This week alone has seen two major projects launched, the intermodal freight hub and the Virgin pilot academy, which have been respectively boasted to bring thousands of jobs to town and put the city on the global stage as an aviation centre.

NSW Business Chamber New England regional manger Joe Townsend said the continued confidence in the city was putting it on track to become the “regional hub of northern NSW”.

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He said the private sector was following the confidence shown by the state government and services like health, education and water security would grow as the city did.

State and federal elections are coming and Mr Townsend said attention on the region had to stay fixed, even if change was on the cards.

“All sides of government value the sentiment that large regional hubs are required to support smaller hubs,” he said.

“Whoever gets into power will support these communities growing, we, theoretically and technically, are their bread and butter, they don’t have cows in Sydney.”

He said the only thing which distinguished Tamworth from other inland regional cities was the lack of a major university presence in town, which would go some way to retaining more young professionals.

“It’d make the city a longevity or family town, which means once someone goes to pre-school here, they’d never have to move away,” he said.

Namoi Unlimited joint councils’ chair Jamie Chaffey said the successes of Tamworth and the surrounding region were reciprocal and welcomed pilot academy announcement.

“The pilot training academy for Virgin has got significance for the wider region,” Cr Chaffey said. “I think the increase of opportunities of the amount of traineeships could have significance.

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The Gunnedah mayor said Tamworth was the regional centre of Namoi Unlimited, but the successes were shared.

“Being the regional centre of Namoi Unlimited as it is, its success creates other opportunities in other LGAs within the region,” he said.

“But some of the success of LGAs outside the regional centre are having a great effect and advantage on Tamworth and its economy, like road funding for infrastructure projects.”

He said it was up to the local leaders to make sure the region stayed front of mind after upcoming elections.

“That’s a simple fact of all politics, it’s always a changing space and it’s our responsibility to communicate the needs of the community in a manner the government of the day can understand,” he said. 

Deputy Premier John Barilaro nominated Tamworth and Wagga Wagga as the two big regional growth centres in NSW which should be supported to populations of 100,000 people.

Tamworth mayor Col Murray and Mr Barilaro were contacted for comment.

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