Riverina Discovery Weekend and Country Change Expo 2024

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

We had around 300 people attend the expo and 73 detailed surveys were completed. People attending were very pleased that they came along. The majority of people attending gave the expo experience a 10/10 with an average of 9/10. 100% of people said they would encourage others to attend future Riverina Discovery Weekend and Country Change Expos.

Atendees were able to explore real estate opportunities in the Riverina through McGrath Riverina, builders and housing solutions through HIA, NGH Consulting and Heuldins, education pathways with Charles Sturt University and TAFE and an understanding of opportunities in the greater region through the Country Change, Temora Shire and Griffith Welcome Experience stands. The free coffee for surveys at nearby cafes was well received by local business and those attending the expo.

Some of the comments from participants about what they would have liked to see at a future expo were:

  1. Schools exhibiting

  2. More employers exhibiting

  3. More exhibits and people to speak to about the region.

The venue of the Transgrid Discovery Hub worked really well. Thank you to Transgrid for the use of their new community discovery hub.

The Riverina Discovery weekend consisted of more than the just a regional lifestyle expo. RDA Riverina were very pleased to partner with Committee4Wagga for the Welcome to Wagga event at the Riverside Precinct at Wagga Beach. This location was an excellent fit for welcoming newcomers and showing off the river to potential relocators.

As part of the NSW GROW pilot program, we welcomed a busload of people from Sydney interested in relocating to the Riverina. These potential relocators attended the expo and the Welcome to Wagga event before touring Leeton and Temora on Sunday. Self-drive tours were advertised for Wagga Wagga and Snowy Valleys.

Our partnership with Workforce Australia's Local Jobs Program also saw Sureway speaking to clients and other local and potential relocator jobs seekers about opportunities in the region. They also utilised the opportunity to link job seekers to the business that attended searching for staff such as Murrumbidgee Local Health District, Proway and Flipscreen.

Thank you to The Riverina Discovery Weekend and Country Change Expo 2024 partners: Committee4Wagga, Workforce Australia, NSW GROW, Country Change, The Griffith Welcome Experience and Silver Sponsor McGrath Riverina.

 A big thank you to our venue hosts, Transgrid, our local council participants Temora Shire Council, Committee 4 Wagga and all of our incredible stallholders. Thank you to Blue Clay Creatives - Content Strategists for capturing the highlights and King Events for organising the magic and our Silver Sponsor McGrath Riverina.

This event would not have been possible without all of the support from everyone that attended and who worked behind the scenes to make it all happen. Looking forward to what comes next!

Sara Johnston