In Corowa last week were, back row, from left, Federation Council Mayor Pat Bourke, Winemakers Rutherglen Greg Ley, Whiskey and Chocolate Factory Manager Dean Druce, Senator for NSW Dave Sharma, Federal member for Farrer Sussan Ley, Executive Officer Regional Business Chamber John Crothers, Federation Council’s General Manager Adrian Butler and Deputy General Manager Jo Shannon, Amaranth Foundation’s CEO Julianne Whyte OAM, Narelle Donovan Federation Council’s Planning, Melanie Coderre Gatineau, Tyro Naughtin CEO Naughtins Development Group, Leesa D-Amico Restaurant, IGA’S Manager Craig Waldron, Federation Council’s Communications Alannah Greenwood, Globe Hotel’s Dan Casey and Amaranth’s David Harrison.
Corowa’s Globe Hotel was one of several topics raised at a meeting with business leaders, progress associations and community advocates at the renowned Whiskey and Chocolate Factory last Wednesday.
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Tourism and heritage were on the agenda with Member for Farrer Sussan Ley and Liberal Senator for NSW Dave Sharma.
Among attendees were family businessman Dan Casey, who is working to restore Corowa’s Globe Hotel to its former glory.
“I hope that Federation Council will continue working with proponents [Dan Casey] and help progress development of this iconic historic building, which as locals know, was central to the Federation Conference in 1893,” Ms Ley told The Free Press.
Dan Casey explaining his plans to Federal member for Farrer Sussan Ley and Dave Sharma, Liberal Senator for NSW.
“Having visited the site myself, I’m confident a redeveloped Globe Hotel will help drive additional tourism in Corowa.
“After the original timber ‘Bridge Inn’ burnt down around 1860, local female entrepreneur Mrs Mary Chenhall expanded the hotel during the 1890s into a huge building that also housed stables and shops.”
Ms Ley said that Mr Casey is working to carry on that spirit of enterprise in Corowa 130 years later.
“As always, our party will back family businesses and those like Dan out there taking risks and aspiring to build something lasting in their community,” she said.
Mr Casey welcomed the visit. “It’s great they came and showed interest in what’s going on in the region.
Sussan Ley MP (centre) with staff at Fox and Lillie Rural Wool Brokers.
“For our development, Pat (Federation Council Mayor Pat Bourke), Magro (Deputy Mayor Shaun Whitechurch) and Adrian (General Manager Adrian Butler) have shown genuine interest in what we want to do – we just want more interest and some excitement by others.”
Corowa Business Chamber John Crothers said every opportunity to promote the chamber’s three primary objectives of region, visitation and liveability must be undertaken.
“If we’re going to achieve these objectives, we need to work through them together to achieve these outcomes,” said Mr Crothers, who, along with chamber president Dean Druce, organised the visit to Corowa of Ms Ley and Mr Sharma. “It’s a work-in-progress.
Mr Crothers also praised the visit which involved a range of topics being discussed, including local tourism’s “amazing assets, local produce, Amaranth, events and both sides of the border”.
Earlier in the day, Ms Ley was right at home among the wool in Corowa - having previously worked in the shearing sheds of far-western QLD - and was pleased to show off the agricultural production of the Murray region to Mr Sharma.
Displaying her shearing knowledge alongside Jenni Bredden, Manager of Fox & Lillie Rural Wool Brokers, Ms Ley said: “It was a real pleasure to meet Jenni and the team and to congratulate them on their recent opening.
“Fox & Lillie is 100 per cent Australian family-owned, and as I like to see, has a strong contingent of female agricultural workers. This business, now with a new store, is a great asset for the Corowa community.”
Fox & Lillie Group opened a new store last month and have operated in wool for over 76 years. As one of the top three buyers and exporters of Australian wool, they supply all types of greasy wool and processed wool internationally.
Jenni said the group was very pleased to be recognised for their work in the community.
“We’ve made a big investment which is getting bigger,” she said. “We’re very happy and really positive about the women in our workforce and I was delighted that Sussan was delighted about it also.”
After Corowa, the Member for Farrer and Senator met with business and community leaders at Mulwala Water Ski Club.
As a former Ambassador to Israel, Senator Sharma outlined his diplomatic experience, providing locals context on the current conflict in Gaza – and noted Mulwala’s significant and expanding contribution to Australia’s defence industry.
In particular, the Senator heard from Mulwala and Yarrawonga locals loud and clear about slow progress on the Yarrawonga-Mulwala Bridge upgrade.
“Dave was told in no uncertain terms by this community about the need for action on the bridge, in fact I drove the Senator across myself so I could demonstrate the safety and access issues residents and visitors face here every day,” Ms Ley said.
“We call upon the Labor Governments in NSW, Victoria and at federal level to end the go-slow on regional infrastructure and get on with the job of building the new bridge.”
