Pictured from left, Chas Cole’s store manager William Lastarria with sales assistants Dylan McNair and Chelsea Beard. Photo: Kelly Carmody

business model,

towards a greener future

FOR over 60 years, Pental’s iconic, proudly Australian brands of domestic and industrial cleaning products have been a trusted staple across the domestic market.

Growing to encompass over 120 employees, the enterprise impressively produces over 400 quality products across personal care, household cleaning and firelighter markets featuring famous Australian made brands like White King, Jiffy, Softly, Huggies and Country Life.

By implementing and staying true to its core business values which firmly place consumer insight and innovation at its heart, Pental has successfully maintained its position as the largest manufacturer of domestic and industrial cleaning products in regional Australia.

Acutely responsive to the ever-changing consumer market and with an eye to fast-track a clear e-commerce growth strategy, Pental has harnessed its innovative business model, production capability and investment capital to launch its new brand offering of high-end health and wellness products.

Premium personal care brands, BONDI Soap and Vitale luxury skin care and body care products mark Pental’s latest step in diversifying its portfolio in direct response to consumer demand for sustainable goods with an ethical manufacturing profile.

New Pental brands masterfully created with Australian-made, all-natural organic ingredients,

showcases Pental’s willingness to invest in authentic Australian brands, while placing capital in new infrastructure to manufacture the products in the Goulburn Valley.

However, it is in the words of site manager, Carmine Conte, that Pental’s unremitting adaptability comes

to the fore. Stating that while the Covid pandemic highlighted the need for the company to sustain its sovereign capability for the nation, the new brand offering, “sets in stone Pental’s commitment to the premium personal care sustainability market, and a green focused future for future generations.”

Adviser

HARNESSING ITS INNOVATIVE BUSINESS MODEL... Quality assurance of cer, Sue Gwynn proudly displays Pental’s new, sustainable products, BONDI and Vitale Luxury Skin Care. Photo: Kelly Carmody

Trusted by families for

Harnessing advancements in technology to provide a broader o ering to clients

Humbly beginning with three guys working out of a tin shed, Water Plus has grown into a dynamic installation business and busy retail shop with a dedicated, skill-diverse team of 16.

Focussing on high quality irrigation and pump and water filtration systems for agriculture, industry, sports fields and backyards, Water Plus ensures all irrigation designs exceed industry guidelines for performance and efficiency with the only certified irrigation designer in Shepparton.

Involved in designing and supplying installation to most of the major parklands and sports fields around Greater Shepparton and always looking for new ways to work with and help improve crops, Water Plus is invigorated by new technologies and products.

Andrew said, “Advancements in technology and new techniques for crop management, such as overhead fogging systems, have allowed Water Plus to provide a broader offering to our customers

Bega Cheese Limited is comfortable with innovation

BEGA Cheese Limited has made substantial acquisitions in the past two decades, growing rapidly to transform itself from a largely bulk manufacturing business to the genuine brand business that it is today.

Bega Cheese Limited’s executive chairman, Barry Irvin said that the enterprise is comfortable with its current assets, which encompass some of Australia’s most iconic packaged dairy products and spreads, and will keep strongly investing in its new, innovative brands, Happi and 180 Nutrition.

Significant for the Tatura site, Barry stated that the new brands, which are produced at the factory, mark a genuine and innovative step in the company’s already diverse portfolio, and with these new products being the first of their kind on the market, Barry said, “This year’s launch of the Happi Day and Night

and in turn has grown the business allowing us to employ more local staff. It also showcases that working in the irrigation industry is an exciting career opportunity.”

Having installed wireless automation to approximately 2,000 hectares of orchard around the Goulburn Valley as well as successfully

setting up over 150 hectares of overhead cooling foggers on several of Geoffrey Thompson Orchards’ properties, Water Plus embodies the businesses’ aspirations, as Andrew states, “My vision for Water Plus is to continually embrace technology for sustainable and efficient water management and make it accessible to our customers to improve their productivity.”

Infant formula as well as the patented “inferrin” encapsulated lactoferrin range of supplements, sees Bega moving up the value-added chain and into branded, whereas traditionally we were a business that provided those products to other brands.”

Innovation of production lines is just one of many other areas that Barry talks enthusiastically about when asked to delineate the company’s vision. While robotics already sits on the company’s high packaging lines, Barry said,

“There’s no question that robotics needs to be

thought about beyond what we think of physical machinery. It’s more about the technology and the data capability that makes sure you service your customer better, that your supply chain is more efficient or as sustainable as can be.

“We are starting to understand the role of Cobots in our manufacturing facilities…and they will work alongside people but will also alleviate the heavy lifting and mundane elements of the job, allowing employees to upskill and diversify to supervisory roles, and to collaborative teams involved in problem solving, ensuring seamless systems of production.”

LAUNCHING OWN BRANDS... Bega Cheese Limited’s executive chairman, Barry Irvin is leading the enterprise into the future with its own innovative brands. Photo: Supplied

Barry states that the new brands, which are produced at the (Tatura) factory, mark a genuine and innovative step

RECOGNISING a need in the Goulburn Valley for a business to provide solid irrigation and pump equipment along with expertise in installation and maintenance, Andrew Ratten established Water Plus Irrigation in 2005.

EXPERTISE AND INNOVATION...Water Plus Irrigation’s directors Andrew Ratten and Julie-Anne Gee lead an exceptionally skilled team. Photo :Kelly Carmody

Installed wireless automation to approximately 2,000 hectares of orchard around the Goulburn Valley

Andrew Ratten

upwards

THE past 12 months has brought positive change and innovation to Online – Ag Shepparton

As specialists in rural real estate, water brokering and machinery, plant and equipment sales, the firm has a rich history of helping farmers in the region, bringing together buyers and sellers throughout the agricultural sector.

“A recent change of management has enabled us step into a new direction by working either directly with new clients that haven’t utilised our services before, as well as working in conjunction with outside consigning agencies that don’t have the time or the staff personnel to run their own sales efficiently,” explained Online – Ag director, Robert Bruns.

Expansion and continued growth are on the horizon, with conjunctional sales from consigning agencies as well as their own successful sales record of accomplishments ushering a wealth of scaling opportunities in the financial year ahead.

Supply chain issues which have wreaked havoc for many industries have in fact been beneficial for

the firm, with a shortage of newly manufactured machinery, allowing good quality used equipment to achieve surprisingly higher than anticipated sales results through the online auction sales.

Online – Ag are a testament to the resilience of our region and are glad to be a part of our local flourishing business community.

“Shepparton is geographically well located in relation to agriculture, manufacturing, and industry. The farming network throughout the Goulburn and Murray Valleys is strong and prosperous across a broad range of different sectors, and we look forward to seeing the region grow even stronger in the coming years,” said Robert.

RICH HISTORY...Online – Ag Shepparton are specialists in rural real estate, water brokering and machinery, plant and equipment sales, the rm has a rich history of helping farmers in the region, bringing together buyers and sellers throughout the agricultural sector. Pictured from left: online machinery sales manager Cameron West, of ce administrator Rebekah O’Hara, owner/director Rob Bruns and of ce administrator Bianca Murphy. Photo: Kelly Carmody

Combining irrigation with innovation

FOUNDED in the Goulburn Valley, with a vision to sustainably increase global food and fibre production through improved water-use efficiency, Rubicon Water is delivering advanced technology to managers of gravityfed irrigation networks, enabling them to manage with unprecedented levels of efficiency and control.

Irrigated agriculture currently consumes 70 percent of the world’s fresh water, with many irrigation areas having low water distribution efficiencies due to large-scale system losses. Rubicon’s technology is essentially eliminating these losses and ensuring that only the correct amount of water is diverted, resulting in improved serviceability to farmers and leaving more water in storage for future use.

A benchmark example can be witnessed in Australia’s Murray-Darling Basin, where automation has played a key role in making the basin one of the most efficient food bowls in the world. Over the past two decades, more than 20,000 automated devices have been installed by Rubicon to improve water distribution efficiencies in modernised areas from between 50 to 70 percent, to more than 90 percent.

In February, it was announced that the modernisation of the GMID alone is saving more than 429 gigalitres of water each year. To place this water saving volume into perspective, Sydney Harbour has a capacity of 500 gigalitres.

The company currently generates around 70percent of its revenue from its growing international operations with over 100 employees at their

160 years of dairy expertise

As a renowned industry specialist, the Mulcahy family has over 160 years of experience and six generations of farming expertise.

A 100 percent Australian owned family business, the Mulcahy Family Office manages and oversees all the Mulcahy branches and brands involved with the Kyvalley Dairy Group's business.

Kyvalley Dairy Group brands include Kyvalley Farms, Kiewa Country, Geelong Dairy, Coach House Dairy and True Organic.

The Group’s vision is firmly focused on quality, innovation, and growth for future with multiple awards won across all brands that demonstrate the family's commitment to quality. The most recent award going to Geelong Dairy, which was recognised for its awardwinning milk at the recent Dairy Industry Association Awards of Australia in May 2022, named

primary facility in Shepparton and 17 countries benefiting from this remarkable technology.

Their comprehensive approach is resulting in huge water savings for governments, irrigation districts, farmers, and the environment.

The company is now extending these efficiency improvements beyond the farm gate through their next generation of on-farm irrigation automation technology. Our Goulburn Valley

magazine had first-hand opportunity to witness a local farmer leveraging the system.

The world's most precious resource is water, it is an irreplaceable element and indeed the very heart of our existence. The importance of water management has dominated human history, and Rubicon Water are playing an integral part in our future’s prosperity, right here in Shepparton and the Goulburn Valley.

the country's best overall milk and best full fat milk.

With the recent rebrand of Kiewa Country label which incorporates the original logo from 1959 and return of the Kiewa butter, both of which are important to the brand's heritage. Continued innovation and new products are always top of mind

– the Coach House Dairy Chocolate flavoured milk range will soon be expanded to include with new flavours Chocolate Chilli and Chocolate Hazelnut.

Kyvalley Dairy Group places a strong emphasis on staying true to the dairy industry, to the family history and ethos, and are passionate about supporting locals and their families.

NEXT GENERATION WATER SAVING TECHNOLOGY... Rubicon Water's Kevin Saillard with local farm manager Jake Wiltshire using Rubicon Water's next generation FarmConnect system.

Photo: Kelly Carmody

SINCE 1857, the Mulcahy name has been known and trusted in the dairy industry.

CHEERS TO THAT...

With over 160 years of experience in the dairy industry, and six generations of farming expertise, the Mulachy family are renowned specialists in their field. Pictured is Kyvalley Dairy group director Peter Mulcahy, group managing director Wayne Mulcahy and group director David Mulcahy. Photo: Supplied

Staying true to the dairy industry, to the family history and ethos, and are passionate about supporting locals and their families.

Support vision of resilient landscapes, thriving communities

THE Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and the region’s communities and agencies are working together to help protect, enhance and conserve the natural environment through the guidance of the Goulburn Broken Regional Catchment Strategy 2021-27.

The strategy guides longterm management actions for our land, waterways, native plants and animals within the Goulburn Broken Catchment area now, and into the future.

Goulburn Broken CMA CEO, Chris Cumming, said the environment of the Goulburn Broken Catchment will be strengthened by individuals, groups and organisations all doing what they can to help.

“A first step is just to show we care for our environment and our shared goals through a simple act of a symbolic pledge to the Regional Catchment

Strategy,” Ms Cumming said.

“The pledge recognises that everyone who lives, works or visits the catchment, and is interested in its natural resources can play a part in achieving the strategy’s vision of Resilient landscapes, thriving communities.”

Once you have pledged your support you will receive updates on implementation and opportunities to get involved.

Learn more about and pledge your support for the Goulburn Broken Regional Catchment Strategy, at goulburnbroken.rcs.vic.gov. au or scan the QR code below.

PROTECTION THROUGH STRATEGY...The Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and the region’s

agencies are working together to

through

guidance of the Goulburn Broken Regional Catchment Strategy 2021-27. Photo: Supplied

Barton Road, Kyabram jamestrong.com

by Robert Giles, SPC chief executive officer

Rich soil, fresh air and sunlight allow for the perfect growing condition, truly making the Goulburn Valley the food bowl of Australia.

Our passionate employees around Shepparton and the Goulburn Valley work tirelessly to ensure that SPC’s core value of Better Food For The Future is delivered through top quality food and drink products. Better Food For The Future starts right here in the Goulburn Valley.

The Goulburn Valley is the foundation of SPC. It has allowed us to grow into a household name across the country, with plans of global expansion taking the goodness of the Goulburn Valley to the world. I am proud to share the goodness available through the Goulburn Valley with more and more consumers locally and overseas and look forward

to putting the local region on the world stage, alongside SPC’s family of brands.

Being based from this region SPC has been able to elevate local products on the national stage, welcomed by consumers across the country for its high quality, flavour and nutritional value. From Shepparton, our business has been able to grow fruitfully. Without the support from all of the local workers, we would not be able to deliver Australians with the quality and quantity of the goods that we do today. It is through sourcing the best quality fruits and vegetables locally that we are able to put the best products on the supermarket shelves around the country.

We envision our next chapter including the expansion into the global market, however with such a strong reliance on our network of employees in Australia, we know our local roots remain the driving force behind any plans for growth. The Goulburn Valley is the heart of SPC

and we will continue to support our local partners, invest in the region and maintain our rewarding connections.

SPC’s new brand HelpingHumans highlights our passion for assisting the local community across health, environmental and wellbeing charities.

With 10 percent of sale proceeds going directly to a charity of the consumer’s choice, we are continuously creating opportunities to be innovative.

SPC’s vision towards innovation, resilience and passion in the manufacturing industry is represented through the wonderful team that supports the business’ goals and objectives. The Goulburn Valley will continue to be the heartbeat of SPC and we look forward to creating more of Australia’s best produce for customers all over the country.

FOR more than 100 years, the Goulburn Valley has provided SPC with the richest landscape to preserve and grow our famous fruit and vegetable products. With up to 90 percent of our ingredients sourced right in our backyard, we are grateful that the Goulburn Valley has the most ideal climate for growing produce.

Land development, and in turn, housing and construction sectors, form one of the region’s largest economic sectors. Committing to delivering these quality projects 10 years ago provided different lifestyle options for people to consider buying land to build their home, in turn this has stimulated growth and demand for land.

MICHAEL LEWIS Development Edge co-director

Infrastructure, Construction and Development

in capital expenditure has been delivered in Greater Shepparton over the last financial year, delivering 106 capital projects, including: Katandra Main Road/Labuan Road Intersection Upgrade

Maude Street Revitalisation Sir Murray Bourchier Statue Route 5 Pedestrian Bridge Tree Bud Lighting Project Packham Street Upgrade Hawdon Street Bus Interchange

BUDGETED PROJECTS/ CAPITAL WORKS

total budgeted spending for infrastructure

There were 454 Council building approval applications in Greater Shepparton this financial year.

Pictured, Karli & Jarrod Sutherland from Quicklift, another Goulburn Valley success story

GOOD PEOPLE | GREAT RESULTS

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

What do you look for in a Property Management team?

An agency with proven Property Managers.

An agency with a reputation that precedes them.

An agency that knows the Goulburn Valley better than anyone.

We offer all three.

Our objective, always, is to lease your property promptly, to high calibre tenants, and maximise your rental return. Property management is about people; those who manage your valuable investment, and those who live in it.

We get that.

Specialising in all things property.

Led by chief, Darren Scott, our leading Numurkah office located at 70 Melville Street is home to our dairy, rural lifestyle and Numurkah residential listings.

Director, Darren Scott & Sales executive’s, Brett McKeown & Simon Quarrell have made an impact in the Numurkah region property market and continue their ongoing fantastic relationships with the locals and exceeding sales goals! Proven results, local people and exceptional local knowledge.

SINCE the early 1900s, the eponymous ‘corrugated tin roof’ has adorned hundreds of thousands of Australian homes and rural buildings in particular as the dominant and preferred material.

The sound of rain on a tin roof has been embedded into the character of country living.

But as times change, a different emphasis on style and colour took shape. With the advent of Colorbond and the expansion of the colour range, roll formed metal now affords a multitude of shapes and profiles to offer architects and designers a whole new range of options both in roofing and wall cladding.

