Business Profile
Welcome
Why Consider Central Coast?
Our Place in the World
Business Factors
Labour Factors
Efficient Infrastructures and Connections
Central Coast Council and Business
Quality of Life
Conclusion
Welcome!
Tasmania's Central Coast is home to some 21,000 people centred around the municipal area's two largest towns of Ulverstone and Penguin. Covering an area of over 900sq.km, Central Coast is strategically located in the demographic heart of Tasmania's North-West.
Central Coast's beautiful coastline and rich farmlands support the area's potential to play a central role in the future growth and development of the wider north west region.
Agriculture and related value-adding industries are the principal contributors to Central Coast's economy and they will remain a critical component of the future development of the region. Building on these existing economic strengths is fundamental to the development of local economic and employment opportunities.
Further, the area's high-quality natural hinterland, including pristine rivers and streams, mountain ranges and valleys and an abundant coastline, provides a wealth of both passive and active tourism and recreational opportunities.
Central Coast is also well endowed with large tracts of industrially zoned land and the Central Coast Council has been, and will continue to be, proactive in ensuring that new industry is well catered for in this regard.
The Central Coast Council is committed to building upon these competitive strengths and opportunities in order to help secure the local economic base and to increase local employment opportunities in the face of continuing national and international structural economic change.
The Central Coast Council also embraces the concept of building local prosperity through regional co-operation - co-operation with business and other sectors as well as co-operation with the State and Commonwealth Governments.
Our Council is open for business. We, and the community generally, will do our utmost to facilitate business development in our area. If there is anything that we can do to help your business become established, grow and prosper, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the General Manager's Office.
(Cr) Mike Downie, Mayor
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WHY CONSIDER CENTRAL COAST?
We can offer your business:
- a mix of affordable industrial sites
- the opportunity to network and co-operate with a wide range of established businesses, particularly in agriculture, agricultural services and related value adding
- efficient transport infrastructures and regular and efficient sea and air connections to markets in mainland Australia and beyond
- a wide range of quality raw materials
- a highly motivated, adaptable and loyal work force
- competitive wage rates
- access to a wide range of training services
- access to a number of both private sector and public sector R&D facilities
- assistance from a proactive Council which is debt free and which has clearly articulated economic and business development strategies
Besides this, North-West Tasmania can offer you the opportunity to pursue a quality lifestyle in an environment that is second to none.
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OUR PLACE IN THE WORLD
Location and climate
As the name implies, Central Coast is situated in the centre of the northern shores of Tasmania, Australia's island state. The municipal area lies at a latitude of 41? 30' south, and a longitude of 146? and covers an area of 932 sq.km.
Central Coast enjoys a maritime temperate climate, which means that extreme weather conditions are very rare. In summer, the days are long and pleasantly warm and generally sunny; the nights are generally cool. The average maximum temperature in mid summer is 20.6?C and the average minimum is 11?C. In mid winter the average maximum is 11.5?C and the average minimum is 3.6?C. Winter mornings are frequently clear and frosty!
Rainfall in the area is generally reliable, averaging 985mm (38 inches) a year.
(Last record: 2001)
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Brief history
The two principal towns in the Central Coast municipal area are Ulverstone and Penguin. Explorers from the Van Diemans Land Company first surveyed the area in the 1820s. At that time, the area was densely wooded and it was this that attracted the first settlers. Timber splitters arrived in 1840 to work on the forests, and timber milling rapidly became one of Ulverstone's major industries. Agriculture developed on the rich basalt soils of the cleared land and it remains critical to the area's economy (see below).
The first shop was opened in Ulverstone in 1854 and by the end of the 19th Century there were some 50 businesses established in the area. In 1947, International Canners Pty Ltd commenced operations at the Dewpearl Dehydration Factory at Ulverstone. This factory is now operated by the international business Simplot and it has evolved into one of the largest potato processing plants in the Southern Hemisphere.
Town Boards and Trusts managed local affairs until the 1906 Local Government Act established the Municipalities of Ulverstone and Penguin. In 1993, these two municipalities were merged with the townships of Leith and Forth to create the Central Coast municipal area.
Population and demographics
Approximately 4.5% (21,000) of the Tasmanian population (470,000) live in the area. Average population density is 23 people per square kilometre, with approx. 80% of the population living along the coastal strip.
Central Coast's workforce totals approximately 9,300 (December 2000) and the unemployment rate has been around 10% (? 2%).
