Issue 7, 2011
TAFE NSW Riverina Institute MAJOR SPONSOR OF THE MURRAY NOW ENEWS
Welcome to our latest issue of the Murray Now eNews
Murray Now welcomes our most recent recruitment to the Murray Now team. Andy Walker has taken on the role as Business Development Manager. Andy’s background is largely radio and television, both presenting and in management and his very first job was announcing at 2AY radio in Albury which also secured him a position playing in the Ovens & Murray Football League for North Albury. He also barracks for Essendon, but don’t hold that against him! Andy is very passionate about the Murray Region and is looking forward to visiting you in the not too distant future. This edition is dubbed the ‘Awards Issue’ as Murray Now features the story of Corowa Chocolate Factory winning ‘Best New Attraction’ in the NSW Inland Tourism Awards, we talk to the Pacdon Park boys who our loyal readers may recall Murray Now have been following the business growth of these guys via our eNews over the years. Click here to view their journey. James and the boys are still succeeding in leaps and bounds, winning the ABC Delicious Produce Awards for the best damn Haggis in Australia. We travel further west to Swan Hill and take a look at Sustainable Living in the Mallee and how they are achieving to convert residents to Solar Energy. We then head back to Deniliquin, where Murray Now focuses on the recent employment of over 130 workers at Sunrice.
Remember if you have a good news story or something new and innovative happening in your business drop me a line and we will see about putting it in our next issue. Until next time I hope you find this issue enjoyable and informative…and remember ‘Murray Now – It’s the place!’
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Organic Chocolate is a Winner in Corowa
As a child, Dean Druce was brought up learning the family business of wheat, chocolate and liquorice in the small town of Junee, NSW. Dean and his two siblings are testament to a family tradition that continues to grow with the business setting up in Corowa in an abandoned flour mill.
With knowledge and determination, Corowa Chocolate Factory recently received an award for ‘Best New Attraction’ at the NSW Inland Tourism Awards held in Balranald last month. While its predecessor Junee Liquorice & Chocolate Factory took out the award for ‘Best Tourism Attraction’, beating the well known Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo.
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Haggis made the Echuca way
Have you ever tried Haggis? At Pacdon Park, located little more than 7km out of Echuca, you can purchase these award winning artisan delicacies. James Arrowsmith, and his business partner Peter, have turned a traditional Scottish dish into an award winning culinary delight. Building on their repertoire of unique British food produce, these Lancashire lads have taken out the award for the Artisan Category in the ABC delicious Produce Awards 2011. Murray Now has followed this small, yet amazingly, award winning operation out into Echuca to find out more.
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Solar 1000
The Swan Hill Rural City Council are encouraging residents to participate in a solar energy program which aims to reduce their energy bill and create more environmentally sustainable households. Each householder will be able to purchase a package which includes solar panel equipment, installation, and assistance in feeding electricity back into the grid and accessing government incentives. There are also plans for finance options to assist residents with the upfront capital costs. The aim is to attain 1000kW’s installed within the Swan Hill Rural City Council, hence the project named “Swan Hill Region 1000 Solar Project”.
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Deni Mill - Back in Business
The Australian rice industry has the capacity to produce more than 1 million tonnes of rice per year. All Australian rice is milled, packed and branded in the Riverina, NSW by SunRice. Recently in Deniliquin, SunRice’s largest and most sophisticated milling and packing facility, invested $2.5 million on upgrading and re-establishing two Mills at the Deniliquin site. Sun Rice have also invested in the internal rail link, and training for new staff to run the operation. The recent re-employment of new staff has brought a buzz back to Deniliquin.
