An invitation to the world – to visit, to invest, to share
Almost a year ago demographer Bernard Salt encouraged the communities of the
Northern Rivers to pursue a big and outrageously ambitious agenda for the future of our region.
While a full launch of the Northern Rivers NSW Brand has been put on hold with the current COVID-19 pandemic, a new website – www.northernriversnsw.com.au – has been established and the ‘Northern Rivers Together’ Steering Committee is speaking with dozens of businesses and community groups keen to get involved and adopt the new Northern Rivers NSW Brand.
A collaborative partnership of regional businesses, industry bodies and government
representatives took up the challenge and this week the Northern Rivers NSW Brand
has been unveiled at the Ballina BP Travel Centre, arguably a gateway to the region.
“We all know that the Northern Rivers is a region gifted with beautiful, world
renowned natural assets, an amazing climate, delicious fresh produce,
entrepreneurial and creative flair and a history of strong community connectivity.
Now its time to share our secret with the world,” said Tim Williamson, Director
Regional Development Australia-Northern Rivers.
“The sense of place begins 20,000 years ago with the Bundjalung people’s stories.
For more than a century the coastal hamlets, small villages and historical river towns
of the Northern Rivers have blazed their own trails. But as the regional population
clicks over 250,000 it has reached a critical mass that demands a singular voice,” said
Southern Cross University’s Dean Gould. “Now, more than ever, we need to move
forward together.”
The new Northern Rivers NSW Brand reflects the connected unified identity of our
communities, and provides a basis for our shared vision to foster sustainable and
innovative economic growth. It is the symbol of a new economic and cultural era for
one of New South Wales’ oldest, most diverse and alluring regions.
“The Northern Rivers NSW Brand is an invitation to the world – to visit, to invest, to
share. It brings together seven local councils, offering scale they could only dream
of standing alone. A demonstration of collaboration between Industry and
Government, the Brand represents the 12th largest region by population in
Australia. The new Northern Rivers NSW Brand means things can really happen –
limited only by our imagination,” said Simon Stahl, CEO of the Northern Cooperative
Meat Company (NCMC).
“The Northern Rivers is home to an extensive network of entrepreneurs, creative
artisans and innovative business start-ups. This new Northern Rivers NSW Brand
will help us collectively drive jobs growth while building on the strong foundations
underpinning our health, construction, professional, agriculture, technical and
education sectors,” said Councillor Danielle Mulholland, Chair of the Northern
Rivers Joint Organisation.
“The new Northern Rivers NSW Brand will enhance our collective capacity to
compete with larger regions. The collaboration driving the Brand will boost our
ability to be more strategic and competitive, helping to drive investment and grant
ready opportunities from the Federal and State Governments,” said Jane Laverty,
Regional Manager of Business NSW, Northern Rivers.
“The Northern Rivers NSW Brand will add regional strength to local operators and
create opportunities for local businesses to talk to existing markets in a new way,
while also opening up access to new markets”, said Michel Thurston, General
Manager of Destination North Coast.
A Steering Group – ‘Northern Rivers Together’ – comprising regional businesses,
local industry bodies and government representatives at all levels has developed the
Northern Rivers NSW Brand, based on extensive consultation across the region.
Underpinning the new Northern Rivers NSW Brand is a strategy based on four key
pillars: Visitation, Provenance, Liveability and Investment.
While a full launch of the Northern Rivers NSW Brand has been put on hold with the
current COVID-19 pandemic, a new website – www.northernriversnsw.com.au – has
been established and the ‘Northern Rivers Together’ Steering Committee is speaking
with dozens of businesses and community groups keen to get involved and adopt
the new Northern Rivers NSW Brand.
For further information visit http://www.northernriversnsw.com.au/
Dean Gould, Chief Marketing Officer | Southern Cross University – 0411 657 381
The ‘Northern Rivers Together’ Steering Committee includes representatives from:
• Northern Cooperative Meat Company
• NORCO
• Northern Rivers Food
• Destination North Coast
• Southern Cross University
• Business NSW, Northern Rivers
• Regional Development Australia, Northern Rivers
• Regional NSW
• Northern Rivers Joint Organisation, the peak body for local government in
the Northern Rivers
In developing the Northern Rivers NSW Brand the ‘Northern Rivers Together’
Steering Committee tested the market for the need of a brand at a forum of 60
representatives; engaged a branding team to complete focus groups, define the
brand essence and define the values of the Northern Rivers; and then commissioned
the team to undertake the creative design.