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26 6.2 Occupation 6.2.1 Resident workers Across all industries, there are more Labourers within Rural City of Murray Bridge than any other occupation. In 2021, the three most prevalent occupations among resident workers were Labourers (1,782 people or 21%), Community and Personal Service Workers (1,263 people or 14.5%), and Technicians and Trades Workers (1,205 people or 13.8%) (see Figure 30). In combination these three occupations accounted for 4,250 people in total or 49.3% of the resident workers across all industries. Figure 30. RCMB Resident Worker Occupations 2021. Source Economy.id Importantly, it is apparent there has been a considerable upskilling of the Rural City of Murray Bridge resident workforce over the 4-year period. The largest change in the occupations of the resident workers between 2016 and 2021 were those employed as Professionals (+90 persons), Managers (+120 persons), Community and Personal Service Workers (+248 persons) and a significant reduction in Labourers (-270 persons). Economic Development and Growth Strategy 2026-2030 61

27 6.2.2 Skills & Qualifications In 2021, 54.1% of RCMB Resident Workers held educational qualifications and 43.3% had no qualifications compared with the State’s 65.8% and 32.1% respectively. Figure 31. Resident Workers Qualifications, Rural City of Murray Bridge compared to South Australia, 2021. Source: Economy.id (2025) As previously mentioned, the change over the 4-year period from 2016 to 2020 is an important indicator to track and measure as is a key indicator of higher incomes and community prosperity. Figure 32 shows an increase of 549 with Cert III or higher (of which 165 received a Bachelor or Higher) and decrease of 295 with those holding less than a certificate level qualification. Figure 32. Change in Resident Workers Qualifications, Rural City of Murray Bridge. Source: Economy.id (2025) 62 The Rural City of Murray Bridge

28 6.3 Income Resident Income Rural City of Murray Bridge’s labour force has a similar proportion with South Australia’s average population for those earning a gross weekly income of $1,000 - $1,499 per week, but a higher proportion of low-income workers in the wage brackets under $1,000 per week. Figure 33. Resident Workers Individual Income, Rural City of Murray Bridge compared to South Australia 2021. Source: Economy.id (2025). Household Income 2021 Median weekly incomes (People aged 15 years and over) Murray Bridge South Australia Personal $603 $734 Family $1,398 $1,889 Household $1,109 $1,455 Figure 34. Median weekly income – Rural City of Murray Bridge compared to South Australia, 2021. Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics. Economic Development and Growth Strategy 2026-2030 63

29 6.4 Journey to Work Most of the resident workforce (70.1%) within Rural City of Murray Bridge use a private vehicle to travel to work, greater than South Australia’s average of 64.4%. The second largest journey to work method was 10% attributed to the ‘Did not go to work’* group of the resident workforce, followed by 6.8% who travelled as a car passenger and 6.3% who worked at home. *Important to note the ’Did not go to work’ status or ‘Worked at home’ status reflects a single point in time when the ABS Census was conducted. Figure 35. Resident Workers method of travel to work Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2021 Compiled and presented in economy.id by .id (informed decisions). 64 The Rural City of Murray Bridge