Local firm Steeline have been manufacturing Colorbond materials in Shepparton since 1988 and have recently expanded their production facilities to double the workspace and have added three new rolling mills bringing the

number to ten in order to increase the range of profiles produced locally.

Steeline Shepparton manager, Travis Ryan said, “Construction across the region is busy so it required us to look at how we could continue to service clients with the added demand and requirement for new products. Expanding the workspace is something we have been working towards for a number of

years and this last year we have worked hard to complete the expansion of our business.”

With the expansion of the production area, the company moves into a new office and showroom providing the increasing number of staff members with a better work facility as well.

Steel cladding has come a long way since its first inception and things can only continue to look up as the new profiles begin to appear in new and refurbished construction across the region.

RAIN ON A TIN ROOF... Local firm Steeline have been manufacturing Colorbond materials in Shepparton since 1988 and have recently expanded their production facilities to double the workspace and have added three new rolling mills bringing the number to ten in order to increase the range of profiles produced locally. Pictured, branch manager Travis Ryan. Photo: Kelly Carmody

growth

family

THERE can be no greater story of a business built on the back of sheer hard work and familial strength than that of Cleave’s Earthmoving and Drainage in Shepparton.

From a single backhoe to an extensive fleet of equipment large enough to cover civil and general construction, Cleave’s is an enterprise that exemplifies growth through diversification and commitment to quality and precision over 44 years of operation.

With experience garnered from projects all over Victoria, Cleave’s has evolved over time from septic, sewer and stormwater installations to include road stabilisation, kerb and channel restructuring and footpaths.

Aside from the soundness of family as an asset, Cleave’s success has also been marked by an unequivocal commitment to providing quality service as well as a wide range of options for its clientele, as managing directors Andrew and Jarrod Cleave stated,

“All work at Cleave’s is guaranteed with quality and exactitude from the beginning stages of the project all the way to the completion of the project.

“We work side by side with clients every step of the way and our portfolio of equipment, knowledge and experience is our guarantee.”

HEAVY DUTY EXPERIENCE...Cleave’s Earthmoving and Drainage offers experience as well as a wide range of options for clientele. Photo: Supplied

Andrew & Jarrod Cleave

Our Goulburn

From winter blues to summer heat

AS we transition from winter to summer, the adjustments we make to ensure comfort rely upon having the right resources in the home to set a temperature range that suits us.

With energy prices increasing, technology is improving every day to ensure we can manage those costs whilst keeping our comfort where we need it.

New available technologies in solar and heat pumps have expanded the options a homeowner can enlist to keep their homes within the comfort ranges in winter and in summer.

But while these new technologies expand, traditional means of heating and cooling continue to advance in

efficiencies and styles that make any home that much more comfortable.

The Hot and Cold Shop in Shepparton have a large range of options from wood fired heaters to gas log fires, ducted reverse cycle systems, and everything in between providing, heating and cooling for any domestic to commercial need.

Paul Marshall, a partner in the Hot and Cold Shop said, “We have an increasing range of options for both heating and cooling services that we back up by engaging a team of professionals who provide installation and routine maintenance support to our sales team giving customers a complete service to meet their particular needs.”

If you are building, renovating or looking to replace existing heating and cooling appliances, the Hot and Cold Shop showrooms will provide the solutions to your needs.

Jade Tucker.

Photo: Kelly Carmody

Our Goulburn Valley

focus

Safety

Their success lies in the skill of their team, the quality and variety of equipment, and commitment to safety.

“We want everyone to go home at the end of the day safely.

As parents, with our son Ty working in the business, we have the ultimate justification for safety,” said Karli.

“A lot has changed over the last 24 years. With safety in particular, there has been a shift from authorities regularly checking business safety compliance, to now leaving it up to business to selfregulate, then looking to prosecute when things go wrong,” added Jarrod.

“This change has meant some operators are not even aware of their responsibilities, and customers are unaware of their responsibility and liability. We spend a lot of time and money ensuring systems are in place to reduce the risk of things going wrong, and provide a level of protection for our customers in the unlikely event they do. We have invested heavily in

new technology, for example cranes with technology that sense how far the outriggers are extended and automatically adjusts the lifting capacity accordingly on the computer.”

Quicklift utilise ‘Lift Planning’ software to visualise how a lift will be performed, whilst demonstrating the level of safety margin in each lift.

Another of their strengths is the ability to supply at short notice. “With over 20 cranes we can ensure, the customer gets the right equipment for their job, and that we can supply at short notice or in an emergency,” said Jarrod.

“Also we now have access equipment

including boom and scissor lifts for hire.”

Quicklift offer a free assessment service for customers, removing the guesswork of which crane is needed.

“Our professional team will work with you every step of the way. From recommending the best crane for the job, to completing the works on-site. Communication and ensuring our services are as convenient as possible are the most important parts of our job, and we are dedicated to ensuring you are satisfied with our work,” said Jarrod.

“Being a part of this region’s business community is highly rewarding, and we enjoy helping other organisations complete their projects safely and efficiently.”

ESTABLISHED in 1998 by Jarrod and Karli Sutherland, Quicklift Crane Hire has grown their team to over 30, with over 20 cranes with capacities up to 250 tonne.

SAFETY IS NUMBER ONE...Quicklift Crane Hire has grown their team to over 30 people, and their inventory to 20 cranes with capacities up to 250 tonne, to meet the demands of local industries. Their success lies in the skill of their team, the quality and variety of equipment, and commitment to safety. Photo: Kelly Carmody

Green light for youths' future thanks to GAME

IT doesn’t matter whether there is rain, blistering sun or a pandemic – more than 150 staff at GAME Traf c & Contracting are committed to keeping you safe across the Goulburn Valley and beyond.

The big green diamond on GAME utes, trucks, equipment and temporary fences is a common sight on major projects across regional Victoria and southern New South Wales, with their head office based in Shepparton.

“Our staff were amazing during the pandemic, being flexible about shifts, the need to wear additional safety gear and the commitment to keeping a range of infrastructure projects going,” GAME CEO Josh Hudson said.

“One of the things that really motivates our team

each day is the commitment we have to the community. Most people have seen a GAME ute or temporary fence on a building site or roadworks around Shepparton, but not as many know about the programs we support for youth in the region,” Josh said. GAME is a social enterprise, which means that all their profits are spent on programs to help others in the community.

“We have a strong focus on being the leading traffic, grounds maintenance and equipment hire company in regional Victoria, but instead of taking the profits for ourselves or shareholders, we have extra motivation to succeed, because our work is providing new

opportunities for the next generation,” explained Josh.

“This year more than 1,400 youth across regional Victoria are registered in our Geared4Careers program to help them find work or pathways to further study – including more than 400 youths in Shepparton. We continue to thrive because our staff know their work directly makes the community safer, and any profit that we make is changing the future of local youth for the better.”

A combination of altruistic community support and reliability is what sets GAME apart.

“Customers typically choose GAME simply because of the quality of our service, our capacity and our reliability, but when they occasionally hear about the programs for young people that are financed by GAME, they are really proud to be our partners in supporting the community,” said Josh.

BIG GREEN DIAMOND...The team of more than 150 staff at GAME Traf c & Contracting are committed to keeping you safe across the Goulburn Valley and beyond. Pictured from left is CEO Josh Hudson, traf c hire supervisor Samut Uruz, Goulburn Murray regional manager Andrew Harlow, central operations team leader Amy Roache, Geared4Careers manager Craig Mangan and general manager Max Allen. Photo: Kelly Carmody

One of the things that really motivates our team each day is the commitment we have to the community.

Josh Hudson

- Glenn Young

by

Trusted name in outdoor entertainment

DARYL and Maree Emmett, owners of GV Carports and Patios, have continued to remain the port of call across the Goulburn Valley when a client is in need of a carport, verandah, patio and pergola.

The building boom has seen the team’s workload grow exponentially.

“It’s been an extremely busy 12 months, that’s for sure,” said Maree.

They are prime examples of the resilience local businesses demonstrate and are a testament to how such a supportive community can encourage economic growth even through tough times.

Established in 1997, GV Carports and Patios is a family business, with Daryl having more than 35 years’ experience as a registered builder. They stand by a 10-year guarantee on all their products and workmanship.

Their Mitchell Street workshop and showroom showcases a full-sized display patio with insulated roofing

and Colorbond TM iron roofing with Lysaght Firmlok beams as well as Solarspan.

A welldesigned patio by Shepparton’s GV Carports and Patios is an affordable way to create a beautiful outdoor living area and add significant value to your home. A patio can be built anywhere in your garden, providing a focus for landscaping and garden-style entertaining.

“I think we’ve learnt to be

OUTDOOR ENTERTAINMENT EXPERTS…Established in 1997, GV Carports and Patios is a family business, with Daryl Emmett having more than 35 years’ experience as a registered builder. They stand by a 10-year guarantee on all their products and workmanship. Photo: Kelly Carmody

more comfortable entertaining at home after the past two years,” said Daryl.

“We all spent more time in our homes than ever before, and it really drove home to many people that your home

is in fact your castle. Your outdoor areas are an extension of your indoor living space and having undercover areas gives you more room to enjoy your property to its full potential.”

Building

IF you drive down Shepparton’s Archer Street, you will see only a fraction of the completed major works in Crow Construction’s portfolio.

Established in 1860 – and taking on their current business name in 1981 – Crow Constructions has a proud history of building for the commercial, public, aged care and leisure sectors across the Goulburn Valley.

Employing 12 staff members and utilising over 200 subcontractors, Crow Constructions prides itself on providing tailored project management services to meet their client’s needs.

“One thing that has underpinned our success has been maintaining good relationships with clients, so they often get us to tender their next project,” said Jak Trewin from Crow Constructions.

Despite over the last two years the construction industry having been impacted by significant material and skilled workers shortages, plus significant price increases across several trades and suppliers, Crow Constructions has been fortunate

to complete a number of projects, and they have various projects currently underway, including the Vibert Reserve Pavilion.

“The last two years have been a challenge,” reflects site manager, Jack Dyer.

“Unavailability of materials and skilled workers have caused delays and this uncertainty has made it more difficult to achieve work programs and for the business to tender projects.

“This is why it has never been more important to plan ahead to reach an end goal that the client is satisfied with,” he said.

Locally owned and operated, Crow Construction’s extensive experience in regional commercial construction, and their hands-on approach from the top down has contributed to their success, while transforming landscapes across the Goulburn Valley.

BUILDING THE REGION... Crow Construction site manager Jack Dyer and Jak Trewin from Crow Constructions on-site at Vibert Reserve Pavillion, which is currently being redeveloped in Shepparton. Photo: Kelly Carmody

For all customers, big and small

THE building boom has meant big business for many local organisations, with ConX Hire continuing to remain the go-to for contractors, builders and domestic customers alike.

Heavy machinery for hire has been the mainstay for ConX Hire, yet they have expanded to now offer plant solutions for those requiring smaller equipment that fulfils the needs of tradesmen and DIYers.

ConX Hire director, Sam Boda, sees this sector of the market is just as important as the big players, with those working on “smaller” projects still in need of reliable, high-quality equipment that has low mileage and is maintained to a professional standard.

From excavators and roller compactors to scissor lifts and floor sanders, the range is ever-expanding. They now have a 35 tonne Catepillar excavator in their arsenal.

“Our equipment is top of the range and all has low hours of use which provides much better reliability to our clients. Our state-of-the-art fleet management system allows us to monitor our equipment remotely and we have a service team on the road providing support where it is needed,” said Sam.

To help ensure their client’s work remains productive and keep the machinery working,

they have a highly qualified team backed with first class facilities and equipment.

“Our mechanical workshop operates from our base depot in Shepparton. Our mechanics have years of experience with both the knowledge of workshop and field service work,” said Sam.

Being a part of government infrastructure projects over the past 12 months has been rewarding for

the hiring firm, with their input in the Shepparton Rail Upgrade rendering them key contributors to the continued growth of our region.

“It’s amazing to be a part of the incredible projects being undertaken in this region that will allow us to prosper and remain a great part of Australia to live, work and do business in,” reflected Sam.

Building on experience and excellence

FOUNDED in 2012, Development Edge is the innovative company behind some of the Goulburn Valley’s most dynamic residential developments.

Notable local developments include the successful Seven Creeks Estate, The Vines, Sanctuary Park Estate, Woodlands Estate, Golf Rise Estate, Grammar Park Estate, Providence Field, and The Nook.

Co-founders Michael Lewis and Peter Mintern have more than 50 years’ combined experience in the building, property, infrastructure and engineering sectors. Together with director Russell Allen, who has over 40 years’ experience in accounting, they form a team of forward-thinking professionals who share a passion for creating communities designed for living.

“Land development” and in turn, housing and construction sectors, form one of the region’s largest economic sectors,” said Mr Lewis.

“Committing to delivering these quality projects 10 years ago provided different lifestyle options for people to consider buying land to build their home, in turn this has stimulated growth and demand for land.”

Mr Lewis said Shepparton still had significant scope for growth and the key was to ensure there was enough zoned land available providing a variety of housing options and opportunities for business to establish, develop and grow. Shortage of zoned land in regional Victoria has been a main driver increasing

in the cost of housing overall. Ensuring sufficient zoned land enables competition which keeps a lid on affordability. Shepparton currently has a significant shortage of zoned residential, commercial and industrial land.

“We’re not out-of-town developers – we are long term local people, and we pride ourselves on engaging with local partners and businesses for all our projects. From Town Planning and Engineering to civil construction, legal, sales and marketing, conveyancing, accounting, landscaping, builders, and artists; it provides significant opportunities for many local businesses.”

Helping build and grow leading property and infrastructure consultancy, Spiire Australia, Mr Lewis started Development Edge to pursue property development full-time.

This year marks 10 years since Development Edges inception. With 14 high quality residential developments across Shepparton, Echuca and Bendigo, and multiple new master planned communities on the way, this truly is a local success story.

Their success has transformed our region while enabling them to reinvest in local businesses, community sports and non-profits like ConnectGV.

Not only does it support suppliers, trades and small businesses involved in development and construction, but new housing helps the city to grow and prosper.

MACHINERY FOR ALL YOUR NEEDS...ConX Hire the go-to for contractors, builders and domestic customers alike.

They have now expanded to offer plant solutions for those requiring smaller equipment that fulfils the needs of tradesmen and DIYers. ConX Hire owners Sam and Steph Boda with a selection of their machinery.

Photo: Kelly Carmody

PREMIER DEVELOPMENTS...

Pictured from left, Development Edge directors Peter Mintern and Russell Allen, assistant project manager Kate Clarke, and director Michael Lewis at the grand entrance of the Seven Creek Estate, one of Kialla’s most sought-after addresses.

Photo: Deanne Jeffers

We’re not out-oftown developers – we are long term local people, and we pride ourselves on engaging with local partners and businesses for all our projects.

RECENT calls to see Australia’s regional populations increase by a further 1.5M people will put considerable pressure on the existing infrastructure in country towns and the Goulburn Valley is already gearing up to be prepared for the influx.

In recent years the Goulburn Valley has seen substantial growth in land development and all aspects of the building industry, with the major focus now on urban planning and provision of critical infrastructure to cater for the current and projected growth.

Scott Golightly, a partner at Chris Smith & Associates is leading the engineering team in working with government authorities to upgrade infrastructure and open up new land for residential and commercial development.

The Chris Smith & Associates team comprises urban planners, licensed surveyors and civil engineers working together to achieve their clients desired outcomes on a wide variety of projects.

“The workload has increased enormously in the past two years and we are now being asked to look

at new ways to design and deliver projects that offer sustainable products including recycled aggregate for roads, recycled plastics for pipes and roadside furniture and the like,” said Scott Golightly.

“There are also a large number of renewable energy projects that we are involved in which include undertaking planning, civil design and project management for solar farms and waste to energy plants. There is a real focus on all projects to be sustainable, reducing the impact climate change is having. As the work increases,

like many businesses, we are working hard to attract new staff for all the areas we work in.”

As the regional population expands and the focus shifts towards sustainability, the work Chris Smith & Associates performs will continue to grow which is likely to increase the demand for good technical staff into what will be challenging and rewarding careers in regional Victoria.

The future is bright and, in many ways, long overdue and keeping ahead of the demand for good infrastructure will be a great challenge.

