The Southern Highlands has a diverse economy, with its band of towns and its proximity to major cities giving it an economic structure similar to NSW as a whole, but with a special focus on tourism, agriculture and manufacturing.

Local businesses and community members are concerned about the potential effects of the proposed Hume Coal Project on the region. This report is based on interviews with a range of businesses and other stakeholders in the Southern Highlands region.

These interviews revealed a deep concern that most of the Hume Coal Project’s effects will be negative, including threatening the water supply, and that uncertainty around the mine is already reducing business investment.