Blue Mountains News

The Lithgow District Chamber of Commerce event earlier in May [May 6-7] aimed to encourage business owners and young families to explore the area, employment and business opportunities, community groups and services, and leisure activities before committing to relocate there permanently.

The inaugural expo attracted several thousand people, including many from Greater Sydney and the Central West, who visited 90 stalls showcasing existing Lithgow businesses, services and attractions.

Lithgow Chamber vice-president Steve Ring said it was "a milestone event" for the Lithgow Seven Valleys business community and would possibly be held annually.

"In the meantime, we’re looking forward to showing investors a more comprehensive potential of Lithgow at another event later in the year.

"We invite tourism developers, major hotel chains, restauranteurs and attractions builders to visit as our guests to scope the area for future business suitability and see for themselves how Lithgow is primed for reinvention as a tourist destination, a revolution their business can be part of."

The area needs to attract new industries and young families to plug the gap created by the outgoing coal mining and thermal power generation within the next 20 years.

As well as significantly lower house and land prices compared to Greater Sydney and neighbouring areas, Lithgow has numerous business and employment opportunities, services and facilities, and vast tracts of land ready for redevelopment.

"Come and experience for yourself how upgrades to the Great Western Highway have cut road travel time to Lithgow from Sydney CBD to less than 2.5 hours.

"On the way, time the trip to Lithgow from the new Western Sydney International Airport site," Mr Ring said.

"Do the maths on transport costs too – I bet there’ll be a significant reduction from your city prices."

Investors will be given detailed outlines of the $50 million-dollar National Parks & Wildlife Service Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area project and The Portland Foundations heritage reactivation and subdivision of the former cement factory. Both will further help revitalise the Lithgow economy.

Significant plans are also being prepared to repurpose the former Wallerawang thermal power station by Greenspot.

Further information about the investors event will be announced soon.

In the meantime, interested investors can go to here for more information about the area and opportunities.

Lithgow Day 1 video footage can be found here

This event is made possible under the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund, co-funded by the Australian Government and NSW Government.