A cash injection to upgrade rural airstrips, improve childcare and promote Indigenous businesses will support a growing breed of entrepreneurs in regional NSW, the state government says.
Premier Chris Minns visited Orange, in central-western NSW, on Friday to announce $35 million for regional development, the first instalment from a $350 million rural trust.
Remote airstrips will get upgrades worth $15 million after an audit to prioritise sites across 20 council areas.
Work is due to start before the end of 2024.
The announcement comes as budget airline Bonza faces an uncertain future after the carrier, which flies to many lesser-served regional locations, went into voluntary administration.
Mr Minns said better aviation services would be a boost for health care, tourism and trade in the bush.
"One of the interesting things about the NSW economy is there's so much innovation and entrepreneurship located in the regions," he told reporters while visiting a winery outside the regional city.
"Young people taking it upon themselves ... starting a business, growing it locally and employing local people and eventually getting to the point where they're thinking about export markets around the world.
"This is an example of where the government can come in and make a real difference."
Another $10 million will be spent to establish, expand or upgrade western NSW childcare services.
Much of the state's west is considered a "childcare desert", where there are more than three children for every early education place.
The package, which was co-designed by the early education sector, will first be rolled out in Bourke, Broken Hill and Cobar.
Education Minister Prue Car said investing in child care was a powerful way to unlock economic growth in the regions.
"We simply cannot create the workforces that we need without providing childcare opportunities," she said.
"That start in early childhood education can set someone up in a regional town ... for a lifetime of success."
Indigenous businesses will be supported by a $5 million package, while food and beverage operations will be able to apply for low-interest loans.
"It's really about depoliticising and taking out a lot of the pork-barrelling in the politics associated with regional development," Mr Minns said.
"This is about the NSW government stepping up ... and saying to particularly young firms that are just starting out: we can't wait to see what you achieve in the years ahead."
