The Northern Rivers is an amazing place to be in business, with a calibre of entrepreneurial spirit and sustainable business acumen that is unrivalled.

The ‘in good company’ Northern Rivers project has been developed as a project and campaign driver for keeping business in the region and attracting business to the region. We invite you to be part of the project as we celebrate, connect and collaborate to enhance business opportunities and facilitate economic development.

Our region is home to a diverse range of business and industry leaders and as you explore their business stories you will see a common thread and tribute to establishing or operating in the Northern Rivers. Whether it is in a coastal village, hinterland hamlet, a CBD or industrial estate Northern Rivers businesses are the mainstay of the economy and integral to employment growth and sustainable community endeavours.

In a region of close to 300,000 people within an enviable landscape of 20,000 plus kilometres, the Northern Rivers has a GRP of $13.305 billion (2.3% of the state) and significant opportunities for continued industry sector growth and development. Our project partners are facilitators in the area of economic development and have collaborated to leverage the dynamic strength of the entire Northern Rivers business offering.

Sharing business stories, connecting businesses to each other and creating collaborative opportunities are important to developing a thriving economy and positioning our region for future investment and reinvestment. We would love for you to be part of our first campaign, Bigger Backyard, and take the pledge today.

Business Stories

 

Discover the people behind the businesses in Northern Rivers and follow their journey to establish and grow their enterprises. Celebrate their achievements and share with your networks – as we work together to shine a light on our own backyard.

gateway finefoods kyogle
960 639 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

local, seasonal, transformative gem hits town

Gateway Fine Foods and Catering
Debbie McQueen has three words of advice for anyone starting a business in Kyogle: flexibility, perseverance and patience. They’re three traits Debbie…

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meme productions featured image
1000 750 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

world class creatives

Mememe Productions
The piece of advice that dirtgirlworld creator, Cate McQuillen, likes to share with other creative entrepreneurs in the region tells much about her story…

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bennett construction lismore 003
1920 781 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

back to the future with new inspiration

Bennett Construction
It would be fair to say that Bennett Construction and Ballina High School have come full circle with each other. It sounds like a back to the future…

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nicholson fine foods yamba
1030 1030 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

eclectic food innovator shines

Nicholson Fine Foods
The small coastal town of Yamba is home to the one of the world’s best eating prawns, the Eastern King Prawn. It’s also home to the highest…

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768 1024 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

A fighting spirit … and great networks

Five Sixty Farms
Stranded on the roof of his house with his wife and their eight children, Pepe Fassos watched helplessly as his beloved greenhouses smashed and floated away in a tsunami of floodwater.

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stone and wood 001
960 761 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

not just a business, a community partner

Stone & Wood
“That’s like asking parents to name which of their children they prefer,” says Jamie Cook, Stone & Wood co-founder. He has been asked which of the…

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Be part of a region of business leaders who are increasing their ‘in region’ vs ‘out of region’ spending. When every dollar retained in the Norther Rivers has a multiplier effect on the local economy and impacts on business growth and sustainability – it’s a small step towards making difference. Take the pledge today.

Business Stories

 

Intro text to business stories. We’ve spoken to 40 awesome Northern Rivers businesses to find out how the succeeded in business in the region and the advantages they found from being based here. These stories have been published together in a printed book to coincide with the Commonwealth games 2018, and are archived here on the website.

wrightway products 001
600 436 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

right place, right time, right way

Wrightway Products
The greatest challenge for Jennifer Joy and John Donnelly, the driving force behind Wrightway Products, was getting the world to see the value of…

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spar maclean clarence valley
1535 1025 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

making history, creating culture

Spar Maclean
SPAR Maclean’s claim to fame is a doozy. Indeed, it’s something only one supermarket in the whole of Australia can say: that it is the longest…

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yaru water tweed
1600 1067 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

building bridges with water

Yaru Water
“This unique partnership between an Indigenous family and a non-Indigenous family enabled Yaru Water to start changing the way the procurement…

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2560 1750 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

lights, camera, action in ballina shire

Byron Studios
Northern Rivers has long been a hub for film makers and a popular backdrop for film and television productions. But there has been one thing missing to tie it all together…

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