Shepparton

MEETING DEMAND... The Chris Smith & Associates team comprises of urban planners, licensed surveyors and civil engineers working together to achieve their clients desired outcomes on a wide variety of projects. Pictured is irrigation designer/surveyor, Nathan Jarrett. Photo: Kelly Carmody

DIVERSE Builders was proudly founded by Neil and Fiona Rose in 1985. After decades of building high-quality, much-loved homes across the region, high-end custom home builders Matt Kelly and Shane Gatson were appointed the new directors, alongside Neil Rose, from July 2022.

They are trusted builders who offer a range of carefully considered plans with the flexibility to accommodate customisation of both the façade and floor plans, in addition to being custom build specialists.

Currently the team are in the process of finessing their plan range to refresh the list of inclusions and offer more sustainable, energy-conscious homes.

“We uniquely offer set plans with flexibility, like a volume builder, but also offer a complete design and construct service as a custom builder to craft your beautiful new home to your exact specifications,” said co-director Shane.

“Servicing a 100km radius from Shepparton means we have fostered relationships with the best trades and suppliers to meet all of your needs and requirements.”

Diverse Builders also have a plethora of commercial experience, with multi-million-dollar projects for both government and private sectors under their belt.

“As commercial builders, we have constructed government, education, aged care, retail and office buildings to a high standard, on time and

within budget,” said co-director, Shane Gatson.

“We have made sympathetic alterations to historic buildings, constructed fire and police stations, and built architecturally designed portable classrooms.”

Building can be daunting, explained co-director Matt Kelly.

“That’s why we wish to provide a streamlined, high-end, positive building experience from start to finish. Our new display home currently in the works will showcase all the inclusions, options and our vision for our clients,” said Shane.

“We aim to passionately impart local knowledge, honesty and user-friendly processes and provide the highest of quality building solutions and

experience to our diverse, local community. We strive to become the region’s builder of choice.”

Matt Kelly and Shane Gatson are proud to be a part of the Goulburn Valley business community and are excited for the future of Diverse Builders and the region in general.

“We are proud to continue to help our community thrive by being a major supporter and partner with Shepparton Foodshare who do amazing work in our community as well as partnering with Beyond Housing,” explained Matt.

“Local businesses here work together and form such a strong bond, enabling us to deliver such a collective community effort when challenges arise.”

A NEW DIRECTION FOR LOCAL BUILDER... After decades of building high-quality, much-loved homes across the region, high-end custom home builders Shane Gatson and Matt Kelly were appointed the new directors, alongside Neil Rose, of Diverse Builders in Numurkah.

Photo: Kelly Carmody

THE trend of pre-sale residential land may have slowed a little and is not quite as hectic, however interest is still relatively strong compared to pre-Covid, Shepparton real estate agent, Glenn Young told Our Goulburn Valley magazine.

Large amounts of land have been pre-sold in advance, particularly during the Covid period, allowing for a continued pipeline of development.

Excitingly, Glenn Young’s firm, Youngs & Co Real Estate, are gearing up for a 250-block development which will be coming on stream in late 2023.

Known as Westwood Rise, west of Mooroopna and north of Westwood Run, blocks are anticipated to be approximately 800 sqm + and will be complemented with a large reserve and open views.

Glenn says that another development he is excited about is the first stage of the Emerald Bank development, which will see larger than average blocks with several backing onto a bushland backdrop setting.

“Blocks will also be overlooking Paradise

Lake, south of the recently opened Museum of Vehicle Evolution (MOVE) in Kialla,” he said.

The area comprises a 68-block development with many lots over 1,200m2 . Lauriston Estate in Shepparton’s north continues to be one of the highest sought-after locations (close to GV Grammar School and St Luke’s Catholic Primary School) with large 2,000m2+ blocks with an ever-increasing list of potential buyers keenly waiting on further releases.

Glenn says that commercial property in the Shepparton area continues to be tightly held. Concerning industrial land, the challenge he and his team have is fulfilling the high level of enquiry from Melbourne businesses for larger blocks so that they can relocate.

“It’s amazing; people are realising they don’t need to be in Melbourne and Shepparton is ideally located for transport,” said Glenn.

“Blocks of 5,000 - 10,000 sqm are in hot demand. Land is a lot cheaper in Shepparton compared to

Melbourne, but the big challenge is getting land rezoned in a timely manner to allow the land to be developed. Regulatory authorities (and their processes) need to work together efficiently so there is a positive outcome for everyone.”

He also explained that major changes the State Government has introduced have created a big bottleneck in achieving various accreditations, particularly for gas fitters.

“Very few gas fitters with the correct certification are available to service gas appliances, as there aren’t enough being trained and moving through the system. This has a chain reaction to a whole range of issues,” said Glenn.

Combining years of experience in the real estate business, Youngs & Co Real Estate, would be one of the most experienced in regional Victoria. Business founder, Les Young, alongside Glenn and his wife Connie Young and their team operate from offices in Shepparton and Mooroopna.

Shepparton Adviser

FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH...The friendly and knowledgeable team at Youngs & Co Real Estate from left, Katrina Mouta s, Lisa Formica, Bree Reeve, Michael Blake, Les Young, Glenn Young, Connie Young, Gemma DeRose, Marian Collier and Laura Gibson. Photo: Supplied

Putting the shine on our older homes

WITH 30 years of experience behind them, a small business in Shepparton has expanded and established themselves as a dominant player in keeping the roof over our heads and the weather out.

John Brain began in business in 1996, like many small tradesmen, working out of his home office and building his credentials in the field.

The region maintains a great number of heritage homes that need regular maintenance and for many, the lifespan of their roof reaches a point where it needs to be replaced.

John Brain saw the opportunity and capitalised on it. The company now has a dozen team members working to restore the roofs on some of these beautiful older homes, returning them back to their former glory with some of the more inspiring materials, metal profiles and colours now available.

“We specialise in bespoke architectural renovations,” said co-business owner, Peter Sanders at their large factory/warehouse.

“Some of these homes go back over 100 years or more and provide some interesting challenges when the time comes to renovate them, particularly in keeping them consistent with their heritage construction and style.”

Peter manages the quotes and the office while his partner, Luke Chambers, manages the tradesmen on site. Peter and Luke took over the company when John Brain retired in 2013.

The firm operates over a large

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE... John Brain, pictured, began his business in 1996, and it has now expanded and been established as a dominant player in keeping the

the

The

region.

region encompassing the Goulburn Valley and its neighbouring areas.

The impetus provided by the governments over the last year has seen an increase in renovation work which, for like many companies, also puts pressure on finding the right staff to keep pace and train new entrants for the work.

“We manage by working harder,” said Peter. “At the moment, it doesn’t look like it will slow down for some time yet.”

BUSINESSES in Shepparton’s Maude Street Mall

the reopening of the northern portion of the mall precinct in September, as the major $17.5M redevelopment nears completion. The rst and second stages of the works are open to the public. Stages three and four are currently underway, and the entire redevelopment is set to be completed in late November 2022.

Powered

THE uptake of residential solar in Victoria is nothing short of spectacular. Our region is second in the state for solar installations per capita, and this is driven by our familiarity with innovative technologies, the savings it delivers and a desire to do our bit to replace coal.

Batteries are now also beginning to reshape the energy curve. Single households, community batteries, Virtual Power Plants (VPP) and massive grid connected batteries form the basis of the next critical stage reshaping our national electricity grid.

The great news is that households can now protect themselves from the threat of increasing electricity prices hence, reduce the cost of living. A correctly sized solar and battery system provided by a reputable CEC (Clean Energy Council) energy company installer like Watters Electrical, can place a household electricity bill in credit for most

of the year in a region like ours. The added benefits of combining solar and battery on a VPP and enjoying significant feed-in income is now the way of the future for households.

The knowledge that is available via smart phone apps connected to your solar and battery system is very powerful and this has changed the relationship customers have with their retailer. The ability to turn off appliances, set consumption limits, select when we export and who to, is a huge game changer. You now have the power – not the retailer!

Commercial solar solutions generate the best potential renewable investment because being at work during the day using power means that commercial solar systems can be paid off faster, making them a great investment.

State and Federal Governments still provide rebates

at both domestic and commercial levels but these are being wound back. From time-to-time energy grants and efficiency programs become available and tax advantages are available to all. A reputable energy company can assist business to reap these benefits and whether the business owns or rents the building, solar is a very credible way to reduce overall business costs.

The relationships we have with our energy retailers continues to evolve as we look to break away from old billing structures. New forms of business funding through Power Purchase Agreements (PPA’s) and payment structures through your rates notices provide meaningful purchasing alternatives for business.

Our region is the food bowl of Australia and as a result we are large consumers of electricity, gas and water. Looking to the future, technologies like Hydrogen, Biowaste and Agriwaste should also be considered as localised power sources as we as a community, transition away from coal to a net zero strategy.

Call Watters Electrical today and chat to our team about how we can help you!

WAY OF THE FUTURE... With over 60 years servicing regional Victoria, regional NSW and metropolitan areas, Watters team of quali ed electricians have the skills and abilities to handle any sized job. A Watters solar system is a smart and valuable investment for your home. It will generate clean, free solar electricity to power your household and can also increase the resale value of your home. Photo: Supplied

Green innovation with impact

WITH steadfast focus, Western Composting Technology have produced premium quality compost for the past 14 years servicing four local government areas.

Predominantly utilising collected kerb-side FOGO waste, WCT has grown with the needs and demands of the community, marking its most significant growth to date with the introduction of food organics, increasing both input and output.

Expanding its capital with two additional In Vessel Tunnels in response to the increase in ‘feedstock’ requirements, WCT has been able to process over 28,000 tonnes of green waste per year with its five onsite composting tunnels. Sitting comfortably within the parameters of its EPA footprint and layout, WCT’s steady but sure growth has not only seen the business double

Wilson

its onsite, locally employed workforce over time but has also enabled the enterprise to acquire more land for expansion. Significantly, as the preferred tender for a new facility within the City of Greater Bendigo, WCT is set to expand its operations with the expectation that the new site will eventually replicate the size and capacity of the current facility in Shepparton.

With innovation embedded within the science and technology of composting itself, WCT’s passion

and vision for the future is rooted within the quality of the rich compost that the wholesaler produces and the ongoing and sustainable impact it will have on the environment itself, as operations manager, John Wilson said,

“We’re not here just to take green waste out of landfill, that’s part of what we do, but we’re passionate about the quality of our compost that is purchased and gets used back into the soil. Our point of difference is we are serious about providing the best quality compost available to market and that is our imprint on the environment.”

PRODUCING PREMIUM QUALITY COMPOST... Western Composting Technology is having a signi cant impact on the environment. Pictured from left, QSE of cer Daniel Ellis, leading hand Greg Miller, compost operators Patrick Connelly, Nathan Cahir and Dayne Chapman with operations manager John Wilson. Photo Kelly Carmody

The price of blocks of land has come off the boil a little, due to those in the market switching to existing dwellings. The reason, according to local real estate agent, Rocky Gagliardi, of Gagliardi Scott Real Estate, is the increase in costs of building a home and the extended timeline of the build. “There’s an adjustment underway between land and existing homes,” Rocky told Our Goulburn Valley magazine

“Although the market has come off a little, it’s still strong for residential houses.

During the height of Covid, residential property was changing hands at breakneck speed and our expectations became quite high on the average days a property was on the market. We’re still experiencing excellent sales but the average days a residential property is on the market has increased to 15-25 days,” Rocky said.

Rocky said land had come back a little in price and was selling at around $270 - $280,000 a block. The challenge going forward is the scarcity of land.

“There’s still a shortage of land,” he explained. “Supply has tightened up in recent months."

The challenge for developers is the sheer cost of developing land with all the infrastructure involved.

On the commercial property front,

Rocky said it had been very strong, however there was a bit of hesitancy about putting commercial property on the market at the moment. He said there was real frustration around industrial land in the Shepparton region.

“There’s simply not enough industrial land available to fulfil demand. There are several businesses wanting to expand, but can’t due to lack of land, and some are looking elsewhere. Industrial land in Shepparton has gone through the roof. Not so long ago it was $85 per sqm, then $100, $160 and more recently $200 per sqm. It could be $250 per sqm in the not-too-distant future. You only have to look at Bendigo with industrial land changing hands for $350 per sqm,” he said.

Principal of Youngs & Co Real Estate, Glenn Young said land had sold very well and what land that was available had been snapped up with many pre-sales.

“It’s unfortunate that it takes so long for land to be re-zoned, because the demand is there. The process incurs big delays and therefore additional costs. It used to be six to eight months to start a stage development and titles release; it’s now taking eight to 12 months,” Glenn said.

“There are big hold-ups with the authorities and the problem for developers is the buyer of the land has a forced

increase when they have a contract to build their home,” Glenn added.

On the commercial property front, Shepparton was very tightly held, he said.

“There has been a high level of enquiry from Melbourne investors in particular wanting large industrial sites. There are large businesses wanting to relocate to Shepparton and expand. 5,000 to 10,000 sqm blocks are highly sought after and difficult to source.

“People are realising that they don’t need to be in Melbourne and Shepparton is ideally located for transport,” Glenn told Our Goulburn Valley magazine

Land surveying specialist Chris Mepham of Chris Smith & Associates said he hadn’t seen any let-up yet with land development.

“The demand is still strong, particularly in the Nagambie, Echuca and Kilmore areas,” Chris said. Among the projects closer to home, the company was working on Lauriston Estate on Grace Road, Shepparton, The Outlook Stage 2 80-block project off Jacobson Street, Mooroopna, and Westwood Run, Mooroopna with over 120 blocks. Chris said they were also working on Kialla Lakes Estate

Preliminary work has begun on Shepparton’s future All Saints Anglican School site on Verney Road. Building is set to start in 2023. The blessing of the site was conducted by Anglican Schools Commission (ASC) CEO the Reverend Peter

Lawrence OAM, the Bishop of Wangaratta, the Right Reverend Clarence Bester and the Reverend Canon Scott Jessup in May. Shepparton is set to gain an Early Parenting Centre. The $25M project announced by the State Government in May, which is part of the 2022/23 State budget, is expected to get underway in 2024 and be completed by 2025 . The project consists of 10-beds, a kitchen and dining area, playroom and multi-purpose rooms, and an outdoor play area and was announced by Victorian Health Minister, Martin Foley with Independent Member for Shepparton, Suzanna Sheed.

North Growth Corridor landscaping work is underway. Motorists would have noticed between Ford Road, Goulburn Valley Highway and Verney Road new landscaping works by Greater Shepparton City Council The North Growth Corridor is one of two original growth corridors identified for future residential development in Greater Shepparton GV Hospice Palliative Care opened its $5.5M brand new building on the corner of Wyndham Street and Balaclava Road, Shepparton in August. The organisation has tremendous support from the community.

Among many other new projects on the go in the region, there’s MB & M Accountants who are to relocate to new premises further south on Nixon Street. A new two-storey building being constructed is well underway.

THERE are some mixed messages coming from the property market, however all make a lot of sense and give a coherent picture.

Rural indicators permeate rural success

By NAB’s Phin Zeibell

AGRICULTURE continues to kick goals in the Goulburn Valley, with a wet season and good prices giving producers some of the best returns in years. While prices look to have peaked for now – albeit from record levels – we remain con dent that northern Victoria will enjoy another strong year.

Business inflows for NAB agriculture, forestry and fishing customers continue to grow at a rapid pace, reflecting a monster winter crop, strong commodity prices and more recently, a recordbreaking cotton bonanza. Our 6-week rolling average closed out July up 27 percent compared to a year prior.

However, the year has not been without challenges. Input costs, particularly fuel and fertiliser, combined with patchy labour availability, has kept business on its toes. While there are some signs input costs are peaking, gas remains a key risk.

Global economic headwinds continue to mount, driven by high inflation, particularly for energy. This

has seen central banks raise official interest rates at a rapid pace. The RBA has hiked rates to 2.35 percent, from a record low of 0.1 percent at the start of the year. We see the cash rate reaching around 2.85 percent by year end. We still see a soft landing for the Australian economy (unlike Europe for example, which will face major energy challenges this northern winter), but growth is likely to be slower in 2023. But for regional economies across northern Victoria, elevated regional migration inflows, combined with another good year for agriculture, should see 2022 close out as a strong year.

Check out what’s happening in the Goulburn Valley: The GV leads the way on many fronts in regional Australia

as the stone fruits grown in the Goulburn Valley

Written by Geoff Adams, Shepparton Adviser managing editor

Three bumper agricultural seasons in a row have set up another boom year in the Goulburn Valley.