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BUSINESS FACTORS
At the Central Coast Council, we are fully aware that potential investors will base their assessment on a wide range of business factors:
Access to mainland and international markets
Tasmania is separated from mainland Australia by a 300km-wide stretch of water called Bass Strait. This is often seen as a great barrier, but…
- Fresh produce from Central Coast can reach key Asian markets in less than 24 hours.
- There are daily ship connections from Burnie (28km to the west) and Devonport (20km to the east) to Melbourne. In addition, Burnie lies on an international shipping route.
- There are close to a dozen flights daily from both Devonport and Burnie to Melbourne with frequent onward connections to mainland Australia and overseas.
- Two superfast ferries, carrying passengers and freight, make daily (10-hour) crossings to Melbourne.
- Tasmanian firms can obtain urgent supplies from most places in Australia within 24 hours.
- Because of our location, Tasmanian business has had to develop efficient freight aggregation and distribution systems.
- Since 1976 the Commonwealth Government has provided financial assistance to shippers of freight between Tasmania and the Australian mainland. In 1999-2000 this subsidy was paid to some 1100 shippers and was worth $56 million.
And think about the positive aspects of Bass Strait…
- It provides a perfect barrier to diseases and pests and this is one of the reasons why Tasmanian produce is of such good quality; it also helps protect our pristine environment.
- It has helped Tasmania's island people to find innovative solutions to overcome the difficulties that remoteness imposes.
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Supplies
A number of world-class manufacturers and processors are well established in North-West Tasmania:
- Botanical Resources Australia is now the world's leading processor of the natural insecticide pyrethrum.
- Caterpillar Elphinstone Pty Ltd is the world's leader in the manufacture of heavy underground mining equipment.
- Lactos Pty Ltd is Australia's leading specialty cheese maker.
- Australian Paper - Australia's largest paper manufacturer, has two factories in the region.
- Simplot, McCain Foods and other players in the global food industry have processing plants here.
A substantial service sector has developed as a result of the establishment and growth of these and other companies, and because of this, locally based businesses are now able to source a wide range of raw materials, components and services within Tasmania.
The Commonwealth-funded Industrial Supplies Office and the State Government's Department of Economic Development are able to help businesses source high-quality Tasmanian and Australian raw materials and components.
Central Coast can also provide:
- ample water
- highly fertile cropping soils (mostly krasnozems with good drainage)
- sloping, self-draining terrain
- established old growth and plantation forests
- gravel and quarry resources
- clean and accessible estuarine and ocean environments
- good air quality
- a stable Mediterranean microclimate.
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Affordable sites
Central Coast has a mix of both commercial and industrial sites for sale or lease. Broad hectare sites are also available.
The industrial sites are located within the East Ulverstone Industrial Estate, which adjoins the National Highway system. The sites range in size from 700m2 to 2,700m2 and are fully serviced with:
- sealed carriageways
- kerb and channel
- water reticulation
- sewerage
- stormwater drainage
- light and power
- telecommunications
The Industrial Estate currently accommodates many types of businesses including 'heavy' industries such as brick manufacturing and bridge construction, light industries such as cake making, joinery works and pyrethrum refining, and businesses that serve the agricultural sector such as farm machinery suppliers and services.
Commercial sites are also available within the Ulverstone Central Business District. These sites front a main ring-road system that carries a substantial amount of local and sub-regional traffic. Sites range in size from 500m2 to 750m2. All are fully serviced and situated within easy walking distance of free off-street carparks.
The Central Coast Council is keen to talk to investors who are looking for sites to develop or who are considering establishing a business. We will provide personalised assistance to facilitate the development process from beginning to end. We can help you to:
- obtain the necessary permits and licences
- find suitable suppliers and building contractors
- make contact with the businesses and other organisations that may be able to assist you.
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Nature of established business
The Central Coast area has a good mix of established businesses, the majority of which are agricultural related.
The agricultural sector includes individual farmers and associated services such as labour hire and agricultural contractors.
In recent years, the local economy has diversified and the production of secondary processed products for national and international markets is of growing importance.
In particular, Central Coast has experienced significant development in the botanicals sector, especially in terms of the production and downstream processing of pyrethrum and opium poppies. These industries are proving to be a vital part of the local economy in that they provide increasingly significant returns to the agricultural sector.
The industrial/manufacturing sector included businesses that manufacture food products, botanical products, chemicals, machinery and steel, and furniture products.
