Occupational therapist Jordyn Iovino is one of many young people who has made the move to call Mount Gambier home in the past 12 months.
The 23-year-old moved from the Riverland to Adelaide to finish high school and attend university before moving to Mount Gambier in December last year.
Ms Iovino said after completing five years of university she wanted a big change from Adelaide and an occupational therapist position became available at the Mount Gambier Hospital.
“When I was deciding whether I stay in Adelaide and do hospital work in (the city) or private work in Adelaide, I realised that I wanted a change anyway,” Ms Iovino said.
“What better time to do it when I have no kids, nothing tying me down, I can just go and try in a different area.
“Being in a rural setting, especially in healthcare, you get to do lots of different things.
“Whereas in Adelaide you’ll be specialised in your role and I did not really know what specialist area I wanted to do. Going into a rural setting I knew I would get experience in everything.
“My best friend also moved up here, who is also my roommate and works with me as well.”
Ms Iovino and her best friend had to make a quick decision to move down just before Christmas, which she said was a challenging time to look for property.
“Obviously with COVID, houses were in demand and rentals were in demand, so I think we ended up applying non-stop for about two weeks for about 10 or 15 houses,” she said.
The duo completed their rental inspection via video call and took the plunge when they received their first offer.
“We were lucky because I have heard of other people moving down and not being as lucky and they have to just wait it out until a rental comes up,” she said.
Ms Iovino said she enjoyed living in Mount Gambier and had started playing basketball and netball again.
“My life is full of sport at the moment, so that’s been a massive benefit I think that I have had to branch out from that,” she said.
Ms Iovino said another major benefit of living in Mount Gambier was she had to socialise and had met a diverse range of people through the Young Professionals Group.
“I can socialise in Adelaide but you get comfortable with your friendship groups and you do not experience other things,” she said.
“Work-wise I have made heaps of new friends, because Mount Gambier is such a transient town we get lots of new graduates coming down so we’re actually meeting lots of people the same age as us.
“That was the thing that shocked me, because I know lots of rural towns, lots of young people move out of, so it’s been nice to hang around people my age that I do not know.”
Ms Iovino said the cheaper cost of living also attracted her to the region said this would help in the future because she could save more money by living here.