Whether it’s the production of millions of litres of milk from dairy farms in the Goulburn Valley each day, massive apple and pear crops being supplied across the nation and overseas, exporting advanced world-class irrigation systems to many parts of the world, or a myriad of businesses that feed off these industries, Shepparton and the wider Goulburn Valley is extremely well placed to boom during the next decade and beyond.

Evidence shows that 100s of local businesses are feeding from the bountiful food, manufacturing, and irrigation sectors, in fact all local businesses in one way, shape or form are enjoying spin-offs from these sectors.

Take McColl’s Transport , with operations in Shepparton and Tongala as an example, freighting a whopping two million litres of milk per day and planning to increase this to three million litres per day - and that’s just one trucking company in the Goulburn Valley McColl’s Transport employs well over 100 staff and are upgrading their Shepparton site on the corner of Midland Highway and Doyles Road . Operations manager, Darren Young, told Our Goulburn Valley magazine that 90 percent of their Goulburn Valley milk cartage work is farm pick-up to local milk processors.

“Spending local is the company’s philosophy,” Darren said. McColl’s Transport is Tongala’s largest employer and is on the lookout for more drivers and mechanics.

Local major irrigation technology manufacturer, Rubicon Water, continues to deliver water-saving solutions worldwide. The manufacturer of large irrigation control gates at the Wheeler Street factory has now exceeded the installation of more than 35,000 gates throughout 17 countries! In northern Victoria , the gates are responsible for automating a network of more than 3,000kms of channels, helping make it one of the world’s most efficient irrigation systems. The company has played a significant role in achieving a 90 percent water delivery efficiency rate, with the Victorian Government this year announcing that the project in the north of the state had exceeded the annual water saving target.

One of Australia’s most recognised brands, SPC, (Shepparton Preserving Company) continues to drive a new culture of growth, acquiring the Kuisine Co brand for the healthcare market. “We are already strong in the aged care sectors through our fruit products. The scale and scope of Kuisine’s capabilities means that we can expand our offering to include frozen foods, finger foods and ready-made meals,” SPC CEO Rob Giles said.

The challenge for SPC and many Goulburn Valley companies is finding staff to fill positions. Increased demand for SPC product equates to employment opportunities and SPC currently has 60 positions to fill, Mr Giles told Our Goulburn Valley magazine. “At SPC we’re focused on ‘Better Food for the Future’ Flavorite on the Midland Highway near Tatura encompasses 60,000 sqm (six hectares) under one roof. They opened their $20M highly productive tomato plant operation which is expected to deliver 4,000 tonnes of tasty produce. The glasshouse stands seven metres in height and uses world-leading technology to control

every aspect of the growing environment.

One of the region’s longest standing food processors, Campbell’s Australasia , (part of the Arnott’s Group and formerly known as Campbell’s Soups), is celebrating a special milestone of 60 years in the Goulburn Valley. The maker of high-quality soups, stocks, broths and juices sourced from local and Australian food suppliers employs over 200 locals

Did you know that the iconic 43-metre-tall Campbell’s Soups can is actually a water tank using and maintaining a constant potable water supply for factory use, with a capacity of 100,000 litres

Locally founded and nationally recognised manufacturer of masks during the pandemic, Med-Con, who are based at Lemnos, continues to reinvest with four new ear loop mask machines with a $550,000 investment. Med-Con CEO, Grant McGrath said they were also shortly to receive new ultrasonic welding equipment for masks suitable for medical and food settings.

One of Shepparton’s most important local manufacturers, Pental Limited , continues to grow with new acquisitions, which complement their iconic locally produced and distributed brands such as White King, Country Life, Softly, Jiffy, and Huggie. Pental has been a big supporter of the Shepparton Chamber of Commerce & Industry Business Excellence Awards. As reported in The Adviser, publisher of Our Goulburn Valley magazine in June, site manager of Pental Limited , Shepparton, Carmine Conte said, “Over the last 12 months Pental has also been busy diversifying its market channels with the recent acquisition of Australia’s second largest corporate hamper business, “Hamper’s with Bite”, as well as entering the e-commerce channel with the acquisition of the BONDI Soap brand of organic personal care online products.”

Plunketts Orchards have seen growth in jobs and fruit production after a $12.2M capital upgrade at their Ardmona site. The large project has seen a new 12,000 sqm warehouse constructed to house a game-changing apple and pear packing facility. Plunkett Orchard’s general manager, Andrew Plunkett , said it has “doubled their output.”

More of these types of works are in the pipeline in the Goulburn Valley according to TSE Energy Solutions’ director/manager, Tyson Saunders. Tyson and his team worked on the Plunkett project and sees excellent opportunities in innovation and automation of industrial settings throughout the region.

Local engineering business, Maddison Wright Engineering has secured a large contractual job working on the $135M state-of-the-art passenger and freight terminal in Geelong’s Port of Corio Quay. The project is part of the Spirit of Tasmania’s move to Geelong

With the help of Federal Government funding earlier this year, local artificial intelligence firm, Ripe Robotics of Ardmona is seeing their hard work come to fruition. Operating from McNab & Sons orchards, the dynamic team headed up by co-founders, Leopold Lucas and Hunter Jay, have designed an autonomous fruit picking robot, which uses datadriven technology to select and then pick fruits. They say the future of farming will see more robotics capable of selecting and collecting soft fruits, such

One of the Goulburn Valley ’s most dynamic producers of fine fruits is Freshmax . The company continues to strive for excellence in quality produce. Freshmax is one of the largest fresh produce marketing and distribution operations in the Southern Hemisphere

Brands such as Modi Apples™, Piqa® Boo® Pears and Honey Belle™ Pears are grown right here in the Goulburn Valley. Originally bred in Italy and named after the famed sculptor Amadeo Modigliani, Modi is a bright red apple with superb eating quality and long shelf-life capability.

The four long-standing Goulburn Valley orchardists that make up Pomona Valley were previously Varapodio, Turnbull, Pickworth and Hall families. Prior to that, they were independently growing apple and pear categories and certain IP brands for Freshmax . They’ve now merged and formed Pomona Valley, with more than 500 hectares of orchards, water rights, additional land and two packing-house operations.

“It’s probably in the top 10 of horticultural fruit-growing businesses in Australia,” orchardist Peter Hall said.

Shepparton’s brand new state-of-the-art $50M cultural centre, the already iconic Shepparton Art Museum (SAM), has proved a huge success in its first year with a staggering 65,000+ visitors through its doors. With an estimated 100,000 visitors annually.

Museum of Vehicle Evolution (MOVE) has also proved an enormous asset to Shepparton with several thousand people visiting the complex since officially opening in November 2021

MOVE is also home to the Furphy Museum . The 158-year-old Shepparton based business (Est. 1864) is part of Australian history on several fronts. J. Furphy & Sons manufactures world class products and services at their sprawling New Dookie Road, Shepparton site and has operations at Albury and Geelong. The more than 100 employee business is headed up by Adam Furphy The additional branch to the Furphy operations is Furphy

Foundry which specialises in the manufacturer of street and park furniture and open space structures, is headed up by Furphy descendant and cousin of Adam, Sam Furphy. The business operates at the neighbouring property in Drummond Road, Shepparton . A visit to the Furphy Museum is well worthwhile.

Shepparton’s long standing tyre business, Central Tyre Service celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. The successful business, stating the obvious, has been built on customer service and is headed up by Rod Poliness and Timothy Webb.

On the gastronomic front, there have been many businesses open in Shepparton in the last 12 months. Fryers Street , along with Wyndham and High Streets have seen the arrival of several exciting new eateries.

The Goulburn Valley recently welcomed the opening of the all-new BMW/MINI showroom, one of only a handful constructed in the world to date. Shepparton BMW and Shepparton MINI Garage is located across the road from its former premises on Melbourne Road , South Shepparton . The successful business headed up by Aaron Brain, has won several national awards.

Continued Page 110

LIFE’S good in the Goulburn Valley on the fresh produce, manufacturing, construction, heath care sector and logistics fronts.

Shepparton and the wider Goulburn Valley is extremely well placed to boom during the next decade and beyond.

Check out what’s happening in the Goulburn Valley: The GV leads the way on many fronts in regional Australia

Continued from page 109 Shepparton is in the midst of a health services revolution Following the completion of Stage Two of Goulburn Valley Health’s $229.3M redevelopment , there have been huge spin-offs for Shepparton and the wider Goulburn Valley. Health service businesses have popped up across the city. The challenge for this sector among many others is the fulfilling of positions available. Employment is running at a high level and many businesses and government facilities are looking to fill positions across the board.

One of several projects that has recently opened or in planning is the end-to-end medical training facility under the Federal Government Murray-Darling Medical Schools Network (MDMSN). The project is a partnership between the University of Melbourne and La Trobe University The facility will help address the shortages in the rural medical workforce and is one step closer to providing complete medical training for students in a regional setting. University of Melbourne Professor John Prins, head of Melbourne Medical School , said the program could

accommodate up to 100 students. The purpose-built rural doctor hub opened in May 2022 right here in Shepparton

Our Goulburn Valley magazine has highlighted many leading businesses and business sectors here, in no particular order, we all are the beneficiary of success in the Goulburn Valley

Last but not least, Shepparton and the Goulburn Valley is famous for the average days of sunshine, more days of sunshine than the Sunshine Coast, some say.

Developments around the Goulburn Valley

Our Goulburn Valley magazine while out and about captured some of the projects both under construction or completed recently. Photos: Kelly Carmody

The GV Hospice redevelopment was completed in July this year. The state-of-the-art building is located at the corner of Wyndham Street and Balaclava Road, Shepparton.

Crow Construction are busy building the new United Petroleum service station on the Midland Highway in Mooroopna.

Wintringham are building 28 – 30 new independent living units in Wyndham Street, Shepparton.

The North Quarter site, Shepparton has been designed around connection. Connection to the environment, our community, our bustling city, and the places that are important to us.

The new home of MB+M Accounting is under construction in Nixon Street, Shepparton

Shepparton’s Verney Road School will undergo a major upgrade and staged relocation to the former Wanganui Park Secondary School on Parkside Drive.

Shepparton

MOVE

Shepparton

I

must-see

Education, arts & culture

MELINDA MARTIN SAM CEO

Total value of the Museum of Vehicle Evolution was $5.3M and the value of the new Shepparton Art Museum was $50.7M.

In Kialla, St Anne’s College development is valued at $5.2M, and Greater Shepparton Secondary College on Hawdon Street welcomed students this year to its new college valued at $119M.

The 2021 Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) shows foundation year children in Greater Shepparton have improved in developmental milestones since the last census, conducted in 2016.

Pictured, A focussed student from Greater Shepparton Secondary College

HISTORY students at Shepparton ACE Secondary College are presently touring Cambodia and Vietnam on a trip sponsored by the school.

This is the first overseas trip for the school, and for many of the students, their first time traveling abroad.

“Shepparton ACE Secondary College aims to provide opportunities for those who may not have the resources to do so,” said Joel Hoffman, senior social worker at the College.

“There’s no cost for any of the families, which is fantastic. The school covers everything, from fees to helping students if they need help with documents.”

This trip is part of the College’s efforts to reengage students with the world following the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the first days at Phnom Penh, students visited the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda and tried unfamiliar foods. They also spent time at the notorious ‘Killing Fields’ at Choeung Ek and Tuol Sleng Museum, both

of which chronicle the unfortunate years under the Khmer Rouge.

Students and supervising staff also participated in a cyclo tour of Phnom Penh, a city that was once considered the loveliest city in Indochina and visited the amazing Angkor Temples.

In Vietnam, the group plan to visit, among other things, the Reunification Palace, the former Presidential Palace of the President of South Vietnam and the Cu Chi tunnel system; a complex maze once home to communist guerrillas in their wars against the Japanese, French, Americans (and Australians).

The highlight of the trip will be a talk with a former soldier of the People’s Army of Vietnam, Mr Le.

“From photographs shared from staff and students, they appear to be having a fabulous but exhausting time coping with the heat, the currency and a very busy sightseeing schedule,” said principal Bronwyn Rose, who thanked staff for their support.

“This just couldn’t happen without staff giving a lot of their time and our whole school community appreciates it enormously.”

STUDENTS ABROAD... History students at Shepparton ACE Secondary College have been treated to an extraordinary tour of Cambodia and Vietnam, which was sponsored by the school.

Pictured from left, Leo McNally, Immegin Langley and Sharni Wilson. Photo: Supplied

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

For too long, Yorta Yorta and First Nations people have been expected to step into the Western world in order to prosper. this position of a lack of perceived value, everyone in the community loses. Yorta Yorta people see the world differently.

can start to see they are people who have something to give that is of great value. This Plan provides a place-based investment model that, if successfully executed, has the potential to change the social and cultural fabric of our nation.

Rather than seeing Yorta Yorta and First Nations as people that mainstream society needs to give to, the Goulburn Murray Regional Prosperity Plan (the Plan) provides a space so that the region can start to see they are people who have something give that is of great value. This Plan provides a place-based investment model that, if successfully executed, has the potential change the social and cultural fabric of our nation.

• In net present value terms, a cumulative contribution to GRP over 15 years exceeding $500 million.

Plan

• A significant boost to new business for Yorta Yorta and First Nations people.

While this 15 year Plan is ambitious, the Goulburn Murray region is ready. A strong foundation of local Indigenous infrastructure is mobilised for investment to ensure that Yorta Yorta and First Nations people are part of the future growth of gross regional product (GRP) in the region. A governance structure has been developed that will allow ‘learning as you go’ and the flexibility to adapt as priorities change over time. The monitoring and evaluation framework will provide a place-based approach to the Government’s Closing the Gap agenda.

While this 15 year Plan is ambitious, the Goulburn Murray region is ready. A strong foundation of local Indigenous infrastructure mobilised for investment to ensure that Yorta Yorta and First Nations people are part of the future growth of gross regional product (GRP) in the region. A governance structure has been developed that will allow ‘learning as you go’ and the flexibility adapt as priorities change over time. The monitoring and evaluation framework will provide a place-based approach to the Government’s Closing the Gap agenda.

• A significant realignment in the costs of government and community services and interventions to Close the Gap.

This increase in regional productivity will justify early investment to seed the establishment of the model (effectively an advance against future GRP growth and cost savings): and support re-investment from future GRP gains and cost savings into a circular economy to create new and added value that will provide significant benefits in our region.

Critically, the right stakeholders across the region are committed for the long term to shared responsibility to restoring access to the regional economy for Yorta Yorta and other First Nations people. Through the creation of a circular economy, where local Yorta Yorta and First Nations people can contribute to, and then benefit from, the growth of the wider economy, the Goulburn Murray region has an opportunity to lead the nation on how to create a shared prosperity model that tangibly benefits everyone.

• A demonstrable social and cultural dividend that honours and respects Yorta Yorta cultural traditions and contemporary value.

Critically, the right stakeholders across the region are committed for the long term to shared responsibility to restoring access the regional economy for Yorta Yorta and other First Nations people. Through the creation of a circular economy, where local Yorta Yorta and First Nations people can contribute to, and then benefit from, the growth of the wider economy, the Goulburn Murray region has an opportunity to lead the nation on how to create a shared prosperity model that tangibly benefits everyone.

The Plan flips the way we view and understand the place and role of First Nations people in the regional economy from a prevailing deficit model to a positive and contributory model.

$150m

annum by 2036 for the Goulburn Murray region through the

Nations people. The activation of the strategic themes in

$150m GRP

below.

by 2036 for the Goulburn Murray

Plan Champions

GOULBURN MURRAY REGIONAL PROSPERITY

Plan Champions

Plan Champions

Committing to the role of

Committing to the role of a Plan Champion and signing the Statement of Intent involves acknowledging the ongoing contribution Yorta and other First Nations people to the Goulburn Murray region, the history of dispossession and marginalisation upon the First Nations community and the shared responsibility

First

The following organisations have committed to the

following

Murray Regional Prosperity Plan and signed the Statement of Intent:

•AgBioEn

•Committee for Echuca Moama

•Committee for Greater Shepparton

•Goulburn-Murray Water

•Goulburn-Murray

•Greater

•Greater

•Greater Shepparton City Council

•University

•University of Melbourne

GOULBURN

GOULBURN MURRAY

GOULBURN

Primary priorities are all about our kids

SOME of our most experienced primary school principals and educators are working behind-the-scenes to ensure local children have access to a highquality, integrated and inclusive journey from Foundation to Year 6.

