A family fun day will be held on Saturday, April 14, to celebrate the opening of the newly reconstructed section of High St.

The works, which form part of the City Heart Revitalisation project, saw the reconstruction of High St between Elgin Boulevard and South St. Works were due to finish at the end of April, with the road opening three weeks earlier than scheduled. We would like to thank all the businesses and residents for their support during this period.

The works have improved pedestrian and disability access by providing wider sidewalks, flat pavements and a pedestrian crossing. The project also included more seating, new lighting and landscaping.

Wodonga Council, along with Business Wodonga will be holding a Family Fun Day on Saturday which will include music, face painters, and an art activity. You can also pick up a $5 voucher to spend at any of the participating food vendors.

We encourage all residents to pop down to the event to see the project, and to continue to support the local businesses.

Thank you for your patience and co-operation while we build our city heart.

Wodonga welcomed a new cafe on Monday, February 10. RM Fresh offers a selection of breakfast and lunch items.

According to owner Rocky, the progressive development of the neighbouring Junction Place and the developments within Wodonga's CBD were among the factors in choosing the new successful location of RM Fresh Wodonga.

Open for breakfast and lunch on Monday to Friday, 7.30am to 4pm and on Saturdays from 8am to 2pm, RM Fresh is located at 8/1 Stanley Street, Wodonga.

Check out their menu here.

TheHub in Wodonga will be launching their new co-working spaces on Tuesday, April 24 at the April Business After Hours event.

TheHub offers new open workspaces, meeting and training rooms. These new facilities will complement the existing serviced offices, hot desks and meeting rooms provided at the Wodonga Business Centre.

Available for the local business community, memberships can be purchased from $50 per month with temporary memberships (day passes) available for only $25 per day. To further support the local business community, TheHub will be providing local members with their first visit free of charge.

Click here to register for the official launch.

Seeley International has confirmed their relocation from Albury to Wodonga with their recent purchase of a 4.7-hectare parcel of land at 23 Maloney Drive, Wodonga.

The $20 million project will see a 12,000 sq/m manufacturing hub, which will include an existing warehouse on the new site.

Group Managing Director Jon Seeley said it would enable the company to maintain a strong employer presence within the local community as its continues to invest in the loyal local workforce, with projected direct employment growth of about 60 per cent in the next five years.

Seeley’s relocation to Wodonga will provide significant economic benefits for the local economy, through both its construction phase and ongoing operation, with many local shops, cafes and businesses benefiting from the project.

The site is scheduled to be fully operational before the end of 2019.

Wodonga Council has received $594,550 towards the CBD Tourism Cycling Links project as part of the Regional Jobs and Investment Package from the Australian Government.

Presently there is no direct connection from the High Country Rail Trail (HCRT) to Wodonga's CBD with this project converting the old rail corridor from Osburn St to Whytes Rd, which will enable visitors with access to a range of accommodation options, shops and cafes located in the city.

Additionally, the project will drive economic growth via the direct expenditure of trail users, support investment in infrastructure, attract major cycling events, diversify tourism products, create new employment opportunities and encourage year-round visitation.

This project will leverage off Wodonga's existing natural assets to enhance the visitor experience and will ultimately work to promote extended lengths of stay for visitors.

View the proposed plans here

The Victorian and Australian Government steering committee, which was established to look at the work needed to upgrade the North East Line, resolved the previous $100 million commitment would not be sufficient to upgrade the track.

In response, the Australian Government has committed an additional contribution of $135 million to upgrade the North East Rail Line.

The project will see the line upgraded to a class 2 standard to allow modern and faster trains. The Victorian Government has committed to purchase new trains for the corridor once works on the track are completed.

The North East railway is a key component of the Sydney - Melbourne rail corridor. The project is a great step forward to create jobs and investment opportunities throughout regional Victoria, along with improving the ease of travel for residents.

Local industry businesses and trades are urged to utilise the newly announced Asbestos Management Handbook for commercial and non-residential properties.

Asbestos and asbestos containing materials (ACM) are unlikely to pose health risks if undisturbed, well maintained, and in a stable, sealed condition. However, risks occur when ACMs are disturbed during maintenance, refurbishment or demolition.

The handbook provides support and guidance on adhering to regulations including how to develop and manage an; asbestos management plan, asbestos register, workers training requirements, asbestos inspections, survey & risk assessments and the steps required when asbestos removal is in process.

The handbook, developed by Insight Communications as part of the National Asbestos Awareness Campaign, is a free resource and can be downloaded here.

