Yass Connect

The inaugural meeting of Yass Connect was held in the evening on the 16th March, with around 20 people in attendance. An initiative of the Yass Valley Business Chamber and Regional Development Australia Southern Inland (RDASI), Yass Connect involves informal catch-ups that enable businesses to engage with each other, discuss potential collaborations, speak to their local council or state and federal government representatives, or simply ask questions or share innovative ideas.

Speakers at the first meeting included Mark Eady, the Director of Corporate and Community for the Yass Valley Council, and Kimberly Hughes, the Acting Manager of Tourism and Business Liaison.

Mark spoke about the wonderful heritage buildings in Yass, the Main Street Master Plan and the need to consult with the community and business owners about items such as paving, lighting, and street furniture. Mark then turned his attention to the Civic Precinct Project, reiterating its importance to the community. Mark spoke compellingly about the need to have a modern library, one that provides contemporary spaces for both younger and older people in the community. Rooms will be for hire in the library to enable working from home arrangements and the like. There will also be a multi-purpose room that will be used by the Council as well as being available for community hire. The precinct will also contain a set-up space for small business. A grants process will be initiated to allocate this space to a local small business. The future of Crago Mill will be decided following community consultation – it may be that it is turned into a gallery with a coffee shop. The future of Yass town is certainly looking bright.

Kimberly spoke about the highly successful Yass Valley Visitor’s Centre. The NSW’s Government’s Dine and Discover promotion is well underway, and the Visitor’s Centre is putting together a Dine and Discover Trail for the Yass Valley, so it’s time for businesses to get on board. Kimberly said that the Visitor’s Centre is a great facility that small businesses without a shopfront can use to sell their products. All business owners need to do is get in touch by calling 6226 2557 or emailing tourism@yass.nsw.gov.au. Visitors love hearing the stories behind the products – who makes them, where they are made, how they are made, so be prepared to share your story with the staff at the Visitor’s Centre so that they can represent you to your customers.

Yass Connect meetings will be held on the third Tuesday of every month, and they complement the usual Yass Business Chamber Networking breakfast meetings, the next of which is scheduled for Thursday 1st April from 7:30am - 8:30am at Thyme to Taste.

It’s also worth mentioning that the Yass Valley Business Chamber has a 50 per cent membership deal at present, bringing the annual membership fee to $50, which represents excellent value for money. Please go to the following website for more details: https://www.yassbusiness.com.au

• Topics:

• Local Business / Economy