On Wednesday, June 21, it was officially 1000 days until the 2026 Commonwealth Games in regional Victoria, known as Victoria 2026, but businesses are being told their race starts much earlier.
Shepparton will host cycling events, including the road time trial and the BMX racing competition, during Victoria 2026, and also a cultural event.
It is not as much as the city had envisaged when it came up with the idea of a regional Games to the state government, having missed out on being named as one of the four hubs, but it is set for an economic boost through the events it will host.
City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Shane Sali says it’s a great opportunity for the region.
“There is a platform that they can get on and put in their expressions of interest and I really encourage community, no different to our grants process, throw your hat in the ring. This is a great opportunity, this is an international event, so it can take your regional business to a global level,” he said.
Cr Sali advised businesses to make their inquiries now or risk missing out on their chance.
“They (the organising committee) want to try and localise it as much as they possibly can and that conversation will be taking place between now and when the tenders go out, and once they’re awarded that’s it because there’s such a tight timeline,” he said.
More information can be gained from the Victoria 2026 website https://www.victoria2026.com.au/business or by going to the government’s procurement website https://www.tenders.vic.gov.au/register and registering as a supplier.
Regional business workshop
The Commonwealth Games was also on the mind of Goulburn Valley Indigenous-owned business owners when they gathered in Shepparton on Thursday, June 22 for a regional business workshop.
Victoria 2026 was one of the topics discussed during the workshop, held at Indigenous-owned business The Connection, delivered in partnership by the Dilin Duwa Centre for Indigenous Business Leadership, Kaiela Institute, Kinaway Victorian Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce and Indigenous Business Australia.
Wiradjuri academic Ashlen Francisco, from Dilin Duwa, a business owner herself from Euroa, said regional businesses did not have the same access to support as city counterparts and so the workshop was an important link for them to outside resources.
“So as a regional business owner, myself, coming together and gathering and yarning about business and what’s been happening, what the opportunities are, particularly in a regional setting, is just so important,” Dr Francisco said.
“There’s not as much support in the regions as there is in the cities and so I think it’s really important for us to establish those business communities ourselves, and then lean into some of the city-based support organisations when we’re ready.”
Joshua Simm is a Bangarang-Yorta Yorta man, the principal director of Simm and Co Real Estate in Shepparton, and attended the workshop to learn, but also hopes to inspire other First Nations young people to chase their business dreams.
“The main focus is to service the community, but also be a shining light for other young Aboriginal people in the area that they can own their own business as well,” he said.
“I grew up here in the Shepparton area so I’ve got a strong connection to this country and this land and so working in this field it just gives me great joy to be able to participate in the community and help other people sell their house and I make that process simple and easy for them, as that can sometimes be a stressful thing to do.”