2024 has been a tough year for business but, in the Riverina, passion, drive and innovation are keeping the wheels of industry turning. Here are 16 of our top business stories from this year.
16. Meet the family bringing quality food from local farms right to your door
by Morgan Kenyon
Farm Door Riverina works with suppliers across regional NSW to share nutritious, delicious, ethically sourced meals with families around the country. Photo: Farm Door Riverina.
When this husband and wife team took on a small ready-made meals business in 2016, they never imagined it would blossom into a thriving farm-to-table venture fuelled by passionate local producers.
Having both grown up around good food, Zoe Lamont and Frank Coorey always wanted to start something together that would promote vital nutrition to everyday families in an accessible, authentic way.
What they came up with is now known as Farm Door Riverina. It began with a team of three, which is now 30-strong, working from a custom-built commercial kitchen and packing facility 10 minutes outside of Wagga.
15. Chicken farming family showcase free range success at new store in Holbrook
by Vanessa Hayden
Prue and Sam Pincott and their four daughters are the custodians of 15,000 chickens at Holbrook Paddock Eggs and they have just opened a store in the main street of town. Photo: Supplied.
If someone had told Prue Pincott 14 years ago that she was destined to be a chicken farmer, she would have thought they were bonkers. Fast forward to today, Holbrook Paddock Eggs has a brand new shopfront.
14. Bilbul’s Crowley family continue legacy as Riverina’s oldest rice farm turns 100
by Oliver Jacques
Nathan, Margo and Gerard Crowley on the farm where rice was first grown in the Riverina. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
Exactly 100 years since the first rice crop was planted in the Riverina, Bilbul’s Crowley family is continuing a legacy pioneered on Farm 344 back in 1924.
But as nut farms and large corporations start to dominate the region’s agriculture, there are concerns over how long locally grown rice will survive into its second century.
13. Billson’s Brewery survives liquidation after creditors throw the drinks brand a lifeline
by Chris Roe
Nathan and Felicity Cowan announced on social media that Billson’s would continue. Photo: Facebook.
Beechworth’s iconic drinks brand Billson’s Beverages Pty Ltd looks set to avoid liquidation after creditors voted to keep the battling brewery alive.
“After an uncertain year, we are thrilled to share that we have made significant progress in securing the future of Billson’s and our historic brewery in Beechworth,” declared the husband-and-wife team behind the popular premix drinks brand in a social media post.
Nathan and Felicity Cowan were forced to put the company into administration in July citing “incomprehensible” challenges and “mistakes made along the way”.
12. The Golden Crow finds a new perch as Wagga businesses celebrate another year
by Chris Roe
Thomas Bros won the Golden Crow for 2024. Photo: Chris Roe.
Car dealership Thomas Bros has been honoured with the Wagga Wagga Business Chamber’s Golden Crow Award for 2024.
Community leaders, business owners and entrepreneurs gathered at the Country Club for the cocktail event on 9 August with awards handed out across 14 categories.
11. Wagga’s pop culture tattooist is inking a path down Memory Lane
by Chris Roe
Hayden Rams has opened his own tattoo shop in Wagga’s South Town Walk. Photo: Chris Roe.
On the same day that he opened his first tattoo shop in Wagga, Hayden Rams decided to pop the question to his partner Mary.
“I had always dreamed of eventually opening up my own shop and I had a goal to have done it by the time I hit 30,” said the 35-year-old with a wry smile.
“I think when I finally met Mary a few years ago, we just clicked and she just always pushed me to do the best I can, so she was a big part of bringing the shop into reality.
10. Wagga’s creative women are blazing a trail for the regional arts economy
by Chris Roe
Creative entrepreneurs Maggie Deall, Janine Middlemost and Elaine Camlin. Photo: Chris Roe.
Several years on from an urban revitalisation project in Wagga, three creative entrepreneurs have established successful independent businesses. Here’s how they did it.
9. A 60 kg Newfoundland dog the inspiration behind thriving Albury pet store
by Vanessa Hayden
Stephanie and Nathaniel’s pet store focuses on producing natural, healthy and preservative free meals that will have your animals thriving. Photo: Vanessa Hayden.
