What would you say to businesses who might be considering moving to a regional area?
“Do it! Particularly if you value close engagement with the communities in the area and believe your ethos accords with theirs.” – Alison Lansley, Long Paddock Cheese.
“An excellent community feel, with amazing people from all walks of life, and high quality sporting communities. You can walk down the street and run into someone you have a connection to. It’s a great feeling – a sense of belonging.” – Lindsay Callaway, Warral Maldon
“We have now run businesses both in a capital city and in a regional town. The lifestyle is a huge improvement.” – David De Vries, Echuca Distillery.
Make the move
In rural and regional Victoria, community spirit is palpable and the sense of belonging, strong. Life’s more relaxed, with more time to spend on the things that really matter, like family and friends.
Sports clubs, festivals, events, restaurants, nightlife, theatres, galleries, and shopping – rural and regional Victoria boasts the advantages of city living, without the city price tag.
The Loddon Mallee, in particular, is home to some of Victoria’s most lively and beautiful towns, that also provide a closer and deeper connection to nature and culture.
Learning and education
The region offers a broad range of educational facilities – preschools, primary schools, secondary schools, and TAFE and University Campuses.
“The school system provides some of the best results in the state. Teachers become part of the community and live and socialise with the parents of their students, providing a much more rounded family-type education.” – Manager of Facilities and Projects, Buloke Shire.
La Trobe University has campuses in Bendigo and Mildura; Monash University School of Rural Health operates in Bendigo and Mildura, and is ranked in the top 40 universities in the world for clinical and pre-clinical health sciences; Deakin University partners with Bendigo TAFE to provide guaranteed entry pathways to university study; and SuniTAFE was named “Australia’s No. 1 Large Training Provider” in 2019.
Arts and culture – a hotbed of creativity
A place where arts and culture are highly valued and visible, and the artistic community thrives.
From the iconic Bendigo Art Gallery – one of Victoria’s preeminent arts destinations – to the huge number of festivals operating across the region – Mildura Jazz, Food and Wine Festival; Bendigo Blues and Roots Festival; Sun Loong Chinese Dragon Parade; Maldon Folk Festival; Riverboats Music Festival – the local arts and culture experience is as full and dynamic as any capital city.
The region’s strengths in food and wine deliver world-renowned dining experiences. Diverse communities offer an abundance of authentic cuisines that defy traditional expectations of country-town fare.
Sports and recreation – something for everyone
Loddon Mallee, supported by the Victorian Government, have invested in developing and upgrading sporting facilities and precincts across the region.
From formal-use offerings – like football ovals and netball courts – to informal recreational spaces – like shared-use trails and parklands – the region recognises the important role these spaces play.
They represent the social heart of each town and the flow-on benefits for health and the economy are substantial.
In addition, there’s an abundance of gyms and personal training classes available throughout the region.