The service sector includes a broad range of industries:
- Tourism is growing in importance and the Central Coast area attracts in the region of 150,000 visitors from overseas and the mainland each year. There is considerable unfulfilled potential in this sector, especially in the areas of ecotourism and agricultural related tourism.
- Health and professional services, such as homes for the elderly, employ a significant number of people.
- New technology industries are beginning to emerge and Central Coast is home to a specialist software company of growing national significance.
While only 10% of businesses are in the industrial/manufacturing sector, they employ approximately 47% of the workforce. However, a large portion of the industrial/ manufacturing sector is involved in the processing of primary agricultural products.
On average, there are approximately 19.24 full-time employees per business in the main business sector, 2.06 part-time employees per business and 12.29 casual/seasonal employees per business.
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Training and R&D
Central Coast is located midway between two technical and further education campuses (TAFE Tasmania) that are situated in Devonport and Burnie. TAFE Tasmania offers comprehensive training packages in a broad range of subject areas:
- Agriculture, Horticulture, Wine and Viticulture
- Food Technology
- Tourism
- Business Management and Marketing
- Information Technology
- Design and Multimedia
- Building and Construction
- Engineering
- Automotive
- Electrical
A number of private sector training organisations have facilities in Ulverstone, as do organisations involved in the provision of Commonwealth employment and labour market services.
The University of Tasmania, which undertakes Research & Development for a number of businesses located in both Tasmania and the mainland, has a campus in the region (Burnie). One of the University's 'research themes' - National and State Development - is of particular significance to Central Coast in that it focuses research on agriculture, aquaculture and fisheries, forestry and mining.
In addition, the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture Research (a joint venture between the University and the Tasmanian State Government) and private sector companies, such as the locally based Serv-Ag, conduct a diverse range of industry-focused research related to agriculture.
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Support services
The Central Coast Council is keen to assist you. We can put you in touch with the State Department of Economic Development which, with its large number of contacts, can help investors in a number of ways. For example, to:
- deal with the regulatory processes that might be necessary
- arrange fact-finding tours of the region
- set up meetings with key decision makers in both business and government
- carry out local research
- find a suitable site
- recruit the people you need
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LABOUR FACTORS
The Central Coast municipal area has a labour force of some 9,300. The regional labour force (i.e. that within a 30km radius of Ulverstone) is in the region of 40,000. Whilst the unemployment rate is higher than the national average, it is lower than in some other parts of North-West Tasmania, partly because people who work in the two cities to the east and west of us choose to live in Central Coast.
In a recent survey into business employee attitudes conducted by the Central Coast Council, in excess of 50% of businesses described their employees as being dedicated and highly motivated. This statistic is a reflection of the fact that most people who work and live in Central Coast would rather live here than anywhere else and they thus work hard to make sure that the organisation they work for is successful.
Businesses in the area find the work force to be flexible, adaptable and highly trainable. Employees seem prepared to 'have a go' to ensure that the business they work for prospers. Tasmania has one of the lowest employee turnover rates in Australia and wage rates are also much lower than elsewhere - some 14% below the national average. The lower wage rate is matched by the lower cost of living in Tasmania - for example, property prices are significantly lower than elsewhere.
The survey discussed above also examined the skill levels and the level of education in the work force. A significant number of employees in the service sector are qualified at a Diploma/Degree level, which is above the regional average.
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EFFICIENT INFRASTRUCTURES AND CONNECTIONS
Ulverstone, Central Coast's main town, is home to a wide range of professional services including financial services, agricultural consultancy, legal, medical and dental practitioners, training firms and so on. Because the Central Coast Council manages its infrastructures efficiently, we are able to offer free off-street car parking - a rarity in the modern world.
We are strategically placed at the centre of the region and there are efficient connections to the cities of Burnie (28km to the west) and Devonport (20km to the east). Both cities have ports and airports and there are frequent and regular sea and air connections to the mainland.
National Highway One runs along the coast from Launceston in the east to Smithton in the west and it links all the coastal towns. Most of the highway between Devonport and Burnie is dual carriageway and traffic jams and delays are unheard of.
Rural roads are well maintained and the secondary roads system provides efficient and ease of movement between rural centres and between the rural areas and the National Highway system, urban and business areas.
A privatised rail freight service linking the region with the northern and southern parts of the state operates on a regular basis with major access centres at Burnie and Devonport. A significant amount of freight is moved around the state by rail.
Other Central Coast infrastructures include:
- An efficient telecommunication infrastructure
Internet connections are available at local call rates
Mobile phones can be used throughout the area.
