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Economic Development

Tasmania’s Cradle Coast covers the western tip of the island and approximately one third of the state, offering a range of coastal, rural and urban localities.  The Cradle Coast region offers the perfect ecosystem in which to locate operations in well-established sectors of advanced manufacturing, agribusiness and tourism, along with emerging sectors in renewable energy, shared service centres, data centres and agri-tourism. 

Investment in the Cradle Coast region will benefit from a number of advantages that enable Tasmanian businesses to deliver globally competitive products and services including;

  • Lowest aggregate land and accommodation costs in Australia
  • Low costs of production and a committed and collaborative workforce
  • The best industrial relations record with the highest employee retention rate and loyalty in Australia
  • A cluster of diverse and successful industries with a culture of innovation
  • Collaborative industry, government and educational facilities
  • One if the lowest business taxation ratios in Australia
  • Low sovereign risk with transparent and streamlined development approval processes
  • First class infrastructure including transport, energy and telecommunications
  • A safe and secure island with strict biosecurity
  • Tasmania’s temperate maritime climate, water resources and significant renewable energy resources present significant comparative advantages in relation to climate change, particularly in industries such as viticulture, aquaculture and dairy farming.

Lifestyle

The Cradle Coast Region offers the world’s cleanest air and a mild temperate climate, a relaxed lifestyle with an abundance of space to explore.  Iconic tourism locations including Cradle Mountain and heritage forests and some of the most affordable housing in the country with short commute times and modern education facilities.  Be enticed with the gourmet food and wine trails and a dynamic cultural scene with theatre, music, art galleries and museums on show and only a one-hour flight away from Melbourne.

The Waratah-Wynyard Council area is located in north-western Tasmania, bounded by Bass Strait in the north, the Cam River, Burnie City, the Central Coast Council area and the Kentish Council area in the east, the Vale River and the West Coast Council area in the south, and the Circular Head Council area in the west.

The Waratah-Wynyard Council area is predominantly rural, with small townships at Somerset, Waratah and Wynyard and smaller villages at Boat Harbour, Sisters Beach and Yolla. Rural land is used largely for dairy farming, vegetable growing, horticulture and timber production. Mining and tourism are also important industries. The Waratah-Wynyard Council area encompasses a total land area of about 3,500 square kilometres.

 The Waratah-Wynyard Council area is served by the Bass Highway, the Murchison Highway and the Ridgley Highway.The Waratah-Wynyard local government area covers 3532 square kms bounded by Bass Strait to the north, Rocky Cape National Park to the west, the Pieman River at Corinna on the State’s west coast to the south and the City of Burnie to the east. With a population of approximately 14,000 people Waratah-Wynyard is recognised for its productive dairy, vegetable, horticulture and forestry enterprises that thrive on well-watered basalt soils famous for their rich red colour. The area provides ample opportunity for people to experience a diversity of lifestyles and career opportunities.

In the Waratah-Wynyard Council area, Manufacturing is the largest employer, generating 685 local jobs in 2018/19. The major differences between the jobs held by local workers of the Waratah-Wynyard Council area and Tasmania are:

  • A larger percentage of local workers employed in the field of Mining (12.7% compared to 1.2%)
  • A larger percentage of local workers employed in the field of Manufacturing (15.4% compared to 7.8%)
  • A smaller percentage of local workers employed in the field of Public Administration and Safety (2.8% compared to 8.0%)
  • A larger percentage of local workers employed in the field of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (10.1% compared to 4.9%)

Tasmania’s Gross Regional Product was $31.55 billion in the year ending June 2019, growing 4.2% since the previous year.  The Waratah-Wynyard Council area’s Gross Regional Product was $716m as of the 30th June 2019.

 

Related documents

Cradle Coast Investment Prospectus
The CCA Investment Prospectus is a useful tool for potential investors, as well as those whose job it is to support business in the region.  

Waratah-Wynyard Council Strategic Plan
Waratah-Wynyard Council 10 Year Corporate Strategic Plan embodies the aspirations of our community and is the product of the ingenuity, hard work and collective expertise of our staff.  The Plan sets goals for our community and organisation, describes our desired outcomes and outlines how we plan to get there. 

Annual Plan & Budget Estimates
The Annual Plan & Estimates is Waratah-Wynyard Council’s primary planning document.

Sustainable Murchison Community Plan
The Sustainable Murchison Community Plan belongs to the people of Murchison, so that they may plan and implement for a sustainable future.  This plan is the culmination of extensive community and stakeholder consultation, research and analysis. It sets out the community vision, principles and strategic objectives for Murchison 2040.(live Link)

Cradle Coast Authority Regional Futures Plan
During 2018, Cradle Coast Authority (CCA) facilitated the development of the Cradle Coast Regional Futures Plan (the Futures Plan), on behalf of its Member Councils and the broader region.  The Futures Plan was endorsed by Member Councils in late 2018 and forms the basis of a collaborative approach to economic development activities in the region (Live Link)

Local & Regional Statistics

Get to know more about your community with these helpful databases.

Community Profile
The Waratah-Wynyard Community Profile includes results from the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Economic Profile
The Economic Profile provides key regional economic data for Waratah-Wynyard. It presents economic information that enables you to describe the area’s role within the broader economy, explore options for economic development and promote the area’s strengths.

Community Atlas
The Community Atlas includes key socio-demographic characteristics for the Cradle Coast presented as interactive maps. Based on the latest ABS data, each map is prepared using Census Collector Districts providing the finest level of detail to help identify spatial patterns and trends. 

Population Forecast
You can also see the latest population data for Waratah-Wynyard on the Australian Bureau of Statistics website.