Regional Recovery Package

Supporting the growth and recovery of regional communities.

Aerial view of Albury NSW

The NSW Government is investing $200 million into the growth and recovery of regional communities from COVID-19 through a Regional Recovery Package. The aim of the package, which forms part of the Government’s $2.8 billion COVID-19 Economic Recovery Strategy, is to create new jobs, increase community engagement, boost tourism by supporting events, shows and festivals in regional NSW, provide housing for health care workers in the regions, as well as give young people more opportunities to access programs and activities. 

The package includes:

  • An expanded Regional Job Creation Fund is helping existing businesses in regional NSW grow and is encouraging interstate or overseas businesses to invest in regional NSW. A second round of applications will open in early 2022.
  • The Regional Events Package is made of three components:
    • The Regional Events Acceleration Fund (round two) will help organisations attract new major international and domestic events to regional areas and support existing regional events to grow even bigger and better.
    • The Country Shows Support Package will draw huge crowds through country shows, giving local businesses exposure and a chance to showcase products or increase sales, creating work for suppliers and keeping money flowing through towns. 
    • The Reconnecting Regional NSW: Community Events Package will support areas in regional NSW — impacted by recent COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns — deliver COVID safe events, festivals and shows.
  • The Office of Regional Youth’s Holiday Break program is providing a range of free and subsidised activities for regional young people during the school holidays.
  • The Regional Youth Community Coordinator Initiative is funding coordinators to work with young people and communities across regional NSW.
  • The Regional Housing Package is driving construction in the regions and delivering critical health accommodation improvements. The package consists of two parts: 
    • Deliver improvements to health worker housing in Local Health Districts, including Hunter New England and Western regions.
    • Regional Housing Delivery Plans – developed with local councils, industry and regional communities to manage regional housing needs. 
  • A Priority Infrastructure Program will support recovery and growth, and deliver jobs and economic diversification in regions heavily impacted by COVID-19 through shovel-ready projects. The projects identified under this program capitalise on significant Australian Government funding. Projects will be listed here once announced. 
  • The Fish Screening program will deliver economic, social, cultural and environmental benefits for regional towns, particularly those in Central West NSW, through supporting the manufacture and installation of modern fish protection screens into waterways. 
  • The Landcare small grants program is future-proofing damaged riverbanks by making grants available to eligible Landcare groups in regional NSW to support riverbank and stream restoration, on farm erosion works and tree planting.
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