The C Change Bureau, or Country Change, is an initiative of the Riverina Regional Development Board, which is supported by the NSW Department of State and Regional Development and 19 Councils in the Riverina and Murray regions of NSW.

The project addresses the skills shortages currently facing regional and rural communities in the southern and central regions of NSW and aims to promote the benefi ts of lifestyle and employment opportunities.

The Riverina and Murray region, located in south western NSW, stretches from the scenic foothills of the Snowy Mountains to the tranquility of the wide, western plains. It includes gateways to the NSW snowfi elds, takes in the prosperous and diverse agricultural region of the Murrumbidgee and Murray Irrigation Areas and borders a natural wonderland that still bears the traces of ancient origins.

The region is a showcase of spectacular scenery, gourmet food and wine, historic landmarks and museums, arts and crafts, adventure and sports and legendary country hospitality. It is easily accessible by major highways from Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide or Canberra and is well serviced by air, coach and rail services.

Living and working in country NSW off ers many lifestyle benefi ts: more time to spend with family and friends, a healthier lifestyle, fresh air, space, engagement with the community, and a much more manageable work-life balance.

The current skills shortage means that there are great jobs on off er to go with the great lifestyle.

We know many people have never visited regional NSW to fully appreciate the wonderful lifestyle enjoyed by the several hundreds of thousands of people living and working in the Riverina and Murray in particular. These two connected regions are leading NSW in population growth statistics and many of the region’s industries are growing and developing at a strong rate, increasing demand for skilled workers.

The C Change Bureau exists to provide a port of call for information about the occupations in demand in the region, together with the wonderful lifestyle and friendly atmosphere found everywhere from Tumut to Tumbarumba in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains to Hay and the South Western plains; from the tree lined streets of the university City of Wagga Wagga, the oasis of Leeton and Griffi th and the cross-border cities of Albury- Wodonga and the many towns in between.

See the change, live the difference. Get a life… a country life! For more information about the C Change Bureau, visit: www.cchange.org.au

A move to Narromine added up nicely for maths teacher Dean Leite

Rural schools can place teachers on the fast-track to professional development opportunities.

Be it a friendly smile from a stranger or socialising at the local club, rural towns are pushing open their doors to off er a warm welcome to newcomers from the city.
Teachers in public education, in particular, are fi nding the move an easy decision to make, especially if they’re considering relocation to areas of high staffi ng need, such as non-coastal rural regions.
Growing up in the leafy Sydney suburb of Peakhurst, teaching beginner Dean Leite never imagined his career would take him over 400 kilometres away from his hometown to the fl at plains of western NSW. A teaching scholarship recipient, Dean took up a secondary mathematics position in 2006 at Narromine High School and discovered the great rewards a rural lifestyle has to offer.
Dean quickly learned how seamlessly both school and community coexist in a small town. “It’s so easy to make friends with people and you really get to know the parents of your students very quickly,” he says. “It’s an extremely friendly atmosphere.”
In particular, Dean has discovered it’s the small things in rural communities that make being a teacher enjoyable. “I love almost every aspect of teaching rurally, but it’s the little things like students asking you to watch them play sport on the weekend that really mean something,” he explains. “Having the students want you there to watch, and then seeing them really excited when you show up, makes you realise the difference you make.”
Dean believes his students benefi t from the social activities that both the teachers and students attend within the local community. This social interaction not only supports his role in the community as a teacher but also allows him to build a stronger rapport with his students. “Taking that extra effort to watch them play a sport, or just talk to them in the street, really makes them feel important,” he says.
With such strong aspirations to perfect his craft, Dean is benefi ting from a variety of professional development opportunities available in his school. In addition to teaching secondary mathematics, Dean currently supports his school as a year adviser and has spent three terms relieving as Head Teacher Administration. Competition for these opportunities, he believes, is much tougher in larger city schools.
Dean’s rural move has also facilitated his fi nancial goal of buying a house, a dream still out of reach for many of his city peers. “As a 25-year-old, it would be impossible to even consider buying a house in Sydney, yet last year I was able to buy a brand new duplex here in Narromine,” he says. “The cheaper cost of either buying a house or rural rent is a major fi nancial incentive.”
Living so close to work, Dean also benefi ts from lower fuel costs and receives a variety of rural teaching incentives from the NSW Department of Education and Training.
If you’re a city teacher keen to try a country lifestyle; or a beginning teacher looking to expand your professional development and career advancement opportunities; or a graduate teacher exploring your career options, teaching in non-coastal rural areas in particular can off er benefi ts, incentives and rewards not available in coastal locations. Check out the rural teaching possibilities open to you at:

www.teach.nsw.edu.au/ruralteaching.

Maybe it’s the big open spaces; it could be those green hills; that big river’s probably got a bit to do with it; perhaps it’s the sound of the ocean; is it the idea of home-delivered groceries, or is it the Clarence vibe that has everyone talking? More likely it’s all of these things.
The Clarence is not just one thing – it’s many, with loads of lifestyle choices and options. In fact it has 43 town, village and city locations for you to explore. Not often will you fi nd rugged wilderness, rural lots, river towns, tiny villages, beach hamlets and vibrant urban settings all in the one region – but you can in the Clarence.
Located on the north coast of NSW, the Clarence has a definite spirit, character and sense of community – the stuff that dreams are made of really. If you thought all of that was gone for good then come take a look around.
The Clarence is home to the famous Yamba prawn (yum!), the Wooli oyster, fringe festivals, Jacaranda Queens, more sport than there are days in the week to play, great schools, an awardwinning regional gallery, affordable housing – and has the added bonus of being just three hours down the road from south-east Queensland.
Think about it – you could stay in the city and listen to the traffic or go home at the end of each day and get the board out for a surf, watch the sunset across the mighty Clarence River while you catch your fresh fish dinner, or just soak up the sound of silence.
We’re 51,000 people strong and growing. See you soon in the Clarence to get your slice of the good life on the deck chair.

Clarence Valley Council

Economic Development Team

Locked Bag 23, Grafton NSW 2460

P: 02 6643 0200

F: 02 6642 7647

e: edu@clarence.nsw.gov.au

www.clarence.nsw.gov.au

Ruth Wilson

Ruth Wilson has lived and worked in Canada, USA, Japan, New Zealand and more recently in Canberra for the past six years with quantum-atom optics physicists at the Australian National University. After a short visit to Nelson Bay early 2008, she made a decision to undertake a lifestyle change and has settled on the water at Salamander Bay.

“The natural beauty of Port Stephens offers secluded bays for safe swimming and boating, pristine beaches, outdoor water activities such as fishing, skiing, diving, dolphin and whale watching.

In her role as Nelson Bay Town Coordinator, Ruth has discovered a strong sense of community in Port Stephens that presents a very pleasant environment for living and working in the area.

“Our research shows that visitor numbers to Port Stephens continue to increase and with that growth, business and the local economy can only become more vital”.

Port Stephens, a unique destination for working and playing.