Yet, these very people have recognised the need to work together and form alliances in order to protect that lifestyle from disintegration. They have also recognised that in order to protect this important lifestyle, their young people will need jobs. These communities have recognised the need to identify new business development opportunities. Like all other communities in Australia, there are problems that need to be faced and resolved. The primary industry sector like many other sectors of the Australian economy has suffered an economic downturn over the past few years.
Farms are no longer the major employers in the region.
They have become husband and wife businesses. There is a movement towards amalgamating smaller farm properties to larger holdings with the influx of corporate structures which often have no association with the surrounding townships. Townships that once served as the major commercial and social centres for the primary industry sector no longer play this role due to the changes in transport and communication technology. The environmental impact caused by the degradation of the major river systems will ultimately impact on the economic structures of the rural communities unless these issues are addressed. Regional communities have recognised that working together under a unified umbrella will provide the most practical means of addressing these problems.