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Police officers, teachers, firefighters, doctors and childcare workers are among hundreds of essential workers and their families receiving support to relocate to regional New South Wales thanks to a successful NSW Government initiative.

Launched by the Government in June last year, The Welcome Experience has helped 511 essential workers to find a new home in the regions, settle into their communities, enrol kids in school, join sporting clubs and assist with finding a job for their partner.

The Welcome Experience is part of the NSW Government’s $25.1 million Essential Worker Attraction Program, which aims to boost essential workforces in regional NSW.

The Welcome Experience program pilot has so far delivered the following successes:

• Close to 1,800 workers have inquired about the pilot locations – Broken Hill, Walgett, Coffs Harbour, Muswellbrook, Goulburn, Griffith, Corowa, and Bega.
• Provided a vital boost to essential services in locations, by helping 511 essential workers relocate and settle into their new communities, including 224 health workers, 84 educators and 35 NSW Police staff.
• Helped more than 227 workers move to Broken Hill, 62 to Bega, 57 to Walgett, and 38 to Muswellbrook.

The program offers a concierge style service facilitated by a number of organisations including councils, local business chambers, not-for-profit organisations and community groups.

Originally piloted in Broken Hill, Muswellbrook, Bega, Walgett, Coffs Harbour, Corowa, Griffith and Goulburn, the program has been such a success it is now being rolled out to 52 Local Government Areas across the State.

The new areas include Orange, Dubbo, Kiama, Tumut, Kempsey, Uralla, Bourke, Yass Valley, Queanbeyan, Shoalhaven and Wagga Wagga. These new locations will give essential workers considering a change, that extra nudge to get them over the line, because they will have confidence that they and their family will have choices and opportunities to fit in and be welcomed in the regions.

Whether it is the pristine beaches of the Mid North Coast, the expansive plains of the Far-West or inland regional city living, the program’s new locations will offer a friendly helping hand to essential workers to move, settle their families, grow their career and give back to their new communities.

The expansion will support the delivery of a skilled and robust essential workforce in our regions and is further proof of the NSW Government’s dedication to paving the way for stronger, more resilient communities while ensuring that every corner of the state thrives.

Police Officer Amy Loomes – Walgett

Among these essential workers assisted by The Welcome Experience, is Police Officer Amy Loomes, who now lives and works in Walgett after moving from Sydney with her family in November 2023.

The Welcome Experience helped the family settle into the local community and assisted Amy’s husband Casey to secure a local carpentry job thanks to the Partner Employment Program.

While living in Sydney, the family didn’t have a backyard. Now they have two dogs, a trampoline, a thriving veggie garden and their very own chicken coop, complete with laying hens.

Find out more about and the exciting opportunities that await those considering a move to the regions.

Premier of NSW, Chris Minns said:

“We are so lucky to live in a state with such beautiful regions, from the beaches of the South Coast to the bushes of the Central West.

“But what makes it such an incredible place to live, work, and raise a family is the strong sense of community.

“This program is about ensuring when people ‘make the move’, whether it’s to Broken Hill or Bega, they feel welcomed and find their feet as soon as possible.

“We need skilled and essential workers in our country towns, and we’re working to make it easier than ever for people considering a tree change to take that leap.”

NSW Minister for Regional NSW and Minister for Western NSW, Tara Moriarty said:

“Locals can give insights on different locations in towns to suit housing needs, or finding a reliable removalist or even knowing which café boasts the best cappuccino in town, and that is why The Welcome Experience pilot has been such a resounding success.

“Since I launched the program 12 months ago, 1,800 individual enquiries have been received from essential workers who are considering moving or have made the move to the regions.

“511 workers and their families have already made the move and the feedback is the program was important in accepting the job offer and was vital in helping people find their feet in their new community.

“The NSW Government’s decision to expand the program shows what a difference a warm welcome can make for workers moving to a new community. It fosters people to grow roots in the town and be part of the community they are looking after.

“I want to highlight that The Welcome Experience is a promise to our regional communities that our Government is invested in their futures and will deliver real and tangible results for them.”

Police officer and The Welcome Experience client, Amy Loomes (Walgett) said:

“We decided to give regional NSW a go, and after making the move to Walgett, we not only have room for a trampoline, but our children love collecting fresh eggs from their very own chicken coop every morning.

“We haven’t looked back. Living in a close-knit regional community has given us the freedom and space to give our kids a childhood filled with fun and adventure. We tend to stress less and have more time to spend together doing the things we love.”

Cardiologist and The Welcome Experience client, Dr Sean Conte (Bega) said:

“My wife and I told ourselves that our move to Bega could be for a few years, or until the kids are at high school but now we are here, we can’t imagine living back in the city.

“The Welcome Experience has been great and helped us with things such as completing a house inspection when we were still in Sydney, connecting us with local services like electricians and gave us the lay of the land with preschools.

“My wife Anna found the local Tathra playgroup through a recommendation from our Local Connector and enjoyed a social event to welcome newbies to the area.

“We have found that there is a friendly community of young families and a range of opportunities for playgroups and services for young kids.

“To anyone considering a move to the regions, I recommend making the sea change with young kids. Our kids are thriving having us at home more without the longer commutes and busy schedules and thriving at preschool.

“I have gotten into ocean swimming with a local group and Anna has just bought a bike – we are enjoying the outdoors more than we could in Sydney.”