Albury Wodonga's social, cultural and economic vigour is substaintially enchanced by the local tourism industry. The tourism marketplace is increasingly competitive as regional destinations endeavour to capture a greater market share.

The Albury Wodonga Tourism Partner Program is designed to drive the growth and development of tourism in Albury and Wodonga.

To find out more about the Tourism Partner Program and how your business can benefit from becoming part of it, head to VisitAlburyWodonga.

For further information about tourism in Wodonga you can visit the smart tourism terminals that are locoated at Wodonga Plaza, Wodonga Railway Station, Wodonga Library and in Junction Square.

Defibrillation within the first moments of cardiac arrest can increase the chance of survival by more than 70 per cent.

St Johns Victoria is donating a Defib to a local business, to ensure everyone has access to its life-saving benefits.

To enter, visit St Johns Victoria and tell them why your business should win, and help keep your community safe.

The Entrepreneurs' Program, funded by the Australian Government offers tailored advice and assistance to businesses to improve capability, productivity and competitiveness, using independent and skilled business advisors.

The program offers support to businesses through four key areas; Accelerating Commercialisation, Business Management, Incubator Support and Innovation Connections.

To see if you're eligible click here or for further information contact Vance Wheeler on 02 6041 0604 or vance.wheeler@aigroup.asn.au

Nominations are now open for the Albury Wodonga Business Awards.

The Albury Wodonga Business Awards recognise local businesses for their oustanding achievements. The Business Awards have 14 different categories which provide all businesses the oppurtunity to enter and be recognised.

To nomimate your business click here.

Nominations are now open for the Premier's Sustainability Awards 2018.

The awards recognise individuals, community groups, organisations and businesses who are leading the way for a sustainable future.

If you have, or know of someone who is leading the way with sustainability, submit your nomination by 5pm, Thursday, June 7.

Wodonga Council is presently asking the community for their feedback on the draft Industrial Lands Strategy.

The strategy has been developed to establish overall vision and objectives for industrial land in Wodonga.

The strategy will provide direction on a precinct by precinct basis to support the future planning and development potential of industrial land in Wodonga.

Have your say before April 20, 2018.

The Australian Business Licence and Information Service (ABLIS) assists by identifying the relevant state, local and Australian government licences, permits, approvals, regulations and codes of practice for businesses.

If you are a business operator, or considering starting a new business, contact ABLIS so they can assist you with managing your compliance obligations.

The ABLIS is a national service delivered by a partnership of Australian, state and territory governments. Further information can be accessed here.

As part of the city centre revitalisation, the council has launched a website to showcase those businesses located within the Wodonga Central Business Area (CBA).

The City Heart website includes information on each individual business, along with upcoming events, latest news, and dining and shopping opportunities in the area. It will also complement the City Heart app, providing accessible and up-to-date information for locals and tourists alike. 

The website offers a fantastic free promotional opportunity for local businesses, but we need your help to make it come to life! We’ve put together a short online form that will provide us with the relevant information.

From there, our Communications and Marketing team will draft the profile for you to approve, before the website is made public.
Together, we’re working towards creating a vibrant city heart for Wodonga.

Click here to complete the form to submit your business.

The City Heart Shopfront Improvement and Access Fund forms part of Wodonga Council's Business Support during the City Heart Revitalisation works.

A total of $150,000 is available over two years ($75,000 for stage one and $75,000 for stage two of works).

The fund aims to:

• Encourage and facilitate shop owners, operators and landlords to improve their buildings through facade upgrades, thereby improving their presentation to the street.

• Encourage and provide a mechanism for shop owners, operators and landlords to ensure all people can access the front of their premises (regardless of ability or disability).

The fund will include two activity streams:

• $1:$1 matching grants up to $3,000 for shopfront improvements; and,
• $1:$1 matching grants up to $3,000 for internal all abilities access improvements within private buildings that cannot be corrected by the public realm (that is, the footpath) works.

For more information, download the brochure and online application form.

The planning department received a staggering 62 new applications this quarter. Read all the planning statistics.

The council also welcomes Buddhika Perara to the team. Buddhika comes from Wagga Council and is filling a 12-month contract as a Statutory Planner.

The total value of building work in Wodonga this quarter was more than 47 million, and 231 building permits were issued, with 700 permits valued at more than $134m issues so far in the 2017-2018 financial year.

Major projects in Wodonga included: factory at Logic ($6.7m), new classrooms at a school in Wodonga ($1.5m), childcare centre ($1.5m), alterations to a shopping centre in Wodonga ($1.2m), shop fitout in Wodonga ($580,000) and a new warehouse/showroom ($450,000).

Read all the building statistics.