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Focus Area 3 Sustainable Growth Key Move 7 – T ourism & Events Economic Development and Growth Strategy 2026-2030 31 Plan Reference and Council role Strategic Plan Alignment Action Timeframe 3.7 .1 Visitor Information Servicing (L) Focus Area 1 – Activating our Rural City and Attracting People & Industry Focus Area 2 – Connecting People and Places Implement a review of the Visitor Information Centre operations and service delivery. Explore digital/hybrid servicing options. Implement new model with Key Performance Indicators for visitor satisfaction and expenditure uplift. Y ear 1 (2026-27) – Y ear 2 (2027-28) 3.7 .2 T ourism Promotion (C) Focus Area 1 – Activating our Rural City and Attracting People & Industry Formalise partnership agreement with MRLCA to co-invest in regional destination marketing; contribute to Destination Management Plan update and implementation. Y ear 1 (2026-27) – Ongoing 3.7 .3 Event support and major event attraction (L) Focus Area 1 – Activating our Rural City and Attracting People & Industry Develop Events Attraction Strategy and sponsorship framework with clear ROI criteria; actively bid for 2-3 new signature events per year; grow existing program. Y ear 1 (2026-27) – Ongoing 3.7 .4 Deliver diverse program of major events (L) Focus Area 2 – Connecting People and Places Focus Area 4 – Supporting our Community Maintain and enhance annual major events calendar; measure economic impact annually; develop event infrastructure (power, amenities, staging) at key venues. Y ear 1 (2026-27) – Ongoing 3.7 .5 Seek co-investment for expanded event impact (L) Focus Area 1 – Activating our Rural City and Attracting People & Industry Apply to South Australian T ourism Commission Regional Events Fund and federal programs; partner with private sponsors; develop multi-year event partnership agreements. Y ear 1 (2026-27) – Y ear 3 (2028-29) 3.7 .6 Adelaide's 'playground' (L) Focus Area 1 – Activating our Rural City and Attracting People & Industry Position and promote RCMB as Adelaide’s playground. Develop cluster-based experience packaging (food, nature, adventure, culture); partner with operators on bookable experiences; deliver targeted marketing to Adelaide metropolitan area. Y ear 2 (2027-28) – Y ear 4 (2029-30) 3.7 .7 Grow tourism employment and business opportunities (S,A,F) Focus Area 1 – Activating our Rural City and Attracting People & Industry Support new tourism business establishment; advocate for accommodation investment; publish annual tourism economic snapshot. Y ear 1 (2026-27) – Ongoing

Key Move 8 – Business Support 32 The Rural City of Murray Bridge Plan Reference and Council role Strategic Plan Alignment Action Timeframe 3.8.1 Improve skilled workforce availability for key sectors (F,A,C) Focus Area 1 – Activating our Rural City and Attracting People & Industry Focus Area 4 – Supporting our Community Deliver industry-specific workforce development with TAFE SA and Registered Training Organisations; establish annual Business-Education Forum; facilitate work placements and apprenticeships. Y ear 1 (2026-27) – Ongoing 3.8.2 Leverage existing infrastructure to support new business establishment (L) Focus Area 1 – Activating our Rural City and Attracting People & Industry Focus Area 4 – Supporting our Community Promote the co-working space at Murraylands Skills Centre / Study Hub; deliver quarterly informal networking and capability-building events; provide 'starting a business' concierge service with an “Easy to do business with Council” motto / philosophy. Y ear 1 (2026-27) – Y ear 2 (2027-28) 3.8.3 Provide upskilling opportunities for workforce demand (F) Focus Area 4 – Supporting our Community Deliver annual workshop program (digital marketing, financial management, compliance); facilitate access to grants and advisory services; develop First Nations business support program as part of action item 1.1.2. Y ear 1 (2026-27) – Ongoing 3.8.4 Support business adaptation to AI and technology (F) Focus Area 1 – Activating our Rural City and Attracting People & Industry Focus Area 4 – Supporting our Community Facilitate the delivery of ' AI and Digital Futures' seminar series; partner with industry associations and telcos for technology demonstrations and investigate a ‘technology adoption’ resource hub for subject matter experts. Y ear 2 (2027-28) – Y ear 3 (2028-29) 3.8.5 Strengthen local procurement and community wealth building (L,S) Focus Area 4 – Supporting our Community Review Council procurement policy to maximise local purchasing; Support local supplier / regional business directories and scope a ‘buy local’ campaign; measure and report Council local procurement spend annually. Y ear 1 (2026-27) – Y ear 3 (2028-29)