Working groups are now implementing the key goals of Stage Three of the Shepparton Education Plan (SEP), which aims to improve education outcomes in our 28 Greater Shepparton primary schools.

“Greater Shepparton Secondary College has been the major capital investment in the education plan and has the highest profile,” the Department of Education and Training’s Goulburn Area executive director,

Sharon Hensgen-Smith, said.

“Yet the work underway to lift secondary school outcomes is Stage One of four stages to improve education outcomes, from pre-school to entering the workforce.” Stage Two focuses on Early Years and includes the new Mooroopna Family and Children’s Centre and Stage Four aims at improving access to post-secondary education and career pathways.

“There is no capital works project for Stage Three but there are a great many dedicated people working to improve our primary school outcomes,” Sharon said.

Stage Three recognises that our primary schools

have committed and talented teachers and strong programs, yet there is a need to improve education, health and wellbeing outcomes in Greater Shepparton, SEP project manager Jenni Gibson is coordinating five working groups tasked with delivering equity and excellence across our primary schools.

“Each group comprises a team of experienced and well-known educators, who know the needs of our schools and know the needs of our kids,” Jenni said.

Development of the SEP began in 2017 with the aim of lifting student outcomes across the city over 10 years. There are eight such place-based plans in Victoria – with the Shepparton plan being the largest.

You can access the overview of each of the plan’s four stages here: www.vic.gov.au/education-plans

Melinda Martin

Shepparton Art Museum CEO

ART is a universal language that transcends borders, cultures and abilities, and allows us to consider the world from a new perspective. SAM, through art, acts as a conduit for conversation and connection; a meeting place for all, where everyone can partake in a meaningful experience when considering the ideas behind the incredible works that ll our galleries.

Our philosophy at SAM is grounded in storytelling. Every object on display tells a story of a place, a time, a culture, an idea, or even a feeling. To be able to work with our collection and the many talented artists practicing in Australia is a joy, and we’re thrilled that the home of so many significant works can be found right here on the land of the Yorta Yorta peoples, in this resilient, fruitful region that is now recognised for its creativity and industry.

Our team is working every day to present exhibitions and programs that

inspire and challenge, with connection always at their heart. “New SAM” was made possible through the support of this extraordinary community and is a cultural and architectural achievement to be proud of. We are at the beginning of our journey (my time with SAM has only recently begun) and we invite you all to join us each step of the way.

WORKING HARD BEHIND THE SCENES...Kialla West Primary school principal, Wes Teague with grade two students James Wood and Angelina Tassoni. Photo: Kelly Carmody

Greater Shepparton Secondary College has been the major capital investment in the education plan and has the highest profile

Inclusion

Ensuring

grow

learn.

Student Wellbeing

Ensuring

Teaching & Learning

Ensuring

Focus on Primary Education

skilled

Greater Shepparton

Greater Shepparton Secondary College and the Mooroopna Children and Families Centre are the obvious investments in the Shepparton Education Plan. Yet the Plan goes far beyond new buildings as

work

our young people across its four stages – Early Years, Primary, Secondary, Higher Education and Skills.

Aspirations & Extension

Ensuring

enter

Strong Local Schools

Ensuring a family’s local

school is their

school, respected and

SAM’s success is Shepparton’s success

ALREADY a cultural icon, the Shepparton Art Museum has had 62,000 visitors pass through its rotating doors, with the promise of 100,000 annually.

A community hub on Country, SAM brings people of all ages and cultural backgrounds together in a shared appreciation of art and art engagement, and with visitation from across the country streaming in, the economic flow on effect for regional business is in the $10s of millions.

“An estimated 45 to 50 percent of those visitors are outside the

Much more than just a gallery, artistic director and CEO, Melinda Martin said that SAM is a place of meeting; a drawcard that invites people of all ages to not only engage with art but also with the ideas and creative inspiration it generates.

“I want locals to connect with this unique space and with all the captivating creative arts and cultural experiences we have planned inside and out.

“SAM is a leading arts institution and together with other amazing

cultural destination.

“I want SAM to allow art to sharpen our senses, stimulate discourse, and deepen our capacity for artistic enrichment, Melinda said.

Stating that inclusivity is at the heart of SAM’s engagement with its patrons, engagement manager, Gabriella Calandro said, “SAM’s workshops, talks, programmes and events aim to engage local

creatives, artists and community members alike and give people the space to have fun, gain new skills, and explore their creative side.”

But it is the spirit of collaboration, reconciliation and engagement with First Nations people and the multicultural community that SAM achieves, as Melinda asserted, “Working with First Nations team and with the rich multicultural community we want to make sure that we are the best exemplar of these relationships.”

community

Shepparton

INCLUSIVITY AND INSPIRATION THROUGH ART... SAM’s engagement manager, Gabriella Calandro wants patrons and local creatives to explore art through participation in programmes, workshops and talks.

Photo: Cam Matheson

SAM’s workshops, talks, programmes and events aim to engage local creatives, artists and community members alike

EMPOWERING OUR FUTURE

Established in 2004, the Academy of Sport, Health & Education is an Indigenous focused program with a difference. ASHE, created in partnership between The University of Melbourne and Rumbalara Football Netball Club, provides pathways to further education and employment for young and matureaged students, learning in a culturally safe and supported environment.

To improve Aboriginal equality and overall life outcomes using a distinctly unique community development and whole-oflife support model, providing accessible, culturally-relevant ducation, training, health and employment opportunities and outcomes to primarily – but not exclusively –Aboriginal people.

Levelling the playing field

ASHE, created in partnership between The University of Melbourne and Rumbalara Football and Netball Club, provides pathways to further education and employment for young and matureaged Aboriginal students through the provision of VCAL and vocation learning in a culturally safe and supported environment.

In addition to returning to the classroom, this year saw the return of ASHEfest, which has brought Indigenous and non-Indigenous students together for Traditional games, arts and crafts, Traditional dance, language and storytelling since 2006.

“ASHEfest hasn’t run for the last two years due to Covid, before then, it has been running for many years, bringing students together to share our culture

Shared prosperity and a circular economy

SEVERAL key projects driven by Kaiela Institute, a First Nations-led analysis and policy think tank, have seen positive growth in 2022.

The annual Dungala Kaiela Oration was again delivered on Yorta Yorta Country, at the Rumbalara Football and Netball Club. Keynote speaker Professor Wiremu Doherty, chief executive at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, a Māori tertiary organisation in Aotearoa/New Zealand, spoke on how Indigenous knowledge can lead, build and enhance economies.

Providing a pathway for students to complete education immersed entirely in Māori for 40 years is having a positive impact of workforce development in New Zealand. KI seek to replicate this foundational basis for the Munarra Centre for Regional Excellence (MCRE) and the Munarra Academy to be built within the Shepparton Sports Precinct.

The MCRE is critical to the Goulburn Murray Regional Prosperity Plan, which seeks to build a thriving First Nations economy to generate new income, opportunities and shared prosperity for the benefit of all people.

"In Shepparton we have been relentless in our desire to make radical changes to

and our knowledge,” said student services officer, Seldan Andrews.

Almost 2,000 students from 22 schools in the region participated in ASHEfest 2022 over three days.

ASHE uses sporting participation to undertake education and training within a culturally appropriate environment, particularly for Indigenous students. Students are supported to follow their interests and talents beyond sport, however.

“We’re about more than just sport, we see talents in many areas and our aim is to capture

what each the student wants to do and what is best for them,” explained Seldan.

“The biggest outcome is to keep kids engaged by providing one-on-one learning experiences, cultural education, employment opportunities and pathways, while also improving health and wellbeing outcomes

“When students finish with us, we don’t just let them go either. We ask, ‘Where can we go to from here?’ and support them until they find employment to start the next chapter,” Seldan said.

With sport participation at its core, ASHE is working to improve Aboriginal equality and overall life outcomes, providing accessible, culturallyrelevant education, training, health and employment opportunities and outcomes to primarily – but not exclusively – Aboriginal people.

extreme disadvantage,” said Paul Briggs OAM, executive chairman of Kaiela Institute.

“Designed by the region, for the region, the Plan marks an historical turning point. it is a watershed moment for our region that promises to restore a thriving First Nations economy. This, in turn will create new productivity and prosperity for everyone.”

“By working in close collaboration with Yorta Yorta and First Nations people, the region can create a thriving economy with circular economic flows building shared prosperity and regional growth.”

The 15-year Plan aims to deliver parity on life expectancy and quality of life for Yorta Yorta people, whilst generate an additional $150M

gross regional product (GRP) per annum through economic stimulation; provided by employment and business growth, including both established and upcoming Indigenous-led business initiatives.

The Plan flips how we view and understand the place and role of First Nations people in the regional economy from a prevailing deficit model to a positive and contributory model.

Taking responsibility, the region will share in the value and prosperity generated from a place-based circular economy model, whilst also fostering understanding of, and respect for, the social, cultural and economic contributions of Yorta Yorta and First Nations people.

PROGRESS AND PARITY... Kaiela Institute executive chairman, Paul Briggs OAM pictured on the banks of the Goulburn River. Photo: Kelly Carmody

ESTABLISHED in 2004, the Academy of Sport, Health & Education is an Indigenous focused program with a difference.

POWER UP... The Academy of Sport, Health & Education is working to improve equality and life outcomes, providing accessible, culturally-relevant education and training to primarily – but not exclusively – Aboriginal people. Pictured from left are students Ch’e Atkinson, Vanessa Harbrow dressed as Rumba Woman, Matthew Atkinson as ASHE Man, and Noah Cranage in the lead up to ASHEfest 2022. Photo: Kelly Carmody

When students finish with us, we don’t just let them go either. We ask, ‘Where can we go to from here?’ and support them until they find employment to start the next chapter

Seldan Andrews.

Travis Heeney

Chief executive o cer, GOTAFE

At GOTAFE, we are proud to provide excellent vocational education and training to meet the demands of our industries and communities. We’ve made great progress with improving our

facilities in Shepparton, in partnership with government and the community.

Our Common Ground Café opened 12 months ago at our Fryers St campus, and we look forward to launching a new

Barbara O'Brien

WITH Term 4 well underway, Greater Shepparton Secondary College is of cially on the home stretch of the 2022 school year. It seems only yesterday we were making history in coming together as one at our new Hawdon Street campus.

commercial kitchen next door very soon. These facilities will improve hospitality training and prepare students for work in the industry.

This year has also seen the launch of a brand-new Greenhouse at William Orr Campus, which delivers hydroponics and horticultural training. The hothouse reflects trends in the protective cropping industries, which means we can better cater education to industry needs.

Works are well underway for the $11.7M upgrade to

the Goulburn Murray Trade Training Centre and the Fryers St campus masterplan has been finalised, which will see the development of integrated academic, community and commercial spaces.

We will continue to advocate for investment to ensure we can deliver best practice education in Shepparton and across our regional footprint.

It is heartening to see how far we have come in a short time. Staff and students have settled into our new facilities and are now daily experiencing the teaching and learning advantages of a modern, state-of-the-art school.

Our House and Neighbourhood structure has provided a smaller “home” for every student, with familiar faces at the start of the year now becoming firm friends. At the same time, it has been wonderful to see students take full advantage of our

“big school” status and the new subjects and learning pathways GSSC provides.

I wish to thank our community for supporting what has been a great beginning for GSSC.

We certainly know it was not an easy transition to the new campus, but rest assured our young people are now reaping the benefits. I see their pride and appreciation in GSSC building every day – if this is what we can achieve in months, imagine what we will achieve in the years ahead!

The Shepparton Adviser - Our Goulburn Valley Inspiring Innovation, Resilience and Passion in our community -

GOTAFE Shepparton provides hands-on training across three modern campuses

SAM

a statement that

is powering forward,

the

times

TOWERING atop Orchard Hill, the Shepparton Art Museum is not only a striking, $50M beacon drawing national attention to the region, but a source of pride for the Goulburn Valley community.

By Carrillo Gantner

In many ways, SAM is representative of the accumulative passion, innovation and sheer resilience of the community itself and marks Greater Shepparton’s arrival as a destination of significance; a place to be admired, shared and talked about.

Already attracting tens of thousands of tourists to the region, SAM not only boosts the local economy, but is an inspiring educational and creative resource for students of all ages. As a community hub, SAM proudly acknowledges First Nations people,

culture and history, while also attracting people from the region’s rich, ethnic community.

After years of dreaming, it was the passion of countless innovative and inspiring people who brought SAM to life.

Carrillo Gantner

Knowing that the time was right for a major cultural centre to be built, the Friends of SAM and the Greater Shepparton City Council, transformed the dream into a workable reality. With the vision and skill of artistic directors, who designed the

brief, and the extraordinary genius of world-class architects, SAM was gloriously realised.

But, like all ventures great and small, the SAM story was, and remains, reliant upon the tireless efforts of those who both raise and procure funding; such are the things that breathe dreams robustly to life.

With tireless advocacy from local, state, and federal members of parliament, and with the sponsorship of philanthropic and local donors through the SAM Foundation, major funding was acquired, entrenching the dream as the icon it was always intended to be. Now overseen by the SAM board, who would have ever said it couldn’t be done?

Pictured, A welder in action at Trevaskis Engineering

SHEPPARTON’S Furphy Foundry has grown from an agricultural implement maker to a leader in sustainable manufacturing, specialising in Australian made Street and Park Furniture and public Open Space Structures.

Furphy Foundry managing director, Sam Furphy, says innovation and resilience is key to the Foundry’s success during the past 158 years.

“Since it was established in 1864, Furphy Foundry has continued to evolve with the times – a great example of this was our investment in solar panel installation across the Shepparton facility in 2021,” he said.

“All Furphy Foundry products – including our highly durable picnic settings, benches, litter receptacles, bike racks, drinking fountains, shelters and more – are now manufactured from a clean, green, energy source.”

The Foundry’s aluminium casting facility was upgraded with a new electric furnace which is also powered by solar energy. Heat output into the environment has reduced while production

- Sam Furphy

output of castings and associated products has increased.

“We’re continually looking for ways to achieve a sustainable future, whether it’s introducing a non-carbon product range, offering a solar light kit solution for new and existing shelters, or using more sustainable materials,” Sam said.

Growing national demand has also contributed to a 25 percent expansion of the Shepparton operation’s manufacturing facility this past year.

All these advancements have created an opportunity to upskill the team, create further career pathways and hire more locals, which is great for the local community and its valued suppliers in the Goulburn Valley.

ADVANCING IN THE WORLD OF MANUFACTURING…Furphy Foundry managing director Sam Furphy said

and resilience is key to the Foundry’s success during the past 158 years". Photo: Supplied

J. Furphy

be

the Goulburn Valley’s

Goulburn

Local

helps Australia’s largest committed renewable project

WHEN K&S Industries in Shepparton was approached 18 months ago to assist Australia’s largest committed renewable energy project, Snowy Hydro 2.0, managing director, Victor Kyriakou unequivocally responded with, ‘yes.’

Having forged strong relationships with sawmills and industry networks over 20 years of experience and with the backing of its own sawmill in Nuriootpa in South Australia, K&S Pallets had the confidence to supply the Snowy Hydro project with over 60,000 pieces of radiata pine dunnage, within a concise time frame.

Used to meticulously secure over 20,000 seven tonne pipe segments on specialised transport trucks, which carried the sections from the factory site in Cooma to the boring site at Lobs Hole in the Kosciuszko National Park, the required specifications of the dunnage presented a challenge for K&S as well as an opportunity to innovate.

Calling on their industry connections for supply, amidst a timber crisis, K & S broke the mould by investing $200,000 in equipment upgrades along with a portable bandsaw mill in which the enterprise designed a cradle to specifically cut the pine dunnage to an angle to precision specifications

EXPERIENCE, ASSETS AND DRIVE... Managing director of K&S Pallets, Victor Kyriakou has seen the enterprise thrive as it has stepped in to assist Australia’s largest committed renewable energy project, Snowy Hydro 2.0 Photo: Kelly Carmody

for the Snowy Hydro concrete pipe segments.

With confidence, the backing of assets and an ability to innovate, K&S Pallets has not only played an important part in assisting Australia’s biggest renewable energy project but has grown a staggering 68 percent over the last two years.

