Invest Here

Invest in Manufacturing

Southern Grampians Shire is home to some highly successful niche manufacturing industries – and there is always room for more. In addition to existing vacant land and infrastructure, the fully-serviced Hamilton Industrial Park offers unparalleled flexibility to create a customised facility from the ground up in a functional and vibrant precinct.

Build your vision

Southern Grampians has the space to set you up for success. Hamilton Industrial Park is Western Victoria’s newest industrial hub for dynamic companies looking to grow their operations on development-ready land boasting the district’s most efficient high-speed broadband, 3-phase power, and transport network connectivity.

Strategically positioned on the Henty Highway adjacent to the designated truck route for B doubles, Hamilton Industrial Park offers convenient access to the major Glenelg Highway Adelaide-Melbourne transport route, along with a broad range of markets and supplier bases.

Invest in Agriculture

With almost half a million hectares of the nation’s most fertile land under production, the Southern Grampians Shire is ideally placed to meet increasing global demand for agricultural products.

Our Natural Resources

Fertile soils and reliable rainfall lured the first European settlers to Southern Grampians Shire's rich volcanic plains in the 1830s, laying the foundation for a highly productive wool and pastoral industry. Their pioneering spirit lives on. Today, high commodity prices, the early adoption of exciting new technology and the innovations of the Southern Grampians farming community continue to drive growth in both productivity and diversity.

Southern Grampians Shire has one of the densest populations of broad-acre livestock farming per hectare in the world and has also positioned itself as one of the most rapidly-expanding grain growing areas in Australia. The wider region is also poised to become the flax capital of Australia due to optimum growing conditions including a cool, temperate climate over the spring-summer period.

More intensive land uses continue to enhance the region’s economy and improve job prospects. For new and existing producers, vertical integration is the industry buzzword, with a growing number overseeing the complete paddock-to-plate process. The potential for new industry is also high, with the widespread availability of development-ready industrial land linked to 3-phase power, high pressure gas and a mains water pipeline.

“The value of our land is determined essentially by the rainfall that falls on it and the quality of the soil. The Southern Grampians region has one of the most reliable environments in Australia, so people want to buy land in this area for its reliability.”  – RICHARD BEGGS, NAREEB NAREEB

Sector Snapshot

• Total product of over $220 million per annum traded in export and domestic markets;
• Top industries: sheep (wool & meat), cattle (feedlot, pasture fed, boutique); grain (wheat, canola, flax, oats, barley, triticale, faba beans, field peas); fodder production (hay, silage).
• Over 1 million lambs and 2.3 million sheep (one of the densest populations of broad acre sheep farming per hectare in the world).
• 120,000 head of beef cattle
• Net operating profit of around $210/ha (compared to $121 for the State); and
• Significant increase in returns on prime lamb and a shift towards grain production (31,000 hectares of grain as per 2011 census, and 12,000ha of oil seed.
• Agriculture employs approximately 15% of the population.

Invest in Horticulture

The growing success of the Southern Grampian's horticulture industry stems from innovation and location. Australian natives, herbs, orchards, cut flowers and vineyards are among the commercial ventures currently thriving in the region’s rich volcanic soils.

Southern Grampians Shire contains three main land systems: the Dundas Tablelands, the Victorian Volcanic Plains and the Grampians. Land use is predominantly primary production (80%), but also includes substantial National and State Park (16%).

Success stems from Innovation

The region is among the five per cent of the continent to fall into Australia’s High Rainfall Zone, with an annual average of 680mm. The heaviest rainfall occurs from May to October, with a growing season of 8-9 months. Winter temperatures are relatively cold and often combined with strong winds. Summer is generally relatively mild compared to areas further north in Victoria and NSW.

Southern Grampians Shire's Horticultural Strengths:

• Abundance of water for intensive horticulture
• Close proximity to the Port of Portland
• Diversity of land capability
• Home to the Henty Wine Region

Invest in Retail

Southern Grampians Shire has a reputation for quality shopping in picturesque settings. Low commercial rent, considerable storage and efficient delivery systems are a strong drawcard for both national brands and smaller specialty stores driven by passionate entrepreneurs.

Shop Local

Southern Grampians Shire’s retail stores enjoy a local catchment of 25,000 customers, with the innovative use of online trading extending this reach beyond the region.

Southern Grampians Shire Council has developed its own Retail Development Strategy based around the principles of supporting activity centres, supporting traders and their organisations, and providing a clear retail development framework designed to increase the diversity of retail product, help retain expenditure in the local economy, create new jobs and enhance seven-day trading.

Substantial community and private investment has been undertaken within the Hamilton central business district, which serves as the major regional retail and business hub. The town centre has approximately 102,000 sq m of non-residential floorspace of which 40,000 sq m is retail and nearly 5,000 sq m (5% of the total) is vacant.

Coleraine has the largest retail sector of the smaller towns.

Invest in Tourism

Ideally situated between Melbourne and Adelaide, Southern Grampians Shire boasts an alluring mix of tourist drawcards from natural assets to sacred sites and innovative man-made attractions.

Visit Southern Grampians Shire

The Southern Grampians landscape is characterised by its unique geology, with volcanoes, rivers, lakes and picturesque waterfalls offering endless opportunities for eco-tourism. Unique events like Sheepvention and the Grampians Grape Escape also attract crowds from far and wide.

The spectacular Grampians National Park (Gariwerd) is a key drawcard, with accommodation options ranging from camping to glamping or pure luxury. The 160km Grampians Peaks Trail which opened in November 2021 is a challenging 13-day/12-night hiking experience through a variety of terrain, which sets off at either Dunkeld or Mount Zero in the north.

The Henty Wine Region is a popular destination on The Mixed Dozen Wine Trail, an interactive online platform that connects and builds on the tourism offerings across eight different wine regions in Victoria and South Australia.

Strategically located on the Great Southern Touring Route, Southern Grampians Shire is also just 45 minutes from the coast, and 90 mins from the Twelve Apostles and the famous Coonawarra wine region.