An Upper Hunter craft distillery is the first beneficiary of the State Government's $100 million Regional Job Creation Fund.
The owners of Magpie Distilling at the White Hart Hotel in Murrurundi have received $100,000 to purchase large boilers that will increase the company's spirit distilling capacity and create five full-time equivalent jobs.
The funding will allow the business to increase its production of spirits by 15-fold.
It is the first of 23 projects across the state to be supported by the fund, which the government estimates will create 5,000 new direct jobs across regional NSW.
"Regional NSW has all the key ingredients to thrive with strong manufacturing, tourism and service sectors, and this fund is supporting the growth of existing businesses while encouraging interstate or overseas businesses to invest in regional NSW," Deputy Premier John Barilaro said in Murrurundi on Wednesday.
"This is just one of many innovative projects that will turbocharge job creation and stimulate local economies, and I'm thrilled to support these businesses in establishing or expanding their facilities in regional NSW."
The Regional Job Creation Fund was announced in last year's state budget.\
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the government was providing between $100,000 and up to $10 million in co-funding to support businesses like Magpie Distilling to expand operations and provide incentives for interstate or overseas operations to set up in regional NSW.
"This fund is directly supporting and encouraging job creation by helping businesses fast-track their growth plans, giving them the money they need to purchase equipment or extend their premises today, instead of in the future, and providing work for local tradies and suppliers," Mr Perrottet said.
"This project will not only increase production capabilities to cater to growing demand for premium distilled spirits domestically and internationally but will also unlock jobs and employment pathways for the community, with the increase in manufacturing resulting in greater investment in the region."
Applications for the Regional Job Creation Fund are still open and close on Friday 14 May 2021 or when program funding is fully allocated.