Stating that the success of K&S is the result of a myriad of factors including the responsiveness of his exceptional staff, Victor said,

“Large volume orders don’t scare us even in the middle of a timber crisis. We say yes and then we work out how we’re going to do it. With a vast network of contacts and our own sawmill, we have the confidence to supply industry and when we commit to something we won’t let people down. This is how we were able to do something outside the square with the Snowy Hydro 2.0, this is how a little company in Shepparton got to support the largest committed renewable energy project in Australia.”

Shepparton

Victor Kyriakou

Robot test run a success

Since receiving Federal funding, Eve has undergone total redevelopment. Eve Mk5 is the fifth version developed by the company and it has been designed to pick fruit four times faster than Ripe Robotics' earlier designs, requires less maintenance, can pick a wider range of fruit, and uses less power – a key part in making these robots commercially viable.

Co-founder Leopold Lucas described the funding as “game changer.” He told The Adviser in February that, “Field robotics will unlock many other opportunities for other applications that make better use of data to improve the way we grow and harvest fruit.”

This machine not only alleviates the impact of labour shortages, but co-founder Hunter Jay says that AI-technology aids data collection by photographing each apple before being picked. This means orchardists will have access to accurate data that records the yield and quality of produce being collected each year.

The advent of this new technology will see orchards change to reflect the advancements. On the right side of the orchard photographed, you will see fruit trees have been pruned to have long, vertical limbs that offer easy access for the robot to grasp with its small suction ‘hand.’

“The farm of the future will be very different

from the farms we know today," said Leopold.

Powered with petrol generators, the robot can move through the orchard collecting fruit ready for picking, records the fruit, picks it and then it is moved to a bin. Eve Mk5 has been designed with versatility in mind, being able to pick more than just apples, have additional arms added, and the Ripe Robotics team are constantly working to make Eve more efficient.

The next major milestone for the project will be picking an entire bin of fruit.

WAY OF THE FUTURE... Eve Mk5 successfully collects an apple from a tree, signalling great advancements in the way produce is harvested in orchards. Photo: Supplied

THE rst trials for the fruit picking robot being developed by Ripe Robotics out of McNab and Son’s orchards in Ardmona were a success.

PROUD OF PRODUCE INVENTION... Ripe Robotics co-founders Leopold Lucas and Hunter Jay, lead engineer Michael Wood and mechatronics engineer Tobin Smit with Eve Mk5 in the centre, on the day of their successful trial run at McNab & Sons orchards, Ardmona.

Photo: Deanne Jeffers

edp australia pty ltd

solutions

region

CES Energy Solutions are a Shepparton based, locally owned electrical contractor. They take pride in their high standard of quality, reliability and professional workmanship ensuring they maintain an excellent reputation with their clients.

Currently, they have an ever-growing team of nine employees with an extensive and varied skillset. They have a passion for customer relations and working with local businesses to ensure the smooth day-to-day operation and free from disruptions.

CES Energy Solutions has a vast range of experience in all area's relating to the electrical sectors. With expertise across various industrial, commercial, and residential projects they are adaptable and proactive in formulating solutions for any of their client’s needs. From design and construction of motor control cubicles, PLC installation and programming, plant and equipment maintenance, commercial shop

fits, adding lighting to your home, solar and battery storage and even AutoCAD drawings.

The team at CES also have extensive experience in underground hardrock mining.

This varies from UG reticulation, design and construction of substations to rebuilding FLYGT submersible pumps and everything in between. CES Energy Solutions can cater to all mining needs.

As well as focusing on their customers, CES are making a difference in training our next generation of skilled electricians.

“It’s important for us to pass on the knowledge that we have gained over our many years of

experience to the next generation of electricians. Conventional education like what GOTAFE provides in the form of trade school forms the foundation for our apprentice’s knowledge,” said CES Energy Solutions director, Joshua Tan.

CES aim to provide our local area with the skills, expertise and professionalism of a large company while combining the friendly service, reliability and familiarity that we people expect from a locally owned regional business.

“We pride ourselves on being able to assist our customers from start to finish. From the initial design and consultations right through to the completion and handover stages, we ensure that our customers get the best solution for their electrical needs,” said director Alastair Brown.

Valley Inspiring Innovation, Resilience and Passion in our community - The Shepparton Adviser

EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN ENERGY SOLUTIONS... CES Energy Solutions has a vast range of experience in all areas relating to the electrical sectors. With expertise across various industrial, commercial, and residential projects they are adaptable and proactive in formulating solutions for any of their client’s needs. Pictured from left, directors Alastair Brown and Joshua Tan. Photo: Kelly Carmody

Alistair Brown

Residential,

Solar & Air conditioning

Mining

New beginnings for engineering stronghold

THE last 12 months have been marked with progression and accomplishment for local metal fabrication rm, Trevaskis Engineering, with a change in ownership, expansion and continued growth for the team.

Trevaskis Engineering has remained a trusted name throughout the Goulburn Valley specialising in precision punching, cutting, forming and pressing of sheet metal.

Michael Mason, an employee of the firm for over 30 years took over as director in March of 2021.

“After working here for such an

extended period of time, loving where I work and who I work with, the opportunity to purchase the business was a new challenge I was passionate about undertaking,” said Michael.

“My aim is to implement more sustainable business practises going forward, further diversify the business and remain a

firm with strong employment prospects for local people.”

Trevaskis Engineering currently employ 50 people, including five apprentices, and have engaged in a wide variety of innovative projects over the last 12 months.

Government infrastructure projects have been an exciting venture, as has the continued growth of the Feedtech sector of the business across the agricultural industry.

Over 250 Feedtech auto feeders have been designed and manufactured in Tatura and are in operation across the nation.

Trevaskis Engineering are grateful for community support and look for ways to give back where they can. A focus on putting local people and businesses at the forefront of what they do is imperative to their continued success.

“Collaboration with our customers and suppliers, big and small, is how we maximise outcomes and ensure we deliver quality engineering solutions. Being honest, proactive and having integrity is at the forefront of what we do and is a main factor in our continued success,” said Michael.

SMALL TOWN VALUES, BIG PROJECTS...Trevaskis Engineering has remained a trusted name throughout the Goulburn Valley specialising in precision punching, cutting, forming and pressing of sheet metal. Pictured centre from left is business nancial controller Kristen Whitford, director Michael Mason and operations manager Scott Alexander with their trusted team. Photo: Kelly Carmody

Local business in $135M Spirit of Tasmania project deal

DEVELOPMENT got underway for the $135M state-of-the-art, passenger and freight terminal in Geelong’s port of Corio Quay this year, which will form the new home of Spirit of Tasmania.

The 12-hectare site will be transformed over the next 12 months and local business, Maddison Wright Engineering have been appointed by Kane Constructions to fabricate and install the structural steel for the construction of the passenger terminal building.

Maddison Wright Engineering is a growing Australian manufacturing company that is experiencing remarkable success. It is a multidisciplinary engineering company that provide turnkey engineering solutions. The project will provide more job opportunities within the company in both Shepparton and Geelong workshops. It is the company's largest job to date and at its peak, they will

have 25 skilled boilermakers and riggers working on the project.

“It’s a privilege to be involved for this landmark project for the Geelong region. The Spirit of Tasmania terminal will bring more focus and attention to Geelong- and is just the beginning for Maddison Wright Engineering, with more huge projects coming this year,” said Maddison Wright Engineering managing director, Heath Wright.

The move to Geelong for Spirit of Tasmania will provide the company with a unique opportunity to enhance the passenger experience and provide room to expand its freight offering in line with demand for many years to come.

Some of the big rigs at Hartwigs Shepparton.

Three Peaks Policy at the heart of success

CMV Truck & Bus are focused on ensuring their customer needs can be met safely and ef ciently, now and into the future. This is achieved by ensuring that the best staff are attracted to the business, who can then deliver the best customer service.

The organisation has a vision to be an industry leader in service excellence, across truck and bus sales, parts, finance and the critically important workshop, and to be a trusted and skilled service

provider to the growing customer base in Victoria.

At the heart of the CMV Group is their ‘Three Peaks’ Policy. This is a culture of placing equal importance on employees, customers and our community. In doing so, they strive for continual improvement and quality while upholding core values.

With a strong community presence, they believe in supporting those who support them.

“We are proud to be able to continue to be involved with and support MOVE, as well as having the opportunity to support a number of local sporting clubs with equipment and uniforms,” explained branch manager Brody Gray.

“We’re appreciative of the business partnerships

we have established with transport operators and companies within the Goulburn Valley region. We’re always endeavouring to make a difference for our customers by offering a service they can rely on, every day of the year.”

Transport is a cornerstone industry in our region, with its strong agricultural roots and it’s geographically imperative local to interstate freight.

“We are proud to be a part of the business community in Shepparton and to contribute to the local economy. We might be a little bias, but we think it’s one of the best regions in Victoria!” said Brody.

and Passion in our community

The Shepparton Adviser

SUPPORTING THOSE WHO SUPPORT THEM...CMV Truck & Bus have a vision to be an industry leader in service excellence, across truck and bus sales, parts, nance and the critically important workshop, and to be a trusted and skilled service provider to our region.

Photo: Kelly Carmody

Family business leads way in food bowl

SINCE its inception as a modest, local car service centre in the 1970s by Leigh and Pauline Mackin, L & P Mackin Forklifts has gone from strength to strength to become industry leaders in the heavy machinery sector.

Their son Jarrod Mackin is now the head of one of the region’s most established forklift service, repair, spare parts and sales companies.

Being situated in the Goulburn Valley ‘food bowl’ and the epicentre of manufacturing, the need for a reliable and expert provider of forklifts is imperative to the operation of many local businesses.

They are the local dealers for Clark forklifts and have been so over 20 years. They stock a wide range of reliable used and new forklifts for sale and carry

out repairs to all makes and models of forklifts including LPG, Diesel and Electric either on site or in their fully equipped workshop.

With an extensive fleet of hire forklifts for short term hire or fleet management, L & P Mackin can meet all customer hire requirements, big or small. They have machinery to support various projects, with machines ranging from 1.8 tonne through to 8 tonne.

To help keep our agricultural industry operating

they offer a 24-hour, 7-day a week breakdown service to keep our many factories and orchards supplying Australia with our world-class produce.

“The last 12 months have been extremely busy,” reflects Jarrod.

“Our region has continued to show resilience and strong business acumen. We would like to thank our customers and the community for their ongoing support,” said Jarrod.

YEARS OF STANDOUT SERVICE...

L & P Mackin Forklifts are one of the region’s most established forklift service, repair, spare parts and sales companies. Pictured in front with the rest of the team is service manager Shane Tolliday with director Jarrod Mackin and workshop manager Darren Priestly.

Photo: Kelly Carmody

Jarrod Mackin

Jarrod Mackin

Jarrod Mackin

annual consignments for local freight business

AFTER 20 years of servicing the local manufacturing, farming, engineering, automotive and construction industries with approximately 30,000 annual consignments, 2022 has proven to be another successful year for Bicknells Freight.

After adapting to uncertainties the past three years have thrown everyone’s way, they have remained true to their core focus, exemplifying what service really means.

“We are family-owned and run, but big enough to have local resources and connections, ensuring a positive customer experience and a fast response to any need,” explained owner Ros Bicknell.

“Smaller business tend to take more ownership than

chains, especially because they are the face of an organisation.

It means businesses like ours are proactive in their customer solutions and strive to maintain great relationships with clients and their wider community.

Our reliability comes from our experienced people and from focussing on a small geographical area.”

Rural industry support and B2B delivery of rural supplies is imperative to their vision, and they aim to make this as convenient as possible. Bicknell’s Freight has an innovative online booking

portal on their website, www.bicknells.net.au, streamlines booking processes, it is detail oriented and automates processes including labelling.

“It’s all about reliable service, customer convenience and innovative systems to produce positive experiences,” said Ros.

With a team of over 14 staff with over 80 years of service between them, Bicknells Freight are proud to be a part of the manufacturing juggernaut our region has grown to become and are looking forward to what the next 12 months holds.

then, the

During that time, Kreskas

container handling equipment across

enabling our business to connect

with the rest of the

The values that we were founded on decades ago, still inspire us today.

Kreskas Brothers Transport is today run by, Les, John, Josh and Bayley Kreskas, building on Arthur’s legacy.

The Shepparton

CONTINUED SUCCESS...Bicknells Freight have 20 years’ experience servicing local manufacturing, farming, engineering, automotive and construction industries. Pictured at the back from left, Mark Kneebone, Brad O’Connor, John Harmes, Ricky Simmons and Ros Bicknell. Pictured at the front from left Frankie Gaspari, Geoff Derooy, Jenny Harmes and Hope Wheelhouse. Photo: Deanne Jeffers

Left

Right: Josh, John, Arthur, Les & Bayley Kreskas.

PERSONAL

RELIABLE

MELBOURNE

ECHUCA

In the days when freight

BENDIGO

ALBURY

moved by

steamer and barge on

Murray River, Echuca became the largest inland port in Australia. It is a wonderful tourist destination to experience fine dinning, history, fishing, camping and water sports on the Murray.

In 2009 we purchase our second run, servicing the city of Bendigo. Built during the gold rush, on top of one of the richest gold fields in the world, Bendigo is still thriving and is Victoria’s forth largest city. We are proud to provide both overnight services to the historic city of Bendigo and same day from there to Shepparton.

Nestled on the edge of the Great Dividing Range, with views of the snow fields in winter, Albury-Wodonga is a major center for the region. Nearby, the Hume Dam captures rainfall from the mountains and is used to regulate the flow of the mighty Murray River along the Victorian-NSW border through to South Australia.

We call this our Benalla Run but it is a bit more than that. The run ends in the “Rose City” of Benalla but starts in Shepparton, winding its way to the rural cities and townships of Numurkah, Strathmerton, Cobram, Yarrawonga, Corowa, Rutherglen and Wangaratta. These areas are strong in agricultural production and manufacturing.

BENALLA

Shepparton Wangaratta

Benalla

Corowa

Echuca Yarrawonga

Cobram

Business acumen keeps the wheels turning

ARRIVING in the Goulburn Valley in 1993, the family-run business, Goodfellows Rental and Storage Solutions has continued to thrive.

Owner of the business, Graham Goodfellow, started out as Rent-a-Wreck with 10 vehicles after a 23-year career with Victoria’s Road and Transport Authority.

Today, the company is run by Graham’s daughter, Mandy Goodfellow and her partner, Andrew, who control a fleet of more than 100 vehicles.

“We’re constantly upgrading our fleet and our service offering,” said Mandy. “Freight has been non-stop since Covid and our business has been well supported by a great account base of clients like AusPost, Star Track, and more, which has been amazing for us.”

They have grown their team to eight dedicated employees, and as the transport industry at large has continued to expand, Goodfellows has benefitted from the revitalised demand and by extending their services.

Forty years in the making

THE Goulburn Valley has over the years, become the transport hub for Victoria and a leading entity in that foray has been Keating Freight Lines under the careful stewardship of Ken Keating and his family of sons and grandsons.

Ken has been involved in transport since he was 15 in Bendigo covering VIC, NSW and SA and established Keating Freight Lines forty years ago while his brothers established similar hubs in Bendigo and Swan Hill.

The philosophy Keating Freight Lines are taking is “steady as she goes” as transport companies look to the future with changes in how trucking will evolve as climate change regulations take hold and the price of fuels and additives cause a transition to alternative drive trains.

Keating Freight Lines have a solid local client base of well-known brands and with 26 vehicles in the fleet, are not engaged in long haul interstate contracts allowing them to settle on modest power trains around 500 HP. Ken and the family is looking at how that will translate to encompass electric vehicles in the future as manufactures start to invest in that sector.

Ken said, “As each year passes, trucks are getting more sophisticated, and we are constantly looking to keep the fleet up to date with new trucks coming and others being retired each year. We will be keeping a close eye on what the unknown future holds.”

Like many other industries, labour in the transport

In addition to providing a range of small to large cars, single and dual-cab utes, refrigerated vans, trucks, people-movers and buses, Goodfellows also manage pick-up and drop-off to depots in Euroa, Seymour and Echuca, and provide on-site storage facilities at their Kialla site on the Goulburn Valley Highway.