Key Move 9 – Business Retention & Attraction Economic Development and Growth Strategy 2026-2030 33 Plan Reference and Council role Strategic Plan Alignment Action Timeframe 3.9.1 Facilitate contemporary co-working spaces (F) Focus Area 1 – Activating our Rural City and Attracting People & Industry Promote and build on Murraylands Skills Centre co- working/innovation space; partner with private operators for flexible workspaces; market and promote the spaces to remote and work from home workers, startups and professional service providers (micro businesses). Y ear 1 (2026-27) – Y ear 2 (2027-28) 3.9.2 Conduct strategic land reviews for enterprise locations (L) Focus Area 1 – Activating our Rural City and Attracting People & Industry Identify and support market-ready commercial and light industrial land opportunities and undertake marketing activities for priority employment precincts. Ensure employment-generating developments are attracted and actively guided through planning assessment. Y ear 1 (2026-27) – Y ear 2 (2027-28) 3.9.3 Support place-based education and training for business needs (F) Focus Area 4 – Supporting our Community Align training delivery with target attraction sectors; develop skills pipeline marketing for prospective investors; partner with local schools on vocational pathways. Y ear 1 (2026-27) – Y ear 3 (2028-29) 3.9.4 Strengthen retail and commercial Development (L) Focus Area 1 – Activating our Rural City and Attracting People & Industry Develop a commercial and retail future demand study, incorporating a retail leakage study, floorspace and activity Centre need analysis. Develop targeted attraction campaigns for under- represented sectors and target business; provide case management for priority retail/commercial prospects. Y ear 1 (2026-27) – Y ear 3 (2028-29) 3.9.5 Advanced food production and value- added manufacturing (L,F) Focus Area 1 – Activating our Rural City and Attracting People & Industry Encourage diversification in the agriculture sector and develop sector specific prospectus for value-added agriculture; engage with local businesses and anchor firms on supply chain opportunities; attract complementary processing businesses. Y ear 2 (2027-28) – Y ear 4 (2029-30) 3.9.6 T arget renewables and digital sector business attraction (L) Focus Area 1 – Activating our Rural City and Attracting People & Industry Develop renewable energy sector investment prospectus; market Murray Bridge as a regional digital services hub; connect renewable developers with local supply chains to assist industry become climate resilient and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Y ear 2 (2027-28) – Y ear 4 (2029-30)

Key Move 10 – Marketing & Promotion 34 The Rural City of Murray Bridge Plan Reference and Council role Strategic Plan Alignment Action Timeframe 3.10.1 Content Creation (L) Focus Area 1 – Activating our Rural City and Attracting People & Industry Collate stories from community and business about what Murray Bridge means to them. T ell these stories in an authentic way. • Create series of short-form videos for marketing. • Update photography including drone footage for inclusion in marketing campaign. • Develop prospectuses for market segments (residential / investment) include subset for specific sectors: Renewables & Energy, Allied Health, Agriculture. Y ear 1 (2026-27) 3.10.2 Promotion (L) Focus Area 1 – Activating our Rural City and Attracting People & Industry Undertake a marketing campaign and partner with relevant agencies to expand reach • Residential – Why live in Murray Bridge? Showcase affordability, available development choices, future employment opportunities, lifestyle and accessibility. • Investment – Why invest or establish a business in Murray Bridge? An overarching prospectus that showcases emerging investment trends, supported by case studies, population growth forecasts, and current and planned public sector investment initiatives that will help stimulate future private sector development. The prospectus should clearly articulate the region’s competitive advantages, highlight strategic property, development opportunities and outline Council’s vision for key precincts and growth areas. By demonstrating strong alignment with the community’s long-term aspirations and Council’s commitment to supporting planned outcomes, the prospectus will provide greater certainty and confidence for investors. Y ear 1 (2026-27) – Ongoing

Appendices 1 Rural City Murray Bridge Economic Profile June 2025 2 Rural City Murray Bridge Economic Opportunities & Challenges Discussion Paper August 2025 Economic Development and Growth Strategy 2026-2030 35

RURAL CITY OF MURRAY BRIDGE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY REVIEW 2024 – 2028 Stage Economic Profile An overview of Murray Bridge’s Economy June 2025 36 The Rural City of Murray Bridge

2 Contents 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 3 1. District Overview ................................................................................................................. 4 2. Population & Demographic .................................................................................................. 5 3. Economy ............................................................................................................................ 6 4.1 Gross Regional Product ..................................................................................................... 6 4.2 Industry Value-Add ............................................................................................................ 7 4.3 Output by Industry Sector .................................................................................................. 8 4.4 Exports ............................................................................................................................. 9 4.5 Expenditure by Sector ...................................................................................................... 11 4.6 Business Counts ............................................................................................................. 13 5. Leading Industries Analysis & Profiles .................................................................................... 15 5.1 Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing .......................................................................................... 15 5.2 Construction ................................................................................................................... 17 5.3 Health Care and Social Assistance ................................................................................... 17 5.4 Manufacturing ................................................................................................................. 18 5.5 Tourism .......................................................................................................................... 18 6. Workforce ......................................................................................................................... 23 6.1 Employment ................................................................................................................... 23 6.1.1 Changes in Employment ........................................................................................... 23 6.1.2 Jobs to Workers Ratio (Employment Capacity) ............................................................ 24 6.2 Occupation ..................................................................................................................... 26 6.2.1 Resident workers ...................................................................................................... 26 6.2.2 Skills & Qualifications ............................................................................................... 27 6.3 Income ........................................................................................................................... 28 6.4 Journey to Work ............................................................................................................... 29 7. Property ............................................................................................................................ 30 8. Advantages & Emerging Opportunities ................................................................................ 32 9. Measuring Success ........................................................................................................... 34 Economic Development and Growth Strategy 2026-2030 37

