RDA Barwon South West collaborates with all levels of government, regional leaders and businesses to identify opportunities to leverage Australian Government programs that will increase economic activity in our region. We work closely with proponents whose projects align with our objectives and, where possible, advocate for fast‐tracked approval and delivery of projects.
Our strategic priorities are informed by evidence and information, including the Regional Economic Development Strategies of the Barwon and Great South Coast Regional Partnerships.
We collaborate with regional leaders to gather input on submissions and advice from the Australian Government. Our strong relationships with local government leaders enable us to actively participate in working groups involving local stakeholders.
Who we are
The RDA Barwon South West committee consists of local business experts who are dedicated to developing and implementing local solutions for regional issues. They collaborate with government, businesses, and community groups to support the region's growth and development. Acting as facilitators, they focus on building strong and confident regional economies by leveraging competitive advantages, seizing economic opportunities, and attracting investments.
The committee comprises experienced individuals with global, national, and local expertise in advanced manufacturing, digital capability, agriculture, education, tourism, and energy. The team brings valuable political and industry experience to their endeavours.
Our committee members
Chair– Liz Price
Liz is the Chair of RDA Barwon South West and is the General Manager of the Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism Board. She holds positions as a Director of the Great Southern Touring Route, RDA representative on the Great South Coast Regional Partnership, and a member of both the Great South Coast Economic Futures Project Steering Group and the Australian Regional Tourism Networks’ National Regional Tourism Organisation Working Group. Liz brings a wealth of leadership experience from her previous roles, including General Manager Australia at Club Tourism Publishing and the inaugural CEO of Destination Melbourne. With a broad network across regional, state, and national tourism sectors, Liz is committed to advancing a more prosperous and sustainable future for the Barwon South West region.
Alistair McCosh
Alistair McCosh brings over 30 years of experience in education and training, spanning secondary, TAFE, and university sectors. Since joining Deakin University in 2009, he has led initiatives to expand regional access to higher education and served as Director of Education Strategy. Appointed Director of the Warrnambool Campus in 2017, his role broadened in 2024 to include Regional Partnerships. Alistair provides strategic leadership focused on student success, research impact, and community engagement. He works closely with regional stakeholders to align Deakin’s capabilities with local priorities, supporting economic development and social outcomes across southwest Victoria and beyond.
Clive Pugh
Clive Pugh is an experienced executive director and general manager of a medium sized wholesale distribution business and in previous roles in manufacturing. His passion is trying to link operational indicators to financial performance and building a culture that allows decision making at the lowest level of an organisation.
Clive has international experience in sales, marketing and procurement in his current role. Clive is an advocate for sustainable economic and social development that improves the lives of people in the Geelong and South West region of Victoria.
Darryl Mohr
Darryl brings over 30 years of experience in financial services, including roles as COO, State General Manager, and National Industry Segment Head (Agribusiness). He is currently the Deputy Chair of The Gordon TAFE in Geelong and serves as Chair of the Audit and Risk Management Committee. Over the past 18 years, Darryl has held executive leadership positions with several Top 10 ASX-listed companies. He completed the Global Advanced Risk Management program at Wharton Business School in 2019, holds CPA accreditation, and is an AICD graduate. Darryl is completing a Master of Governance and Public Policy and Governance at the University of Melbourne.
Mary-Ann Brown, OAM
Mary-Ann, recently awarded an OAM for her service to local government and to the communities of Dunkeld and Hamilton, has lived in Dunkeld for over 30 years. She is a partner in a financial services business in Hamilton and was previously involved in a merino sheep stud partnership. Her dedication to rural communities is reflected in her roles as Chair and Committee Member of Rural Councils Victoria, Western District Health Service, and Dunkeld Community Centre. She has also served as a Councillor and three-time Mayor of Southern Grampians Shire. Mary-Ann is passionate about ensuring that rural communities have equitable access to essential services such as health, digital connectivity, public transport, and housing.
Peter Dorling
Peter is the longest-serving member of RDA Barwon South West, bringing deep knowledge of the region’s strategic assets, capabilities, and challenges. He represents RDA on the Barwon Regional Partnership and is the Business Manager for Avalon Airport Australia, a key opportunity for Victoria and the nation. In his role, Peter focuses on driving local and international business development for the airport. He holds a Master of Business Management from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
Andrew Mason
With a background in town planning and an MBA, Andrew has led two councils, including 12 years as CEO of Corangamite Shire. He has a deep commitment to the South West and is engaged in regional collaboration through organisations such as the South West Victoria Alliance and Regional Cities Victoria.
Elly Hanlon
Elly brings over 16 years of regional business leadership across manufacturing and construction, specialising in governance, stakeholder engagement, business systems, and workforce development. She is passionate about strengthening ties between industry and community through collaboration, innovation, and inclusive leadership.
Georgina Gubbins
Georgina, a 2024 OAM recipient, is a seasoned director with deep roots in agriculture, water management, and education. She brings strategic, business-wide insight and experience navigating regulated industries, and has held leadership roles at Wannon Water, South West TAFE, and Glenelg Hopkins CMA.
Jennifer Conley
Jennifer Conley is CEO of the Geelong Manufacturing Council (GMC), the peak body supporting manufacturing in Geelong and south-west Victoria. A strong advocate for advanced manufacturing, she brings two decades of experience across industry, research, and government, working to strengthen opportunities for Australia’s small and medium enterprises. GMC represents manufacturers employing 9,000 locally and 150,000 nationally and abroad. Its programs focus on workforce skills, training, and boosting women’s participation in manufacturing through partnerships with educational institutions and governments. GMC also hosts the biennial Technology and Innovation Summit, highlighting sector opportunities like energy transformation. Jennifer also serves as a non-executive director with Advanced Fibre Cluster Geelong and on the Skilling the Bay Advisory Board.