“The amazing community spirit in Shepparton is what keeps our team eager to continue to grow and meet new and regular clients' needs, who have been great supporters of our business,” said Mandy.

“Our storage sheds and shipping containers have been incredibly popular. We are developing the back area of this location to meet the demand and to provide more storage solutions.”

sector is becoming an issue and while many on the team have been with them for several years the company is always looking for experienced drivers.

Like the trucks in the fleet, Ken is also working on succession planning for the company that will help keep the company in

the forefront of business into the future.

Keating Freight Lines comprises of the Shepparton operation encompassing transport operations, distribution centre and large warehousing facilities supported by the Melbourne freight terminal.

FAMILY BUSINESS KEEPS ON GROWING... Pictured from left, Goodfellows Rental and Storage Solutions administration officer Matthew Spencer, storage administration officer Damian Hunt, manager Mandy Goodfellow, operations manager Andrew Hodges, and owner/director Graham Goodfellow.

Photo:KellyCarmody.

The amazing community spirit in Shepparton is what keeps our team eager to continue to grow.

Mandy Goodfellow

STEADY AS SHE GOES...Keating Freight Lines comprises of the Shepparton operation encompassing transport operations, distribution centre and large warehousing facilities supported by the Melbourne freight terminal. Pictured from left is Ken, Stephen, Mark and Ashley Keating. Photo: Kelly Carmody

ALWAYS with a responsive eye on customer service, the story of KC’s Freight is one of resilience, adaptability and sheer hard work.

A 22-year strong family business, KC’s Freight has evolved from its inception as a humble parcel delivery service between Shepparton and local townships to a sizeable freight and Australia-wide logistics service.

Owned and operated by Mal and Cheri Terlich and with three of their four children onboard, replicating their parents’ strong work ethic, the family business is devoted to providing a flexible service to its clientele.

“We ship and send freight all over Australia. We say no to very little, if someone wants to move

something, we simply make it happen, or we’ll find someone who does it,” says Mal.

“We’ve got some pretty strong connections in the industry,” says eldest son, Justin, “...and with Juvena (younger sister) running operations in the office, we soon get things moving.”

Implementing new processes overtime, Justin says that the family is comfortable with growing the business further because they maintain control over the fast paced and dynamic nature of the enterprise. With sixteen cross-trained staff and a brand-new truck, KC’s Freight now delivers furniture for two major retailers, and is well equipped to

move furniture and white goods door to door residential, establishing a new arm of the business.

When asked about what underpins the tenacity of KC’s Freight, Cheri is quick to admire her husband’s sheer hard work and determination while acknowledging Justin’s keen eyed and fresh perspective.

A little more philosophical Mal states, “We talk about a culture of giving over receiving. I ask my workers to come and work well so I do well, and I come to work so they do well. I think that’s a bit unique. We don’t shout it from the rooftops, we just go about doing what we do.”

STRONG FAMILY BUSINESS... With an entrenched work ethic, KC’s Freight is highly responsive to customer needs. Pictured from left, owners Cheri and Mal Terlich, general manger Justin Terlich, operations manager Juvena Terlich and truck driver Rachelle Terlich. Photo: Kelly Carmody

Shepparton business celebrates 70 years of success

OVER the past 70 years, Shepparton has made dynamic changes as the food bowl of Australia. In that time, numerous small businesses have grown and prospered providing a level of service that meets the needs of the local community.

One of those dynamic businesses is Central Tyre Service who are involved in one such industry that has established themselves in 1952 as a key community business that helps keep every other organisation on the road and the wheels of the regional industry turning.

With support from Goodyear Tyres in the early days,

the company has seen the transfer of ownership stay within the business. Current directors, Rod Poliness and Tim Webb have both spent the larger part of their working life, Rod at 33 years and Tim at 15 years, with Central Tyre Service to reach the point where they became the current owners. The 20 staff members doing all the work in the shop and on the road have an average of 15 years tenure with the business.

With the workshop constantly working on jobs at hand, the company has invested in fully equipped

mobile service vehicles, two utilities and a truck, that can provide onsite service and backup to the region’s transport and agricultural industries, from cars to trucks and tractors by taking the tyre changing service to the field when needed.

Our Goulburn Valley magazine salutes this great local business that has stood the test of time by providing excellent customer service.

Turning the wheels on a century

Next year, the company will celebrate its’ 100th birthday. Starting out in Wagga Wagga as B G Hartwig & Co Pty Ltd, five generations later the same family and their local team are proud to be servicing the automotive industry.

“100 years in business is a big achievement. Having the right staff, the right leadership and products all contributes to that,” said Simon.

Sales on leading brands, like Mercedes Benz, Freightliner and Fuso have remained strong throughout the year, with demand for fuel efficiency driving sales on

Mercedes and Freightliner trucks.

“Fuel efficiency is a big thing, considering the price of fuel these days. That, and taking total cost of ownership into account, has been a big winner for us and has driven sales,

“When sales are going well, parts and services continue to flourish also,” Simon said.

Strategic planning has enabled

Hartwigs to continue pushing onward despite supply chain issues across industries. They are proud to announce they will welcome two new product lines from Penske.

“MAN’s just released their new TG3 product and Western Star is due to release their new X series towards the end of the year.

Speaking of changes, “The

building has had a freshen up, the façade has been repainted and new signage on the windows.

“It’s very new and it has really brightened up the front of the building. We’ve had a lot of comments as to how good it looks.”

These are exciting times for Hartwigs Trucks, which cap off 100 years of excellence in automotive industry.

“BUSINESS is great,” says Hartwigs Trucks’ Shepparton branch manager, Simon Calogero.

100 YEARS... Hartwigs Trucks salesman Russell Eden and branch manager Simon Calogero at their refreshed Midland Highway building. Photo: Kelly Carmody

the

the

KEEP THOSE WHEELS TURNING...Central Tyre Service established themselves in 1952 as a key community business that helps keep every other organisation on the road and the wheels of regional industry turning. Pictured, owners and business partners, Rod Poliness and Timothy Webb.

Photo:KellyCarmody

With support from Goodyear Tyres in the early days, the company has seen the transfer of ownership stay within the business

THE impressive new Shepparton BMW showroom on Goulburn Valley Highway, just up from their original premises, has lived up to all expectations – it is sleek, inviting and offers a feeling of prestige.

Dealer principal Aaron Brain explained, “The reason for moving was for us to align ourselves with the parent brand’s sustainability model. A huge focus for BMW over the next foreseeable future is concentrating on sustainability, from the concept of the car right through the end of its life.”

As well as being built from eco-friendly cement sheeting, the new showroom has 100-kilowatt solar system which has enabled Shepparton

BMW to operate at net-zero energy costs throughout the 12-month period of operation.

“During winter we run about 84 percent cost neutral, and then we pull the balance from the grid. Once summer arrives and we’ve got more sun, we then push energy back into the system,” said Aaron.

This energy is used to power lights, the workroom, electric fast chargers and the automatic carwash.

“The auto carwash system minimises the amount of water usage that we use for cleaning all our vehicles. And with that, we have 45,000L of water storage. We catch three quarters of the

roof span’s water, and then we use that to clean and detail all of our cars after its been filtered”

“We recirculate the water and we draw the oil out of it once used, so whatever we put back into storm water is clean before going back,” said Aaron.

It goes without saying that the new space has grown efficiencies for the 36-year-old business.

“We wanted to be able to deliver an experience for people with minimal wait times, brand new equipment and more technicians.”

Shepparton BMW has employed four technicians since moving, as well growing the number of dedicated hoists to 11, from five, and offering more service areas.

LUXURY... Shepparton BMW sales consultant genius, Molly Bohm, pictured in the brand new showroom. Photo: Kelly Carmody

Aaron Brain

addition rolls into Shepparton

IT is not just the showroom that is recently developed, but the addition of Shepparton MINI Garage.

“MINI has been diversifying and changing as well. They’ve got several different models available, which we’ve been seeing a lot of different variants in sales since taking on the brand,” said dealer principal, Aaron Brain.

“MINI will be a fully electric automobile company by 2030. They’ve got a new suite of vehicles coming before they go fully electric which is also exciting.

“All our vehicles, if they come here for a service, leave here with 100 percent charge, which again is zero-cost because we’re cost neutral with our solar system. We provide lots and lots of benefits in going electric,” said Aaron.

“They’ve got some really exciting, good looking concept cars coming through too. But ultimately, it is

about offering something different.

“They’re fun, they’re unreal to drive – they just do things different. A MINI is a MINI, and that’s fun to show.

“You can make them any colour you like; you can play with them. It’s a fun brand, and we’re seeing high uptake and that people are keen to come and check them out,” said Aaron.

Sticking true to the company’s 36-year-strong support of the community, Shepparton BMW + MINI continues to support local sports clubs and charities, and it donated a car to SAM to use.

“It’s a good looking car,” said Aaron.

“They’re using one of our MINI Cooper five-door hatches to visit schools and

other museums around Victoria and Australia for the next 12 months.”

MIGHTY MINI... MINI Garage sales consultant genius, Molly Bohm. Photo: Kelly Carmody

Aaron Brain

Cheers to 70 years

ESTABLISHED in 1952 as a familyrun business with a single vehicle transporting milk around Geelong, Victoria, seven decades later and McColl’s Transport is the country’s largest independent carrier of dairy, food and consumer and industrial chemicals.

20 percent of all the milk produced in Australia is transported by McColl’s, making them the nation's largest independent farm milk collection and milk linehaul business.

They move 2-3 million litres of milk each day, with 90 percent of their depot to farm collection of milk products going to local processors. Currently, McColl’s Transport is trucking 160,000L of milk to Sydney each day from the Goulburn Valley, contributing significantly to local industries.

This year McColl’s Transport celebrates 70 successful years driven by their commitment to safety, honesty and integrity, consistency and mutual respect.

McColl’s Transport are also a major employer in the region, with more than 100 people employed in the Goulburn Valley.

Experiencing ongoing growth helped by the company’s size, reach, capability and experience, McColl’s Transport is expanding its Shepparton and Tongala operations, which will soon generate 10 job opportunities for professional drivers, working four days

on, four off, and providing job training.

With operations in every mainland state, McColl’s Transport boasts a fleet of more than 200 prime movers and 650 tankers and trailers. Locally they have 30 trucks, and a team of 105 drivers and mechanics to maintain their fleet and equipment.

Introducing: Legends of MOVE

THE Museum of Vehicle Evolution’s Kenworth Dealer Pavillion tells the story of evolution of road transport across Victoria and the nation. In July 2022, the people and families who shaped road transport were inducted into the Avenue of Legends.

Kreskas Bros... The family made its name delivering produce between Shepparton and Melbourne. The family orchard was the primary income, but environmental and economic drivers meant trucking became the most likely path to business success. The business has evolved to be what is now the largest road carrier of shipping containers between the Port of Melbourne and regional Victoria.

Ian Cootes AO... Ian started IR Cootes as a self-funded, single tanker owner-operator delivering fuel to BP service stations across Melbourne. The company quickly grew to become Australia’s largest tanker operator. At one point their top 60 longest serving employees had over 1,000 years of service. Ian was a director of the Australian Road Research Board and played a crucial role in raising safety and efficiency standards for dangerous goods transport. Ian sold the business in 2000 and was inducted into the National Road Transport Hall of Fame in 2003. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2016 for significant service to road transport and to the development of improved safety and efficiency standards.

Joe Leocata... Leocata’s Transport began in 1982 when Joe purchased his first prime mover that he drove to and from Adelaide for the next four years. “Big enough to do the job, small enough to care,” became the motto of this family-owned business. With blue chip companies as their major accounts, the business continued to grow. Community has been a solid foundation, proudly employing locals and giving back. Sons Marcus and Adrian have continued recruiting and investing in younger staff. At one stage they had three team members under the age of 25 years of age in management roles. Today, with all family members still involved, and the third-generation emerging, this family transport operation run an immaculate fleet of over 40 trucks and employ more than 100 staff.

Ted Phillips... Started his business in November 1935. After purchasing and becoming the buying agent for Melbourne tomato processors, Ted purchased two trucks carting firewood to feed boilers at SPC. In 1945 he bought eight new KS5 Internationals, the first diesel powered truck fleet in Northern Victoria. He was the first to send trucks from Shepparton to Sydney fruit markets and one of the first to send a load of goods to Perth.

Vasil & Chris Rendevski...Vasil (better known as Bill) and Chris purchased their first orchard in 1961 and needing a truck to cart their produce, purchased a 1950 Chevrolet Tray Truck. Interstate transport saw the brothers doing two trips a week to Sydney, carting 1,050 cartons of pears to market and then loading general freight back. A major contract was won in 1986 to cart soft drink along the eastern seaboard, a contract that remains in part today. The Rendevski family were strong supporters of the MOVE concept and helped bring awareness of MOVE to all in the industry.

Angelo Kalafatis... Angelo migrated to Australia in 1956, purchasing his first property, a 16-hectare dairy farm in Shepparton East. Having spent many years working on orchards in Greece, Angelo planted fruit trees and vegetables between the rows and harvested and sold produce at the Queen Victoria Market. Kalafatis Fresh Produce remain one of the largest suppliers of pears in Australia and with the equally successful division of the company JDK Management supplying warehousing and inventory management services, sons Jimmy and Donny are continuing the legacy built by their father.

Bill Hunter OAM... William (Bill) Hunter commenced trading as WB Hunter in 1947 picking up and grading eggs before moving into grain buying and feed supply. Bill is known as the pioneer of road transport in the region, following a lengthy railway strike in the early 50s. Seeing the efficiencies of road

transport, Bill expanded his fleet to capture this business, leading to a series of legal battles over a 25-year period that went all the way to the High Court for the right to transport goods in competition with the railways. Bill won that fight, at a huge personal financial cost, but paved the way for expansion. He was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 1979 and was inducted into the National Road Transport Hall of Fame in 2010. He passed away at age 92 in May 2012.

Santo Varapodio OAM... Santo is widely recognised as a founding father and enormous contributor to the success of Ardmona, where their operations began on a small piece of land supplying produce to market and to the Ardmona Fruit Cannery. Santo had success delivering fruit from the region and his family’s business to wholesale markets. Son Rocky came onboard in 1978, when the family had 25 hectares under production. This grew rapidly to reach a peak of over 200 hectares, a packing operation and cold storage facilities for up to 5,000 tonnes of fruit. Their land produced over 10,000 tonnes of fruit which was sold though local and export markets. Santo was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2000 for his service to the community of Shepparton and District, and to the fruit industry.

Sam and Alan Sali... Migrating to Australia with their parents in 1937, Alan purchased his first truck at age 18 and worked tirelessly building knowledge and contacts in the trucking industry. When his father found it difficult to manage the farm, Alan sold his truck and returned to the orchard. Sam, who was nine years younger, then completed his motor mechanic apprenticeship and they joined forces to form S Sali & Sons. Alan drove to Melbourne daily and Sam loaded and maintained the truck. In 2003 Sam was awarded one of the trucking industry's major awards, the National Award for Outstanding Contribution. He was the foundation member and director of the National Transport Federation and a founding director of the Goulburn Valley Road Transport Group. His death in 2002 was a great loss for the family, the business and the industry.

CHEERS TO MILK... 20 percent of all the milk produced in Australia is transported by McColl’s, making them the nation’s largest independent farm milk collection and milk linehaul business. Pictured from left, McColls Transport parts and continuous improvement employee Jessie Reid with operations manager Darren Young and eet improvement analyst Taylah Heinrich. Photo: Kelly Carmody

They (McColls Transport) move 2-3 million litres of milk each day, with 90 percent of their depot to farm collection of milk products going to local processors

TONGALA

Introducing: Legends of MOVE

Continued from 146

Paul Bertoli... After his automotive apprenticeship, in 1976, Paul started working for himself, tirelessly working every hour he could with a focus on quality service and customer care. Soon after Paul established his own Dealership. Paul’s commitment to the industry is unwavering and he is a current executive board member of the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce. Paul was instrumental in having the VACC recognised at MOVE as a major sponsor.

Ken Keating... Ken started in road transport in 1955 working for brother Ray who was a furniture removalist.