30 7. Property Property investment and movements (often reflected in Development applications and approvals (DAs)) serve as key indicators of economic activity. They often reflect the health, confidence, and future trajectory of a local economy, offering insights into investment patterns, population growth, and supportive infrastructure needs. These include: Business and Consumer Confidence - An increase in development applications signals optimism in the economic outlook, with businesses and individuals prepared to invest in new projects. Likewise, a decline may reflect market uncertainty, regulatory barriers, or weakening economic conditions. Catalyst for Employment and Economic Activity - Development drives job creation across multiple sectors including construction, trades, architecture, engineering, and urban planning. The economic multiplier effect extends into supply chains, retail, and service industries, contributing to broader regional prosperity. Early Indicator of Population and Demand Trends - Growth in residential DAs often aligns with population increases, inward migration, and rising demand for housing. A rise in commercial DAs may point to business expansion, stronger consumer demand, and progress toward economic diversification. Signal of Property Market Dynamics and Investment Confidence - A strong pipeline of residential projects suggests a buoyant housing market, supporting land values and investor interest. Commercial and industrial DAs reflect business confidence and demand for commercial, retail, and industrial space. Building Approvals Monitoring the balance of residential vs. non-residential approvals is useful for tracking economic diversification and infrastructure investment. The value of building approvals in Rural City of Murray Bridge was $64M in the 2024-25 YTD (March) financial year. The level of building approvals prior to this over the past 7 years indicate the following: 2019–20 saw a large spike in non-residential approvals, contributing to the highest total value of the period at $365M. This predominantly relates to the Thomas Foods International facility building approval and commencement in June 2020 valued at circa $300M+. Residential approvals peaked in 2022–23, whereas non-residential activity was significantly higher in 2019–20 and 2020–21. In 2022–23 non-residential approvals dropped from the previous year, with 2023–24 experiencing a more balanced distribution between residential and non-residential, though at a lower overall value ($79M). Economic Development and Growth Strategy 2026-2030 65

31 Figure 36. RCMB Building Approvals by Type (Residential compared to Non-residential). Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Building Approvals, Australia, catalogue number 8731.0. Compiled and presented in economy.id Housing The residential property market in Murray Bridge has demonstrated significant growth and resilience over the past five years, reflecting strong regional demand, affordability, and sustained investor interest. Median house prices have risen from approximately $240,000 in 2018 to around $400,000 in 2023. The market is characterised by relatively quick sales, with properties averaging 31 days on the market, and a healthy volume of transactions, with 325 houses sold in 2022-23. Strong capital growth and rental yields further underpin the areas investment credentials to both homeowners and investors. Key highlights include: • Annual capital growth of 15.6% over the past 12 months indicates robust property value appreciation. • Median weekly rent for houses is $470, with a gross rental yield of 4.9%, suggesting favourable conditions for investors. • The population increased by 3.3% from 2016 to 2021, supporting ongoing housing demand. Source: https://www.yourinvestmentpropertymag.com.au/top-suburbs/sa/5253-murray-bridge 66 The Rural City of Murray Bridge

32 8. Advantages & Emerging Opportunities The top three RCMB industries with the highest location quotient relative to South Australia were Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (3.6), Arts and Recreation Services (1.9) and Manufacturing (1.3). In the ten years to 2022/23, the largest changes in the employment (total) LQ were in Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (+0.7), and decreasing competitiveness in Wholesale Trade (- 0.5), Transport, Postal and Warehousing (-0.4) and Information Media and Telecommunications (-0.4). Figure 37. Rural City of Murray Bridge Location quotient by industry sector 2022/23. Source: Location Quotient | RDA Murraylands and Riverland | economy.id National Institute of Economic and Industry Research (NIEIR). Compiled and presented in economy.id. The location quotient (LQ) is a simple way of seeing which are the main industries in an area, relative to the wider region. LQ shows the percentage of the local economy characteristic in a particular industry divided by the percentage of the wider area (region, state, nation) that this industry makes up. Where LQ=1, that industry is exactly as prevalent as in the wider region. A LQ greater than 1.2 indicates a significant specialisation of the industry in the local area – possibly a key economic strength. Higher numbers mean greater specialisations. Anything over 2 is a major specialisation. A LQ between 0.8 and 1.2 means the industry is broadly similar in importance in the local area compared to the comparison region and could be seen as representative. An LQ under 0.8 indicates an industry which is more important in the region than the local area, and may represent an economic weakness or opportunity for growth. Source: Economy id Economic Development and Growth Strategy 2026-2030 67