Judith McDonald
Judy is a proud Kerrup-Jmara, Gunditjmara woman and respected leader from south-west Victoria. She operated Watnanda Consulting (2016–2025) and now runs Bocara Cultural Walking Tours in Nelson. Recognised for her leadership, Judy was inducted into the Victorian Aboriginal Honour Roll (2015) and awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters by La Trobe University (2017). She also holds a Master of Social Work (research). With over 35 years’ experience across health, justice, environment, and community sectors, Judy contributes to several boards, including Winda Mara Aboriginal Corporation and Western District Health Service. She serves as Elder-in-Residence and facilitator for the Victorian Aboriginal Leadership Program and has completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors course.
Liz McKinnon
Liz McKinnon holds over 20 years’ experience across government, industry, media and regional development. She served as South Australia’s inaugural Cross Border Commissioner and has held executive roles with PIRSA, the Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub, and Glenelg Shire Council. With a background in political communications and journalism, Liz brings strong expertise in stakeholder engagement, strategic advocacy and public policy. She now leads her own advisory practice, primarily supporting Green Triangle-based clients in the plantation, agriculture and local government sectors. Liz is a former Chair of Casterton Memorial Hospital and has held board roles with ForestrySA, RDA Limestone Coast and Generations in Jazz.
Rick Aylett
Rick Aylett is an accomplished global executive with a proven track record leading complex public-private ventures and major international events. His strategic insight spans commercial developments, financial management, and major venue operations across Australia and Asia.As General Manager of Nyaal Banyul, he is driving the delivery and future operation of Victoria’s $450 million world-class venue, opening in 2026. Rick has led operations at more than 60 global events - from the ICC Cricket World Cup to the Commonwealth Games (India). As an experienced board director, Rick has a clear ambition to see the Barwon South West region realise its full potential.
Trent Sullivan
Trent Sullivan is a senior executive with broad experience in economic development, city planning,and the circular economy. Known for his strategic leadership and stakeholder engagement, Trent serves as Executive Director of Defence Industry Victoria and is a current Councillor for Greater Geelong. He also contributes to several boards, including Geelong Regional Library and Tourism Greater Geelong & Bellarine. Previously, as Mayor of Geelong and Chair of Economic Development, he led initiatives fostering regional growth. Trent has also been a past board member of G21 Regional Alliance, Regional Cities Victoria, and Regional Capitals Australia.
What we do
The RDA Barwon South West Committee is dedicated to driving economic growth, innovation, and sustainability across our region. Aligned with the Australian Government’s Regional Investment Framework, we collaborate with local communities, businesses, and governments to support strategic regional priorities. Our efforts focus on facilitating investment in people, places, services and industries and local economies. We work to bridge development gaps by building evidence-based economic strategies, facilitating regional partnerships, and ensuring inclusive growth that leaves no one behind.
Who we work with
The RDA Barwon South West Committee collaborates with a wide range of stakeholders, including businesses, not-for-profits, industry bodies, and government agencies, to strengthen key sectors, promote regional capabilities, and leverage the region’s unique advantages.
We engage with all Barwon South West local government areas, including Greater Geelong, Queenscliffe, Surf Coast, Colac Otway, Corangamite, Moyne, Warrnambool, Southern Grampians, and Glenelg, to align regional priorities and drive economic development.
We partner with like-minded organisations such as the Barwon and Great South Coast Regional Partnerships, South West Vic Alliance, and the Geelong Region Alliance (G21) to coordinate efforts, share knowledge, and advance shared regional goals.
We collaborate with RDA Committees across Victoria and neighbouring RDA Committees in Tasmania identify and capitalise on synergistic opportunities, enhancing regional economic activity and leveraging shared strengths.
Through these partnerships, we ensure that the Barwon South West region is well-positioned to meet economic challenges and seize emerging opportunities.
Our region
Fast facts:
- 453,600 people live within the Barwon South West region as of 2023
- The Great Ocean Road spans 243 kilometres along the coastline
- Barwon South West produces approximately $31 billion gross regional product
- Fastest growing areas in the Barwon South West region are Armstrong Creek, Lara, Bannockburn, Mount Duneed, Warrnambool, Colac, Portland, Torquay and Ocean Grove.
The Barwon South West region is adjacent to Melbourne's rapidly growing western corridor and its population is currently estimated at approximately 453,600 people as of 2023. The region has diverse economic foundations with three primary economic sectors: inland agriculture, coastal tourism, and a manufacturing and service hub centred in Geelong.
Key employment sectors in the region include manufacturing, healthcare, and retail. There are significant emerging opportunities in clean energy, advanced manufacturing and food security industries. Educational institutions such as Deakin University, South West TAFE and The Gordon Institute of TAFE provide essential skills and training, supporting the region's economic growth.
The region is well-connected with deep-sea ports in Portland and Geelong, and extensive road and rail networks, facilitating strong connections to both international and interstate markets. The expansion of Avalon Airport near Geelong further strengthens the region's visitor economy, especially with the popularity of the Great Ocean Road.
Major investments by the State and Australian Government, including the Geelong City Deal and the Shipwreck Coast Master Plan, are essential in driving economic development and enhancing the region’s tourism infrastructure. These initiatives are critical for sustaining long-term growth and supporting the region's transition to a more diversified and resilient economy.