After he purchased a 1960 WC White double deck livestock truck. In 1964, Ken moved to Shepparton where he played a key role in the formation of Zurcas Trucking Co. In 1969 Ken bought the Geoffery Thompson Fruit Packing Company's only truck – a 14-13 Mercedes. The business expanded and within a year Ken purchased four 1418 Mercedes Benz trucks and established depots in Melbourne and Sydney with agents in Brisbane and Adelaide. 1982 Ken established Ken Keating Freight Lines Pty Ltd, which currently has three generations working together as well as around 30 staff.

EB Mawson... The Mawson story started in 1927 when EB (Barney) Mawson and his brother Bill auctioned equipment resulting in Bill purchasing a dairy farm and Barney, a new Chev truck. In 1937 Barney took the groundbreaking step of powering a Rio truck with a Gardner diesel engine and by 1938 he was already using hydraulics to lift loads. The war years were tough as the Army took some of Barney’s modern equipment, but he kept business going by switching trucks to gas power and using semi-trailers out of timber. 10 years after WW2, his sons came onboard. They found the best way to supply rock was to own the full supply chain, the trucks, the loaders and the quarries. The first Mawson quarry was purchased in 1949. By the 60s, concrete had become a significant construction material. Their workshop was used to fit their trucks with clip-on turntables and tipper bodies, all made in the business. Mawsons were amongst the first to use laser levels for irrigation, layouts and general construction work.

Gerard Hicks... Gerard’s driving career began at age 15 moving trucks and equipment between family farms in Murchison and Nathalia. His first company position was as a driver at JD Morey & Sons, at the time the largest local fruit exporter. In 1979, Gerard and his late wife Linda established Hicks Contracting and purchased their first truck, a secondhand 1418 Mercedes Benz. Gerard’s first new truck was a cabover Kenworth purchased in 1982. In 1995 the company moved to Somerton, Melbourne and over the following 24 years Hicks Contracting continued to grow with the addition of a Sydney depot and a combination of trucks and trailers. Gerard sold the business in 2018 and now with his daughter Katie providing administrative support, he and partner Hayley continue to enjoy working in the industry delivering loads up and down the east coast.

Borg Family... Fred Borg started his transport career at Morey’s Fruit Packing Shed alongside his wife running the transport operations. In 1978, he established Fred’s Interstate Transport. Using the relationships forged at Morey’s, Fred used owner drivers to transport client's products. Quickly realising the benefits of owning your own vehicles, Fred purchased his first truck. Fred was joined in the business by his first son Danny in 1987 and second son Grant in 1989, who took control and advanced the business. In 2014 Danny and Grant’s children joined, seeing the company enter its third generation of family members as employees.

John Spadaro...John’s passion for trucks began in the ‘80s as an owner operator with TNT Roadfast. Like many others during this time, the economic downturn hit hard, and John turned attention to establishing a load agency business, JNH Loading Agency. In the late 2000s the operation was wound down and John and son Sebastian established Complete Trucks. It was during this period when John suddenly tragically passed away, delivering a truck from Perth. One of the things that gave his family some peace was that John passed away doing what he loved, delivering a product to one of his customers and seeing the beautiful sights of Australia at the same time.

Goodfellow Family...The Goodfellow story began with Aubrey operating the first double deck sheep trailer in the Mallee district. Aubrey and Beryl Goodfellow established Precision Driving School in Melbourne in 1953, operating for

10 years in a time where driver instruction and mentoring were just beginning. Moving to Shepparton, they established Goodfellows Driving School in 1964. Beryl was believed to be the first female in Victoria to hold an articulated semi licence and became an instructor at Driver Education Centre of Australia (DECA). She was a passionate supporter of the careful cobber program, a preschool and school aged road safety program. All three sons worked in the Driver Education sector. Graham is still involved in the industry, owning Goodfellows Car and Truck Rentals. Brother Peter was a motorcycle instructor at DECA and operated his own driving school business in Queensland.

Graham Thomson... Graham started in transport in the 1960s as a driver for Ted Phillips. Graham purchased two trucks to distribute Marchants soft drinks. With his brother Bryan establishing a franchised Dealership, Graham joined sales. In 1984, he and his wife Joy purchased the business, renaming it Graham Thomson Motors. The Dealership grew, with Kenworth recognising them as 1985 Kenworth Dealer of the Year, an honour bestowed again in 1987 and 1997. With the introduction of B Doubles and the restrictions placed on them travelling through the town, Graham had envisioned building on the eastern side of Shepparton closer to his customer base and to take advantage of traffic flow through that area. Graham loved his job and his customers, and his sudden passing was a shock not just for his family but for everyone in the industry. Joy stepped into the Dealer Principal role of the business until ownership was passed onto the Leake brothers in 2011.

Bryan Thomson... Bryan Thomson worked at various Dealers before establishing Shepparton Truck Sales and Service. He saw an opportunity to recondition and sell used trucks and equipment to address the needs of the region’s growing agricultural and produce industries. The business was renamed Bryan Thomson Motors. In 1972 the Dealership was the first regional appointment for Volvo Trucks followed by Nissan UD. Bryan then invested in a purpose-built facility to provide sales, service and spare parts to the fleets and owner operators in the industry. 1977 saw the addition of the Kenworth franchise. Bryan was awarded the inaugural Kenworth Dealer of the Year in 1982, an award that would be won by the Thomson Group many times in the following years. Bryan sold the business to brother Graham in 1984. Bryan and Loel Thomson were instrumental in the foundational success of MOVE and generously gifted the Loel Thomson Costume Collection.

Paul Freestone OAM... In 1966, Paul aged 12, worked at an Ampol petrol station in Essendon where he met his mentor, Lindsay Ellis carting Nasco Holden accessories to Townsville. With the transport dream in his sights, he purchased his first truck, a furniture van, and operated a few different trucks working for Express Freight. He also hauled interstate for Pub Squash and then later fuel for Mayne Nickless. At 19, Paul met and married Christine and together the Freestone business purchased their first new truck in 1976. Late in 1983 Paul was approached by Multigroup, now Star Track Express, to purchase three Scanias, which became their first written contract. Paul was inducted into the National Road Transport Hall of Fame in 2010 and awarded an Order of Australia medal in 2020 for his services to the transport industry and is also a life member of the Victorian Transport Association.

Taig Bros... Back in 1947, Alf Taig and brothers Ron and Norm were appointed International Harvester Dealers for Shepparton. Taig Bros were more agricultural than motor trucks then, selling several popular international tractors

in a period where the region’s farms were increasing. In 1984 Taig Bros solely became a truck Dealership following International Harvester folding their operations in Australia. Alf’s son John purchased Taig Bros from his family in 1988 and expanded into NSW. Following the recession, the mid-to-late 90s were good years, with John driving the business forward. His son Nick joined during this period, seeing the third generation enter the business.

John McCarroll... John McCarroll started his apprenticeship at Mid Star Motors, the Mercedes-Benz dealership in Shepparton at the time before moving on to run the workshop for Roccisano Transport. John returned to Mid Star Motors when they became the Mack dealership. Then came an opportunity at Jones Truck Repairs, the Shepparton Freightliner dealer – where he became foreman, service manager and sales manager. When the business was sold to Hartwig’s Trucks in 2002. John became branch manager for Shepparton and a shareholder in the Hartwig group. Turning 60 in 2015 saw John “retire” but he continued working on farms and with a local demolition company. Then came a call from Freightliner who asked if he’d test-bed Cascadia, driving it on the highways and freeways and providing feedback. John jumped at the opportunity, which became his semiretirement passion. John was diagnosed with cancer in 2019 and in October 2020 with family and good friends with him outside his home in Shepparton, a convoy of more than 80 trucks drove by in what was a fitting and emotional tribute to an industry legend. He sadly passed away November 2020.

Jim Crawford – Crawford Historical Collection... CMV Group’s founder Sidney Crawford set out to specialise in the sale and service of commercial vehicles to support the transport industry. With British Leyland trucks and the Diamond T brand, CMV quickly grew to dominate truck sales. In 1968, and under his son Jim Crawford’s leadership, CMV experienced considerable change. Jim’s vision was that CMV would sell a vehicle for everyone. Jim oversaw the creation the CMV Automotive, CMV Trucks and CMV Farms divisions, grown further by his sons. Jim’s immaculately restored collection numbered 16 by the time of his death in October 1999. His dedicated family have continued the restoration tradition. Jim was an enthusiastic supporter of the preservation of road transport heritage, playing a major role in developing the Adelaide’s National Motor Museum and as a member of the then fledgling Road Transport Historical Society in Alice Springs. Jim was inducted into this National Road Transport Hall of Fame in the year 2000.

Classic Buses...Victoria has a rich history in bus preservation and restoration. They are owned and cared for by collectors from a cross section of individuals and bus companies. The major supporters of Classis Buses are the Bus and Coach Society of Victoria, Moonee Valley Coaches, Dysons and Driver Classics.

Bill Zurcas... Bill was born in Greece in 1918 and migrated to Australia in 1938. After working as a farm labourer and cane cutter he moved to Shepparton and purchased his first orchard of many over the ensuing years. Realising he needed a transport business to deliver produce to market, Bill started A Zurcas Trucking Company.

In the 1960s, Bill purchased a fruit packing shed and incorporated the transport business with the Zurcas Coolstore and Packing Company. Whilst the Coolstore and Packing operation cease to exist, Zurcas family members have continued in the orchard, coolstore and transport industries thanks to the early leadership of Bill.

SHAPING INDUSTRIES AND OUR COMMUNITY... MOVE acknowledged the many local contributions by those who have shaped the road transport industry, who are acknowledged in the museum’s Kenworth Dealer Pavillion.

Photo: Deanne Jeffers

For

generations, the

Echuca,

Mooroopna,

Wodonga, Numurkah, Tatura,

From left:

Wangaratta

to Shepparton

Inside Front Page

La Trobe University Shepparton 2 5820 8600

Introduction Pages

Goulburn Murray Credit Union 5 5821 9033

Greater Shepparton Business Centre 14 5832 1100

Greater Shepparton City Council 15,16+17 5832 9700

GV Hydraulink 19 5831 5244

Sam Birrell MP 11 5821 53 71

Shepparton Workwear and Safety 12+13 5831 4838

Suzanna Sheed MP 8 5831 6944

Watters Electrical 6+7 5821 3944

Wendy Lovell MP 10 5821 6668

Services

All Storage Systems 38

Aquafil Fresh 37 0466 157 023

Connect GV 26 5821 8632

Delta Electrical 22 5821 2777

Everyday Supplies 27 5831 7228

Fastsec Security 25 0452 525 117

Future Recycling 32+33 5821 7876

Goulburn Valley Powder Coaters 22 5831 2812

GV Water 28 5832 4800

HSA Forklifts 21 5822 2422

Hydro Flow 31 1300 793 121

Linemasta 36 0438 354 524

Opteon Property Group 34 5821 3565

Optus Business Centre Shepparton 30

Sargeants Goulburn Valley 36 0400 372 558

Shepparton Flooringxtra 38 5821 0300

Shepparton Roadworthy Centre 24 5821 8121

Standby Security Services 29 1800 809 579

Total Tools 24 5821 6400

TSE Energy Solutions 28 5831 1957

Ultimate Fasteners 23 5822 4122

Viatek 35 1300 654 695

Professional Services

Artery Legal 48+49 9999 5555

Broker House 54 5831 6699

Camerons Lawyers 46 5832 1000

Community Insurance Brokers 40 5821 7655

Elders Insurance Shepparton 45 5822 7577

Faram Ritchie Davies 52 5821 4566

GV Finance Brokers 44 5831 4544

GV Health 51 4804 4300

GV Vets 41 5878 1144

MBCM Shepparton 47 5831 2913

McLardy McShane 39 5831 6253

National Australia Bank 47 5821 4155

Planography 44 0437 620 174

PSC Griffiths Goodall 42+43 5821 7777

Vehicle & Equipment Finance 53 1300 786 626

Hall of Fame

Fairleys SUPA IGA 57 5822 1555

Insight Protection Solutions 58 5821 2677

Kittle Bros Funeral Directors 56 5821 2108

Lift 'N' Shift 59 0412 579 630 0438 579 631

Mooroopna Golf Club 60 5825 4135

Pat & Tina's Service Station 56 5821 5869

Provincial Food Group 61 5816 3600

Shepparton Chamber of Commerce and Industry 58 0407 503 886

Shepparton Sewing Centre 60 5821 2000

Solar City Caravan Services 55 Sound Exhaust 58

Primary Industries and Consumer Goods

AAA Wool Buyers Pty Ltd 84 5821 7855

Bertoli Farm Machinery 76+77 5821 3299

Chas Cole Cellars Shepparton 74 5481 1518

Fonterra Australia 71 0408 394 706 0437 989 761

Freshmax Australia 73 Go Farm Australia 66 9046 1998

Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority 83 Goulburn Valley Ag 64 IK Caldwell 72 5821 2477

Jamestrong 83 Kyvalley Dairy Group 63 0459 465 955

Moira Shire Council 65 Murray Dairy 68 Noumi 67 Nutriens Harcourt 81 5833 0221

Olea Nurseries 84 9772 1207

Pental Products 79 Phillips Cellars 83 5821 2051

Rubicon Systems Australia 70 Shepparton Partners Collective 75 SPC Factory Sales 69 5821 7033

Tatura Milk Industries - Bega Cheese 84 Waterplus Irrigation 78 5822 2224

Infrastructure, Construction and Development Admoor Plumbing 85 5825 1800

Apex Earthworks 108 Bowens Pty Ltd 108 5822 2364

Bruce Mactier Building Designers 82 1800 221 255

CAF Consulting 103 Choices Flooring Shepparton 103 5822 2777

Chris Smith & Associates 100 5820 7700

Cleaves Earthmoving and Drainage 89 0407 344 987

Cleaves Garden Supplies 89 5821 2111

Crow Constructions 97 5821 4722

Development Edge 99 Diverse Builders 101 5862 2712

Gagliardi Scott Real Estate 86+87 5831 1800

Game Traffic & Contracting 94 1800 438 426

GV Carports & Patios 96 5831 2031

Hansen & Yuncken 107 8290 5100

Hot And Cold Shop 91 5823 1955

John Brain Roofing Services 103 5831 2721

Mawsons Concrete 102 1800 423 456

MCF (Gradian Group) 104 0447 133 424

Monteleone Homes 105 5831 5920

Moon Crane Hire 107 0447 233 036

NL Drainage 90 5897 7290

Prestons Turf & Garden 90 0408 597 369

Quicklift Crane Hire 93 5831 2171

Shepparton Carpet Court 90 5823 2600

Steeline 88 5831 1935

Surdex Steel 102 5831 2700

Western Composting Technologies 106 5831 8776

Youngs & Co Real Estate 95 Shepparton 5820 8777 Mooroopna 5825 4833

Education, The Arts and Culture

All Saints Anglican School 120 Department of Education and Training 115 GO TAFE 119 1300 468 233

Goulburn Murray Local Learning & Employment Network Inc 111

GV Regional Library 114 1300 374 765

Kaiela Institute 113 Shepparton ACE College 112 5831 4029

Shepparton Art Museum 116 University of Melbourne 117 5823 6600

Engineering and Manufacturing

CES Energy Solutions 127 4800 3207

Drives For Industry 126 5822 2988

edp Australia 125 5820 5337

Furphy's Foundry 123 1300 768 230

Goulburn Valley Engineering Work 130 5821 2266

Gradian Hydrotech 129 5822 2600

J Furphy & Sons Pty Ltd 123 5831 1400

K & S Industries 124 1800 360 039

Matelec Australia 130 Milcast (Gradian Group) 129 5888 3051

Mooroopna Mobile Engineering 130 5831 2714

Sibio Engineering 121 5829 0478

Snelling Engineering 122 0418 126 561 0439 982 223

Trevaskis Engineering 128 5824 1466

Abs Auto Service Centres 140 5831 2155

Bicknell's Freight 137 5831 7166

Central Tyre Service 133 5821 9555

CMV Truck and Bus 132 5831 2201

Goodfellows Car & Truck Rentals 139 1800 235 888

Hartwigs Trucks 143 5820 7800

Keating Freight Lines 149 5829 9388

KC's Freight 141 0437 677 499

Kreskas Bros Transport 136 5829 9336

L & P Mackin Forklifts 134+135 5821 5221

McColl's Transport 147 5226 1400

Shepparton MINI 145 5823 2940

Shepparton Renault 144 5823 2940

Shepparton Radiator & Windscreen 131 5823 1590