3 1. Introduction The Rural City of Murray Bridge (RCMB) is undertaking a review of its current Economic Development Strategy 2020 - 2032. In 2015, the Council developed its Economic Development Strategy 2015-2030 to be delivered across three stages, with a review at the end of each stage. The 2015 strategy identified the stages as: • Stage 1 2015-2020 Game changers • Stage 2 2020-2025 Developing opportunity • Stage 3 2025-2030 A vibrant future The Economic Development Strategy 2020-2032 comprised of the 2020 review and a reforecast, to realign the strategy with the Council’s Strategic Plan 2020-2024 and Community Plan 2020-2032. It was presented in three, reset four-year stages (noting Stage 1 2015-20 completion) including: • Stage 2 2020-2024 Developing opportunity • Stage 3 2024-2028 Consolidating the benefits • Stage 4 2028-2032 A creative and dynamic future This realignment resulted in an additional two years of objectives being included in the strategy and provides opportunities for a community consultation process to occur in parallel with the review of the Strategic Plan every four years. The 2020 – 2032 Economic Development Strategy supported the key theme of ‘Dynamic Economy’ contained in the RCMB Community Plan 2020-2032 and noted its contribution to the vision of ‘Thriving Communities’. As Council has adopted a new 2024 – 2028 Strategic Plan it is appropriate, good practice and good governance to plan for delivering the relevant strategic plan outcomes and consider the current economic status of the region, external environmental trends and consider how the economic development strategy will deliver on one of four community plan’s Thriving Communities theme ‘Dynamic Economy - Where people, business and industry are seizing opportunities to learn, earn and grow’. With Murray Bridge formally recognised as a growth zone and the Satellite City of Adelaide by the South Australian Government, its primary food production and food processing hub status, strategic employment land zones and ample space for residential growth supported by the necessary infrastructure this has never been more important. This economic profile outlines the key demographics, metrics and data that will inform appropriate strategic responses to bring the RCMB Structure Plan to life by understanding the opportunities and challenges associated with achieving the Community’s vision for a Dynamic Economy, as it recognises people thrive when they participate in it. Data presented in this economic profile is sourced from various providers and may vary slightly year to year due to timing of surveys and data collection. 38 The Rural City of Murray Bridge

4 1. District Overview Figure 1. Rural City of Murray Bridge Local Government Area. Source: Rural City of Murray Bridge Strategic Plan 2024-2028. Spanning a substantial land area of 183,176 hectares, the Rural City of Murray Bridge has a low population density of 0.118 persons per hectare, indicative of its predominantly rural character. Economic Development and Growth Strategy 2026-2030 39

5 2. Population & Demographic The Rural City of Murray Bridge is home to an estimated 22,901 residents (2023 ABS data), reflecting moderate population growth from the 22,089 recorded in the 2019 Census. The population is forecast to grow to 39,416 by 2041.The median age of Council’s resident population is 43 years with more younger workers (15 to 44 years) than older workers (45 year and over) working in all industries. Figure 2. 10 Year Estimated Resident Population Rural City of Murray Bridge. Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Regional Population Growth, Australia (3218.0). Compiled and presented in economy.id by .id (informed decisions) Between 2016 and 2021, 53.1% of people aged 5 and over Australia-wide did not change address, while 35.3% moved within Australia, and 5.4% moved from overseas. In the RDA Murraylands and Riverland area, population movement was more stable with a higher rate of people not changing address (58.6%), while a lower rate moved from elsewhere in Australia (30.3%) and from overseas (2.0%). A total of 11,810 people, or 57.6% of those who moved within Australia, moved within the RDA Murraylands and Riverland area. The Gross Regional Product (GRP) totals $1.38 Billion, translating to $8,415 in economic output per hectare and $71,221 per capita, both signalling strong productivity relative to population and impressively, the GRP per worker stands at $161,145, highlighting economic efficiency and strong output generated by the workforce. 13% of residents were born overseas with the top 5 of these places being United Kingdom, Philippines, China, New Zealand and Vietnam. 5.6% of the community identify as first nations. Source: Murray Bridge | Region summary | Data by region | Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Murray Bridge, Census All persons QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics, Rural City of Murray Bridge Strategic Plan 2024 – 2028. 40 The Rural City of Murray Bridge