THE addition of new homes at a Riverland living community is set to bring new residents to the region, while also boosting local contractor employment.
Recent construction work at the Waikerie Lifestyle Village – managed by Destination Homes Australia (DHA) has utilised high numbers of Riverland industry professionals.
DHA general manager Darren Disbury said an estimated 70 per cent of tradespeople conducting the upgrades were based in the region.
“The Lifestyle Village is going through two new developments… and we’re now building the houses on site,” Mr Disbury said.
“One of the requirements was that if we were to build them on site, we needed to engage local trades and give back to the local region.
“Instead of it all being done in Adelaide and being brought up on a truck, it’s now all built on site and 70 per cent of the trades are all regional and local.”
Mr Disbury said works to add “150 new homes” at the Waikerie Lifestyle Village employed a wide range of Riverland-based contractors.
“We’ve got framers, roof plumbers, electricians, tilers and painters who are all regional people,” he said.
“The flow-on is terrific, because the tradies are then buying materials locally and the money is staying in the town.
“We’ve been able to track down some very good trades in the Riverland… we use gyprockers who come out of Renmark, through to the local plumbers and electricians who are based in Waikerie.
“That’s bringing money back to the Riverland and particularly Waikerie”
District Council of Loxton Waikerie Mayor Leon Stasinowsky said generating local employment opportunities was vital to the region’s recovery from COVID-19.
“That’s fantastic for the area and the region,” Mr Stasinowsky said.
“Anything being done on site using local builders and tradespeople – who buy stuff locally – is a big plus for the Waikerie area and the Riverland in general.
“In building them there, the labour will have to come from our local sources, which is certainly something that is much-needed.”
Mr Stasinowsky said attracting new residents to the Riverland through community living facilities was a long-term goal for council.
“It’s bringing in new people to Waikerie and the Riverland, and that’s something we as councils are trying to promote in our region,” he said.
“People are starting to realise they can come to the Riverland… all the amenities we have to offer are next to none at a much cheaper rate than you can get in bigger towns and cities.”
Mr Disbury said future projects at local DHA holiday sites – including the Riverbend Caravan Park in Renmark – would utilise the same level of local tradespeople.
“We intend to stay in the Riverland…. and we want to see the place flourish,” Mr Disbury said.
“With Renmark, we’ll use our Riverland trades to build there, because we’ve now got a good understanding of those trades.
“Whereas two years ago, they would have been made in Adelaide and brought up on a truck.”