Victoria is Australia’s largest producer of high-quality food and fibre products and these make up over half of Victoria’s total product exports. From livestock to fish and seafood, dairy to wine, grain to pulse, fruits to nuts and green tea to saffron. The state represents 26% of total Australian food and fibre export value. Ultimately, the sector and Victoria’s rich regional bounty makes for a real food adventure punctuated by regional delicacies, country charm and warm hospitality. Food and wine trails throughout Victoria provide sights and experiences – from Murray River’s Farm Gate Trail, the Yarra Valley Food Trail, to the Otway Harvest Trail.
From humble agricultural beginnings from livestock, grains and wool farming, Victorian agribusiness have come a long way today deliver a diverse range of products from olives, honey, truffles and blueberries, through to award-winning wine and spirits. Victoria’s vision for agriculture is to deliver tangible benefits along the entire supply chain from farms to manufacturing, to local consumers and export markets. Food producers have diversified and area gearing their businesses towards a growing range of high quality, healthy and innovative food by-products. The agribusiness sector is an iconic part of Victoria’s identity, with greater collaboration than ever between farmers, processers, chefs, retailers and exporters coming together to promote the regions’ vibrant food culture and establish Victoria as Australia’s largest food industry hub.
Manufacturing is a $30 billion industry and a cornerstone of the Victorian economy, with the evolution of global manufacturing creating current and future new opportunities for Victorian companies to think innovatively, use advanced technologies, expand their research and development and create new partnerships and international connections. Victoria’s advanced manufacturing sectors ranges from materials design and technology, paper and pulp processing, through to aviation and defence equipment.Â
Victoria is transitioning into a renewable energy powerhouse, with renewable energy hubs being developed across the state, the improvement of infrastructure, the decarbonizing of our energy system and emissions being driven down. Victoria is driving an unprecedented investment, the largest investment of any state ever, in clean energy and new energy research. The investment will prepare Victoria for innovative and transformational renewable energy and hydrogen projects, including ground-breaking projects like Australia’s first offshore wind generator.Â
Victoria is growing faster than any other state and high-quality, reliable freight transport and logistics services are more essential than ever to our connectedness, the success of Victorian businesses, primary producers and jobs for all parts of the economy. Infrastructural investments have been and are underway in projects across the state – from the Murray Basin Rail Project, the Freight-Passenger Rail Separation Project, to bridge strengthening and regional freight route upgrades.
Victoria is a rich source of various mineral deposits – from gold, brown coal to mineral sands. The state has a resurgent gold mining sector across western and northern areas of the state. We are a world-renowned gold province with a variety of deposit styles and world-class pre-competitive geoscientific data and knowledge to improve targeting and reduce mineral exploration risk. Our world-class central Victoria gold province has produced more than 80 million ounces of gold. Gold production and exploration expenditure continue to be buoyant with Victoria’s production currently approximately 650,000 ounces of gold per annum coming mainly from the Fosterville deposit, Ballarat, Costerfield and Stawell.
Victoria already enjoys major strengths across the creative industries, boasting some of the finest venues and events in the world. State and local government collaboration strives to build on the creative sector’s future success and secure Victoria’s global reputation as a truly creative state – as a vibrant place to live, attractive place to work and pursue a creative career, and an exciting destination to visit. Â