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28 JUNE, 2022
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Moorabool’s hot property By Olivia Condous Moorabool has been named as one of the ‘big movers’ in Australia, recording a 56 per cent increase in the migration of people to the area since March last year. The shire is in the top five regional local government areas across the country with the highest percentage increase in people moving to the region in the 12 months to March 2022, according to a new report from the Regional Australia Institute and Commonwealth Bank. Moorabool also recorded the highest migration increase of any region in the state. According to the data, gathered from 10 million Commonwealth Bank users, the number of people migrating to the regions in Australia increased by 16.6 per cent to reach a new five-year high in the March quarter, almost doubling pre-pandemic levels. In Moorabool, the majority of the people moving in were in the 24-to-40-year-old age bracket at 52 per cent, followed by those aged between 40 to 56 years old, at 24 per cent, while the age group 24 years and younger made up 12 per cent. Regional Institute Australia chief economist Kim Houghton said while the pandemic had seen the trend of moving to the regions accentuated, it was nothing new. “For at least the last 15 years in Australia, we’ve seen a general flow of people from the cities to the regions,” Dr Houghton said. “A lot of people are asking, will there be a U-turn effect … we’re a very mobile country by international standards, so that sort of notion that this is a one-off move and people will stay in a place like Moorabool for the rest of their lives, it just doesn’t happen.” Moorabool mayor Tom Sullivan said the council wasn’t surprised by the report findings and cited the Moorabool 2041 strategic initiative, adopted in 2011, as an integral factor in managing the population growth. “What rapidly increasing population does is put pressure on us as a council to provide the extra services that are required, there is high demand for council services and services run by other agencies in areas such as aged care, children, health, recreation and education. “We will continue to advocate strongly to the state and federal governments to make sure we are adequately funded to cater for the growth we are experiencing.”
Nigel is one proud fella
Scruffy Fella business owner and Ballan resident Nigel Bullamore was recognised as an Australia Post local business hero. (Damjan Janevski)
A small business owner in Ballan has been given a boost from Australia Post and recognised as a local business hero. Nigel Bullamore was recognised as a 2022 Local Business Hero by the organisation for his business Scruffy Fella, which he has run out of his home in Ballan since 2017. Scruffy Fella produces artisan beard care products with a handcrafted range of beard oils, beard butters, balms and grooming products in small batches. Mr Bullamore was recognised for his business’ unique and valued connection to the Ballan community and strong relationship with the local post office. “The Australia Post Local Business Heroes award nomination was quick as I already have a strong relationship with Mike and Rhanda who run the Ballan LPO,” Mr Bullamore said. “I was absolutely stoked when I received the email to say that I had been selected, I instantly knew that the exposure opportunity for Scruffy Fella was about to expand into a fantastic network I wouldn’t normally have access to.” Mr Bullamore will receive a prize package worth up to $5000, including his photo featured at the local post office as part of an Australia Post campaign, personalised sending offers and business coaching through Small Business Australia. He said he was “very excited” at the prospect of more people getting to know his business. “To have this opportunity and to be able to get so much exposure is amazing,” Mr Bullamore said. “The community has always been behind me, ever since I launched I’ve had a really good following from the local community.” Olivia Condous
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