33 In early 2025 Council considered the role of international relations in assisting to meet its growth aspirations. Significant investment flows into the region are driving agricultural and manufacturing expansion and this now presents an exciting opportunity to accelerate growth for the region and its community. Importantly, local business growth also has the potential to be accelerated by supporting businesses expand into new markets and equally benefit from importing the latest technology and processes to automate and scale. The significant investment in attractions such as The Bend Motorsport Park, recent expansion of Monarto Safari Park including a Wild Africa exhibit, a $17M visitor centre and a $35M accommodation facility and the redevelopment of the riverfront precinct aim to boost tourism, contributing to economic growth and community vibrancy. This presents an opportunity for tourism promotion and tourism related infrastructure investment attraction. There are now significant economic opportunities to be realised to deliver Council’s strategic objectives and enhance community wellbeing as a result of the strategic approach taken to date to position the council district for growth. These will be investigated in detail in the next tranche of work as part of the economic development strategy review and will involve the drafting of a discussion paper for Elected Member and key stakeholder feedback (industry, Government agencies) as a ‘testing / sound boarding’ exercise prior to drafting the new strategy for broader community consultation. Figure 38. Industrial Growth Areas - excerpt Rural City of Murray Bridge Growth Aspirations December 2024 (page 8). 68 The Rural City of Murray Bridge

34 9. Measuring Success Community Wellbeing – The Wellbeing Economy As community clearly informed Council through the 2024 – 2028 strategic plan consultation, there is an opportunity with a new economic development and growth strategy to measure outcomes that the community values. This aligns with the Wellbeing Economy principles where traditional economic measures such as GDP, employment and investment are not to be viewed in isolation. Moving away from ‘growth for growth’ sake perspective to a more holistic overarching principle that economic growth must be good for community wellbeing and inclusive. To measure the wellbeing economy in the Rural City of Murray Bridge relevant metrics need to be agreed upon to reflect its specific economic, social, environmental, and cultural context. These will be considered in detail in the next phase of developing the economic development and growth strategy. These metrics align with the RCMB’s Community Plan 2020-2032, Strategic Plan 2024 – 2028 and current Economic Development Strategy 2020-2032, and existing initiatives such as the Murray Bridge Wellbeing Hub, while drawing on broader wellbeing economy principles. The Australian Federal Government has developed a framework comprising 5 themes with 50 indicators. Communities and Councils can select the measures that track outcomes of various initiatives they prioritise for their community and therefore choose to invest in. Economic Development and Growth Strategy 2026-2030 69

35 Example Suite of Measures & Relevance 5 broad themes to consider focusing on are provided in this section, including the metric and context for action and implementation ideas and examples of they can be applied. Life Satisfaction Health Outcomes Metric: Life expectancy (82 years in Murraylands) and preventable hospitalisation rates. Context / Action: Track health disparities in rural areas and among Ngarrindjeri communities, using SA Health and Wellbeing SA data. Focus on access to healthcare facilities. Mental Health and Subjective Wellbeing Metric: Self-reported wellbeing scores and mental health service uptake (e.g., via Headspace Murray Bridge) Context / Action: The Wellbeing Hub pilot launched in 2023 emphasises a focus on mental health, with 29% of 297 survey respondents prioritising social connection and mental wellbeing. Monitor outcomes of Hub programs such as counselling and community event participation. https://letstalk.murraybridge.sa.gov.au/wellbeinghub?tool=survey_tool Education Access Metric: Year 12 completion rates (~85% in SA) and vocational training enrolment (e.g., TAFE SA Murray Bridge). Context / Action: Address educational attainment gaps for Aboriginal youth and migrants, using Department for Education data and advocate to State Government for support. Work-Life Balance Metric: Proportion of workers with flexible arrangements and average commute times. Context / Action: Measure impacts of major employers on work-life balance by direct survey, travel to work journey using ABS Census data to inform interventions to improve. Social Equity and Inclusion Income Inequality Metric: Household income distribution with 30% of households earning less than $1,499 per week compared to 24% in Greater Adelaide. Source Economy id Context / Action: Influence the lifting of low-income households, particularly in suburbs like Murray Bridge South and East, by tracking ABS Census and SEIFA scores and considering support initiatives to tap into the broader growing economic opportunities. 70 The Rural City of Murray Bridge