Riverina - Facilities and Services

Facilities and Services

Higher education in the Riverina is provided by Charles Sturt University (CSU), with campuses serving the Riverina in Albury and Wagga Wagga. The university was established in 1989 with the amalgamation of the Albury and Wagga Wagga campuses of the Riverina-Murray Institute of Higher Education with the Mitchell College of Advanced Education in Bathurst. CSU provides specialist services to the Riverina in areas such as viticulture and winemaking.

Other educational facilities in the region include the Riverina Institute of TAFE providing technical and vocational training at a number of campuses throughout the region. Most larger centres have public high schools and most smaller centres are serviced by a public primary school.

The health service in the Riverina is administered by Greater Southern Area Health Service, formed on 1 January 2005 with the amalgamation of the Greater Murray Area Health Service, servicing the Riverina and Southern Area Health Service, servicing areas east of the Great Dividing Range and south of Wollongong. Base Hospitals are located at Albury, Wagga Wagga and Griffith while Deniliquin, Hillston, Henty and Narrandera among others are home to regional hospitals.

Situated between the large cities of Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide, the Riverina is a transportation hub. Major transportation links in the region include the Hume Highway, Newell Highway and Sturt Highway; all part of the Australian National Highway. Other highways include the Riverina Highway, Cobb Highway, Olympic Highway, Kidman Way, Irrigation Way and Burley Griffin Way.

CountryLink, a division of the New South Wales Rail Corporation, provide rail services to Griffith, Albury and Wagga Wagga with connecting buses reaching smaller communities. V/Line provide services linking Griffith, Deniliquin and the towns along the Murray with public transport access to Melbourne.

The Riverina is host to two major Australian Defence Force training facilities. The Army Recruit Training Centre is located at Kapooka, 9.5 kilometres (5.9 mi) south west of Wagga Wagga and RAAF Base Wagga is the home of the RAAF Ground Training Wing base. These bases along with a Royal Australian Navy Defence Communications Station play an integral role in the local economy.