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Why Regional NSW

By establishing your business in regional New South Wales you can leverage an economically and environmentally diverse area with easy access to the rest of Australia and the Asia Pacific.

Image courtesy of Destination NSW

Regional NSW: dynamic, productive and connected

New South Wales (NSW) has a population of more than 8 million people (including Sydney), and it’s predicted this will increase to over 9 million by 2027/2028.

We have the largest and most diverse regional economy of all Australian states.

The cost of both doing business and living in regional NSW is lower than in major cities and the lifestyle is generally more relaxed.

When you base your business in regional NSW, you can still take advantage of easy access to Sydney, as well as Australian and international markets through multiple world-class rail, road and air corridors. This makes it a cost-effective alternative to Sydney and other major cities.

Regional NSW’s key economic and export sectors include agrifood, manufacturing, clean economy, health and aged care, med tech, tourism and transport.

Living and working in regional NSW

Regional NSW is as diverse as it is liveable.

Endless golden beaches, stunning national and regional parks, the outback and the country’s largest ski fields can all be enjoyed in regional NSW.

The cost of living is lower than in Sydney however the same excellent health and education facilities are available.

Quick regional NSW facts

  • Home to over 1600 schools, 104 Technical and Further Education (TAFE) facilities and 5 major universities 
  • University of Newcastle and University of Wollongong both rank in the top 300 out of more than 26,000 universities in the 2018 Times Higher Education index
  • Successfully lifted and diversified its services-share of economic activity: 57% of our workforce is employed in services, the highest of all Australian states
  • Home to some of Australia’s largest international ports. These welcome cruise ships, imported vehicles, containers, and export grain, coal and containers
  • Has more than 70 public airports in regional NSW servicing both passengers and airfreight
  • One of the highest internet penetration rates in the world. (Australia ranks higher than USA, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia.)

Investment opportunities in regional NSW

For more information about investment opportunities in regional NSW, visit Regional NSW. A world of opportunity. | Invest Regional NSW.