The Welcome Experience Orana, a NSW Government program hosted by RDA Orana, provides practical, place-based settlement support for essential workers and their families relocating to the region. In 2025–26 the program’s full-time Local Connectors in Bourke, Walgett and the Dubbo Region became trusted, on-the ground partners for Councils, employers and new arrivals, working to help families find housing, enrol children in schools, join sporting clubs and community groups, and secure work for partners.

Results as at 30 June 2026:

• 1,221 registrations
• 392 essential workers relocated and 746 people settled in the Orana region
• 234 people supported with accommodation
• 42% partner employment rate
• 32% conversion rate from registration to relocation – well above the statewide average of 24%, ranking 2nd out of 15 regions

Relocations rose from 229 in October 2025 to 392 by June 2026, a 71% increase in eight months. Seven regions received more registrations, but none converted more of them into completed relocations – evidence that consistent, locally based settlement support turns interest in regional relocation into people who arrive and stay. The workers relocated span the workforces of health, policing, education, ambulance, disability support, early childhood education, aged care and emergency services – the workforces that keeps regional communities functioning – and 65% intend to stay long term.

Making a difference:

The program’s performance contributed to the NSW Government’s decision in March 2026 to expand The Welcome Experience across all 12 Local Government Areas (LGA) of the Orana region, including the appointment of a new full-time Local Connector for the Mid-Western Region (selected from 73 applicants) and casual Local Welcomers in every remaining LGA from early 2026–27. RDA Orana continues to advocate for full-time Local Connectors in every LGA, as the data shows, to deliver the strongest retention outcomes.