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DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES
Victorian Resources Online - Goulburn Broken

Investing in Goulburn Broken's Land and Water

Investing in New Enterprise Options | Private Forestry

Photo: Goulburn Broken Investing in Land and Water montage
The Goulburn Broken Region is a major contributor to the economic wealth of both Victoria and Australia and it's strong economic performance is dependant on a sustainable and profitable rural sector. The region presents many commercial advantages, including sound infrastructure, good water supply, climate suited to agricultural production and proximity to major urban centres such as Melbourne. Traditionally investment in land and water amounted to grazing, horticulture and cropping. Agricultural investment opportunities are expanding to include a range of alternate enterprises. Areas of land and water investment within the Goulburn Broken Region include dairying, grazing, cropping, tomato production (both fresh and processing), viticulture, horticulture, agroforestry, herb and olive production, horse breeding and water purification.

A number of the regional value adding industries (including dairy, winemaking, horticulture, meat processing and timber) have invested heavily in improving their manufacturing infrastructure, with an estimated $1 billion invested over the last 10 years. Major companies have estimated that a further $440 million is likely to be spent on the upgrading of further infrastructure over the next 5 years.


Source: Economic Profile of the Goulburn Broken Catchment 2000 (external link).

The Regional Farm Gate Gross Value of Production for the region is as follows (ABS 1996):
Total
Irrigation (SIR) Dryland

Dairying - milk
$ 453,348,107
$440.85m
$ 12.50m
Livestock slaughter
$ 210,898,408
$145.94m
$ 64.96m
Fruit (excluding grapes)
$ 169,239,297
$167.66m
$ 1.58m
Timber
$ 85,600,000
$ 85.60m
Hay production
$ 61,869,172
$ 49.56m
$ 12.31m
Wool
$ 49,424,727
$ 15.71m
$ 33.71m
Cereal Grain
$ 51,857,549
$ 41.08m
$ 10.78m
Vegetables
$ 27,869,372
$ 24.19m
$ 3.69m
Pastures for seed
$ 10,821,915
$ 2.22m
$ 8.60m
Aquaculture
$ 10,700,000
$ 10.70m
Egg production
$ 7,907,664
$ 1.00m
$ 6.91m
Potatoes
$ 5,185,258
$ 3.50m
$ 1.68m
Grapes
$ 4,313,806
$ 1.30m
$ 3.01m
Beekeeping
$ 1,180,472
$ 0.94m
$ 0.24m
Non-cereal grains
$ 953,489
$ 0.78m
$ 0.17m
Total GVP (1996)
$ 1.151 Billion
$894.73m
$256.44m
Estimated in 2000
$1.349 Billion
$1.048 Billion
$301.00m
% of Total
78%
22%


Economic Performance

A summary of the economic performance in the GB Catchment - Past, Present and Future:

1996
2000
(estimated*)
2005
(predicted*)
Farm Gate Gross Value of Production
$ 1.15 billion
$ 1.35 billion
$ 1.46 billion
Gross Value of Production and Processing
$ 2.10 billion
$ 2.90 billion**
$ 3.59 billion
Catchment Gross Value of Production (all sectors)
$ 5.63 billion
$7.80 billion
$ 9.62 billion
Catchment Gross Domestic Product
$ 2.967 billion
$ 3.525 billion
$ 4.372 billion
Employment - Direct Farm
12,000
12,000***
11,800
Employment - Direct Value Adding
5,200
5,460
5,515
Employment - Services to Farm & Value Adding
11,880
16,620*#*
18,280
Total Employment
74,000
77,000
81,000
New Infrastructure Investment
Consistently $100 million per annum or rolling
10 year average of approximately $1 billion
* Assume annual average growth in real GDP of approximately 4.4%/annum (ABARE).
** By survey of processors.
*** Fewer in dairy but more in horticulture, timber, horses, vineyards and mushrooms.
*#* Services and trade sectors have benefited significantly from efficiency gains in farm production and processing/value-adding.

Related Links

Agribusiness information on the DPI website.

Information Notes on Specialised Industries - on the DPI website.

Horticulture information on the DPI website.

Wool information on the DPI website.

Crops and Pastures information on the DPI website.

Animals and Livestock information on the DPI website.

Useful Agricultural Links for Victorian Farmers - information on the DPI website.


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