Owning a pet store has lots of perks, particularly if you own a 60 kg Newfoundland dog called Teddie.
For Stephanie Neal and Nathaniel Johnston, the owners of Todd’s Tasty Treats in Lavington (near Albury), their “big, cute and cuddly teddie bear” is both the inspiration behind and for what they do.
8. Nick mixes Vino & Vinyl to create a setlist for success in the Riverina
by Chris Roe
Nick Stanbury delivers good music and fine wine across the Riverina. Photo: Matt & Holly.
Wagga entrepreneur Nick Stanbury has the unique privilege of doing something he loves for a living through his business Vino & Vinyl.
“I guess it’s the coming together of two big passions of mine – being great music and wine,” he explained.
7. Here’s cheers to a luxury five-star staycation in the Riverina
by Vanessa Hayden
Liane and James Gawne have developed the perfect reason for a ”staycation” in the Riverina – their beautifully renovated, luxury art deco property in Leeton, Rooms of Renown. Photos: Supplied.
Fancy a little staycation that will have you thinking you are in New York?
Leeton’s recently opened Rooms of Renown will have you believing you’re in The Big Apple and you won’t have to take a 24-hour flight to get there.
Owners Liane and James Gawne renovated the 103-year-old property over 18 months during COVID and say it is as gorgeous as any five-star hotel in a capital city.
6. New gift card exclusive to Wagga businesses to help support local economy
by Jarryd Rowley
Wagga Wagga Business Chamber has unveiled a new gift card aimed exclusively at supporting local businesses including Knights Meats. Photo: Supplied.
Wagga Wagga Business Chamber is calling for the community to support local businesses by choosing a Shop Local Wagga Wagga gift card for their next gift.
The Shop Local Wagga Wagga gift cards program has been specifically designed to support local businesses.
5. Holbrook’s Nat and Fonz Corbett get set to launch their magic leather-care balm at Henty Field Days
by Vanessa Hayden
It’s been years in the making, but Nat and Fonz Corbett have launched their game-changing leather-care product. Photo: Supplied.
A Riverina couple knew they were onto a good thing with their 100-year-old leather-care recipe. So much so they decided to go into full production. We caught up with them to find out how their manufacturing dream became a reality.
4. Women in Business Wagga Wagga marks 20 years – with Jessica Rowe
by Shri Gayathirie Rajen
Women in Business Wagga Wagga members with guest of honour and keynote speaker, journalist and presenter Jessica Rowe at the 20-year celebrations at The Range. Photo: Women in Business Wagga Wagga.
After an incredible event celebrating their 20th birthday with keynote speaker Jessica Rowe, Women in Business Wagga Wagga Inc has put the call out for more members to join their ranks. Here’s how the evening went and how you can get involved.
3. Wagga company rolls out world-first ‘smart antennas’ amid 3G shutdown
by Chris Roe
Zetifi founder and CEO Dan Winson (right) is taking his Wagga-made technology to the world. Photo: Supplied.
From the back room of a Wagga shop to industry-leading innovation, Zetifi is keeping the bush connected. Here’s how.
2. No sign of Jill’s Cuisine production slowing down as Jindera business prepares to grow
by Vanessa Hayden
Jill and Robin Davis at the Jill’s Cuisine factory in Jindera. It’s a small business success story that started out “as something fun to do” and went on to be a Coles pin-up story. Photo: Vanessa Hayden.
As a young Riverina farmer’s wife, Jill Davis had no idea about the juggernaut she was about to launch when she got together with a group of local women to make relish.
“The whole thing just started as a bit of fun,” Jill said.
“We’d come from England and were farming rice, wheat and sheep at Tocumwal. A group of wives said, ‘Come on, we are going to make tomato relish’.
1. Riverina Made: River Country Creations turning your rusty ideas into designs
by Vanessa Hayden
Caleb Chant from River Country Creations loves nothing better than designing and creating the perfect piece of rusty artwork for your garden, shed wall or property entry. Photo: Supplied.
If you like a bit of weathered garden art in your backyard then Caleb Chant is your man, turning your rustic decor dreams into reality.
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