Growing small communities – Coolamon’s success story

Liz Lawson’s contribution to the panel discussion at the NSW Department of State and Regional Development Community Economic Development Conference describing how Coolamon, a small town in the ‘shadow’ of Wagga Wagga has managed to attract tourism and new residents to the town, providing the catalyst for the local economy to grow and generate employment opportunities.

Coolamon is a town of 1650 people, situated in the Riverina region of NSW, approximately 40km from the major regional growth centre of Wagga Wagga. Over the past few decades, the town’s economy has significantly contracted due to farm amalgamations, changes in the global agricultural market, and the loss of local businesses to Wagga Wagga.

One of the few benefits resulting from these changes was that the town’s heritage buildings remained virtually intact. In 2002, the town commissioned a state award-winning study and plan that identified opportunities for development based around:

• The town’s attractive main street
• Its intact heritage
• Its impassioned community, and
• Its closeness to Wagga Wagga

With funding from the NSW Department of State and Regional Development, a Cultural and Economic Development Officer was employed and a steering committee established to develop a comprehensive plan to develop the town in a positive way, minimising any impact on its heritage.

An annual event ‘Coolamon on Display’ was held to showcase Coolamon’s businesses; recreational and cultural facilities; health and community services; education and childcare facilities, as an ideal environment to live, raise a family, work, retire, visit, shop, eat, relax and play.

Additional tourism was attracted to the town by marketing its many ‘heritage’ Bed and Breakfast establishments using the theme ‘Coolamon – Home of the Dirty Weekend’, which drew national media attention.

In the space of two years, Coolamon’s shop occupancy rate has increased from 20% to almost 100% and there has been a 600% increase in accommodation bookings. Confidence in the community has grown significantly attracting 250 new residents to the town and 40 new students to the local school.

Follow this link to 'Growing small communities - Coolamon's success story - Part 1 (pdf file - opens in a new browser window)

Follow this link to 'Growing small communities - Coolamon's success story - Part 2 (pdf file - opens in a new browser window)

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For further information

Contact	:	Liz Lawton, Cultural & Economic Development Officer
Address	:	Coolamon Shire Council, PO Box 101, Coolamon NSW 2701
Phone	:	02 6927 2492
Email	:	llawton@coolamon.nsw.gov.au

WWW

:

http://www.business.nsw.gov.au/regions