Local leaders optimistic about Shepparton's future with key projects locked in

A different story was told at the Committee's Annual General Meeting on Wednesday night, where the comradery between business and community leaders across the region was plain to see.

Representatives from three emerging businesses - AgBioEn, Cannatrek and Victorian Fish Hatchery - as well as from Shepparton mainstay SPC Ardmona, spoke to the crowd of 120 at the Woolshed at Emerald Bank about their projects and prospects for the region.

Mr Birrell said while the four businesses were immensely different in their structures and purpose, they all shared a commitment to engage the community and develop a local workforce through partnerships with schools and universities.

“The most important thing for them is to work with the educational institutions so kids coming through can be trained,” he said.

Mr Birrell said the committee’s members responded emphatically with enthusiasm and positivity for the anticipated growth of Greater Shepparton.

“Now because we’re all confident we’re in the right direction, there seems to be a co-operation that wasn’t there previously,” he said.

“There was a positivity in the room of where this region is going.”

AgBioEn

Construction on an AgBioEn facility has just begun in Katunga, a location which managing director Peter Holmgren said was perfect for Australia’s first renewable energy facility.

“We're close to where we can source the feed stock, which is important for us,” he said.

“There are also a lot of trucks driving past, so there’ll be a high demand for transport fuel,” he said.

However, he said it was naïve to think the project wouldn’t come without its challenges, including finding a suitable workforce of 2000 people.

“We’re talking to local higher study institutions, including GOTAFE and La Trobe University to augment courses,” he said.

“We want to work with people that are already here, there are a lot of skills that are already in the region.”

He has ambitions for the business to become integral to the Goulburn Valley economy.

“This is the start of something that will go on for hopefully a long time,” he said.

SPC

SPC is mere months into its new leadership, and expectations for the 100-year-old business are high.

“Two to three per cent growth will not cut it with the new owners, they’ve got large growth aspirations,” chief executive Robert Giles said.

And the first eight months of the transition haven’t been all smooth sailing Mr Giles said, with apricot, peach and pear yields falling short of target.

However, Mr Giles assures the slower season wouldn’t be devastating for the business, and saw proper planning with farmers as the solution to ensure long-term growth.

He also said he had been busy travelling overseas, setting up new international markets for the company, which would lead to direct benefits for its base in Shepparton.

“Over the coming months and years, there’ll be new announcements for machinery in our under-utilised plant, which hopefully will lead to more jobs and a sustainable future for the SPC business.”

“There’s a lot of energy around the business, it’s just a new adventure every day.”

Victorian fish hatchery

When opening a native fish hatchery, Victoria Fisheries Authority manager Anthony Forster said half the battle was finding the location.

“Shepparton is a great location for a hatchery because it’s warm and there’s good infrastructure,” he said.

The new $7 million hatchery will be built in Arcadia as part of the state government’s Target One Million plan to restore native populations such as Murray cod and Golden Perch, and to establish recreational fisheries.

The organisation has also made a commitment to employ a 50 per cent indigenous workforce, and have already spoken to high education institutions in the region to start a nationally accredited fish farming course.

“If you’re a young person in the country who has a thirst and a commitment for fish and riverscape and native fish recovery, it’s a great place to start,” he said.

Mr Forster said the hatchery would tell the story of the tens of thousands of years of indigenous connection to the river, which would also bring tourism to the region.

“We think there’s a thirst for information about our rivers and native fish.”

Cannatrek

Some new business is drawn to Greater Shepparton for its a growing workforce, abundance of land or proximity to Melbourne.

But for the management of Australia’s first medicinal cannabis facility, the amount of daylight was the deciding factor.

“We did some climate assessment, and Shepparton had the longest sunlight days in Victoria,” Cannatrek CEO Tommy Huppert said.

“It ticked a lot of boxes.”

Enthusiastic about integrating into the Shepparton community, Mr Huppert said one of the major challenges would be fulfilling the extraordinary national demand for the drug.

“There’s a need, but there’s no supply because it’s a new industry,” he said.

“We hope to be a major provider of medicinal cannabis in Australia, and hopefully our business model will follow that track.”

Mr Huppert also said it was a “big honour” to be welcomed by business and community leaders of Greater Shepparton.

“We’re excited to integrate with the community and look forward to providing employment.”