Cessnock City Council's Economic Development team undertakes research and advocacy for major capital projects and responds to government inquiry.
Where possible, the Council will inform decision makers of issues affecting our region in order to provide better outcomes for residents and businesses.
This page lists range of up to data and relevant reporting for doing business in the Cessnock, Hunter Valley and Hunter Regions.
Local Economic Development studies:
Council's economic development studies and research projects below lead to an advanced understanding of the economic base for better decision making, and a tool enabling rapid action for government and business projects. They can also assist you with business planning and identification of gaps and opportunities.
- Cessnock Business Capability Study 2014
- Cessnock City Business Flood Impact Report 2015
- Cessnock Gap Analysis - 2015-16
- Cessnock City Skills Audit 2018
- Cessnock Business Capability Study 2019
Advocacy and submissions:
- Regional Development and Decentralisation - September 2017
- Indicators of, and impact of regional inequality in Australia - April 2018
- How The Mining Sector Can Support Businesses In Regional Economies - August 2018
- Jobs for the Future in Regional Areas Inquiry into “New industries and employment opportunities that can be created in regions” - September 2019
- Cessnock City Council's Submission on Hunter Valley's Bushfire Devastated Communities to Australian Government, Business Council's Community Rebuilding Initiative - January 2019
- Submission To NSW Small Business Strategy 4 March 2020
Cessnock City Council's research into Youth Unemployment:
Tourism Data and Research:
- Tourism Research Data June 2016 - Visitation data for Hunter Region and Hunter Valley Wine Country in Visitor numbers and Expenditure
- The Economics of Tourism in Cessnock LGA - Economic Data on Tourism and the economy - updated October 2016
Wine industry and Cellar Door Insights:
- Hunter Wine regional snapshot 2016, report sourced from Wine Australia Corporation.
- Cellar door and direct-to-consumer survey 2018, report sourced from Wine Australia Corporation.
- Wine Australia's Webinar on the 2018 Cellar door and DTC survey , sourced from Wine Communicators of Australia
Council adopted plans and strategies:
- Cessnock City Council Economic Development Strategy - Volume 2: population and economic indicators, industry overviews and comprehensive review of the economy
- Destination Management Plan - Hunter Valley Wine Country, Part A Part B
- Signage Strategies: the Cessnock LGA signage strategy and the Hunter Valley Wine Country signage strategy were developed to provide guidance on the planning, design and installation of signage in the region.
- Vineyards Visioning: a community vision for the vineyards district
Useful external economic data and reports:
- Economic Profile for Cessnock - The website presents current economic and demographic insights for Cessnock LGA