Gwydir Shire council staff are following up on contacts made at the 2007 Country Week Expo held in Sydney at the Rosehill Gardens Racetrack from August 10 to 12.
Gwydir Shire staff member, Danielle Perrett, at the shire’s Country Week stand. Photographs submitted in the on-going Shoot the Shire competition were on prominent display at the site.
Council was represented by three staff members Mandy Pilon, Danielle Perrett and Steve Wilton and two Community members Susan Hutton and Frances Young.
The event attracted over 9500 registered visitors from the Sydney region to meet community representatives from across country and regional areas of New South Wales who answered questions and encouraged the visitor to consider their individual area for relocating or investment. There were also a number of visitors who did not register their details with the organisers.
Gwydir Shire Council was awarded the best stand for a community with less than a 10,000 population. The citation given when awarding the certificate noted that the award was based on the passion and belief displayed by personnel when talking about our communities. The reception from visitors was very positive with a number indicating that they would give the Gwydir Shire strong consideration during their relocation planning process.
Employment was often an issue and we had some interest in the positions that we were promoting i.e. Shire Deputy Engineer; building tradesmen with the hospital project and even one or two medical practitioners for the Bingara Medical Centre. Contact details were given when appropriate and there will be follow up information provided to a large number of people (approximately 180) who left their details via the electronic scanner provided on the stand.
All those who attended the event have no doubt that it was successful and that there is a likelihood of at least a couple of people relocating from the Sydney Region to the Gwydir Shire at some time in the future.
Of course people do not make their relocation decisions based purely on Country Week. However it provides them with the initial contact information, which allows them to be better informed as they conduct further research on whether or not an area would be suitable to relocate to.
