Assisting small businesses to grow and boosting tourism experiences in the Wheatbelt region is the focus for projects funded through the WA Government’s Regional Economic Development (RED) Grants program.
The State Government has allocated $23.9 million over four years to the RED grants program, administered by the nine Regional Development Commissions, providing $688,990 to the Wheatbelt region in the first round.
Avon Valley Beef will receive $190,000 in funding to install a new automated lamb supply chain at its Northam abattoir, to triple lamb processing and enable both sheep and cattle to be processed at the same time.
Lamb and sheep processing is estimated to increase from 600 head per day to a maximum of 3,600 head per day, creating opportunities for producers to increase supply and provide more locally processed sheepmeat products to markets. The abattoir expansion will provide an estimated 30 new jobs in Northam.
The Gravity Discovery Centre Foundation Inc will use a $190,000 grant to build accommodation at the Gravity Discovery Centre to provide visitors to the observatory with an experience linked to Aboriginal culture.
The Wheatbelt Business Network will receive $60,000 to deliver a training program to help existing small businesses grow and diversify and to assist in the start-up of new businesses, leading to jobs growth and industry expansion in the Wheatbelt.
Eight Wheatbelt projects will receive RED grants, set to create a number of new job opportunities in the region.
Source: WA Government