- Clean and green hydro-electricity. The State Government has signed an agreement with a major US multinational company to bring natural gas to the region. Planning is well advanced and it is expected that natural gas will be available during 2003.
- Cradle Coast Water (a utility in which the Central Coast Council has a major stake). CCW reticulates high-quality water to the whole of the region and it is committed to the provision of safe and sustainable water services to meet the needs of current and future customers.
- A district sewerage system, which is efficient and operates to contemporary standards (i.e. tertiary treatment is undertaken) and which has sufficient excess capacity to meet the needs of the Central Coast area for the foreseeable future.
- Landfill, which is available at reasonable rates but the Central Coast Council strongly encourages recycling and we provide a weekly kerbside collection service.
The Council has an excellent record in maintaining a reliable and sustainable infrastructure over the long term. We pay careful attention to infrastructure planning and undertake regular appraisals of the needs of business and the community as a whole. The Council's business plans will ensure that current levels of service and standards continue to be maintained.
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CENTRAL COAST COUNCIL AND BUSINESS
A 1999 General Review of the Central Coast Council by the Tasmanian Local Government Board - the body that audits local government in Tasmania - makes note of "…the solid values and principles by which Central Coast Council operates…"
We have managed our affairs efficiently, effectively and transparently for many years and, as an organisation, the Central Coast Council is sustainable for the foreseeable future.
We have a management policy of keeping operating costs, especially overheads, as low as possible in order to minimise the local tax burden (rates) on business and the community generally. In fact our overheads are significantly lower than those of most other councils in Tasmania. We also have very little debt and it is our objective to be totally debt free by 2006.
Our rates have been held relatively steady for the past five years.
We believe that our overall efficiency and productivity, together with the attention that we pay to infrastructure management, helps to create an environment in which it is good to do business.
The Central Coast Council is totally committed to the development of the local economy and this is why we have invested significant resources in the development of a strong strategy for economic development. Core to this strategy is the facilitation of business development.
The establishment of new businesses is important and we can assist in this by providing fully serviced sites and by making the establishment process as painless as possible. For example, one of the reasons that a relatively large agricultural manufacturer established in Ulverstone recently was because we were able to provide fully serviced, competitively priced land.
However, even more important for the development of the local economy is the survival and growth of existing businesses. We seek to strengthen our relationship with the business community because we recognise that most future investment in our area is likely to come from the businesses that are already here. This is why we are anxious to ensure that we do everything we possibly can to make certain that 'our businesses' thrive.
So, if you decide to come to Central Coast, we assure you that we will do our utmost to help you grow your business into the future - we will not 'abandon' you once you have established here.
We also know that we can only develop our area to its maximum potential if we work closely, and consult, with other groups in the region - other councils, State Government departments, business organisations, community development organisations and so on.
We are also aware that significant economies of scale can be gained from sharing resources and this is why Central Coast has joined the Cradle Coast Authority as part of a regional approach to economic development. Any savings that can be made by doing things collectively means lower rates in the future, which is good for business.
So, Central Coast is open and ready to do business. If you would like to talk over anything to do with business, please get in touch with us.
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QUALITY OF LIFE
Central Coast offers a quality of life that is second to none - one reason why we attract so many tourists each year and one reason why people are choosing to relocate here from elsewhere in the state and Australia.
Being a rich agricultural area, it goes without saying that our produce is world class.
The area also provides excellent amenities for comfortable and satisfying living. Educational, cultural, sporting and recreational facilities are available locally and throughout the state.
Beaches are safe and spacious and large areas of parkland cater for passive recreation. Bushwalking, mountaineering, stream fishing, canoeing, etc., can be enjoyed in the hinterland and coastline and the Forth and Leven Rivers provide a suitable environment for water sports such as yachting, skiing and rowing.
If the 'bright lights beckon', Central Coast is little more than an hour's flight from Melbourne - one of the great cosmopolitan cities of the world.
We are proud of our strong community spirit - there are dozens of community organisations, clubs and societies and most people are anxious to involve themselves in the community somehow.
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CONCLUSION
We are realistic enough to know that 'commercial realities' are by far the most important factors that business managers consider when making investment decisions. For example, if you need to locate very close to your main metropolitan markets then Central Coast is probably not a location for you.
However, we believe that Central Coast is an attractive location for certain types of business, especially those that are related to agriculture and tourism. We at the Central Coast Council are committed to doing all we can to attract investment to our area and to nurture businesses within it.
If you would like to talk about the plans that you have for your business, please contact us - we would like to help.
