Mount Gambier has experienced a major influx of people moving to the region from capital cities, revealed by statistics from the Regional Movers Index for the March quarter 2022.
The Regional Movers Index report stated Mount Gambier distinguished itself as a “key destination”, as the number of people from capital cities moving in during the quarter was up by 69%.
One such recent arrival is 24-year-old Dan Herath, originally from Sri Lanka, where he completed an advanced diploma in biotechnology.
He is one of many young people moving to the Limestone Coast to follow their career path and job opportunities and ending up creating a whole new life in the region.
Mr Herath moved to Australia to pursue higher studies and completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Adelaide.
He jumped on a tour to the Limestone Coast organised by Study Adelaide for medical students such as nurses and GPs.
“That was basically because of my curiosity and my keenness to get a graduate role,” he said.
Mr Herath gave his CV to the organiser, who passed it on to a contact at Regional Development Australia Limestone Coast (RDALC) who then referred him to the Union Dairy Company (UDC) and the rest was history. Mr Herath currently works as a dry operator at UDC in Penola and said a benefit to working in the region was the hands-on experience.
“It’s really eye-opening to see how these things really work. If I was working in Adelaide there would be a whole crew, I would not get this opportunity to see what is really happening inside,” he said.
“I’m enjoying my work, my workmates are good, I’m getting along with them.”
Mr Herath said now he has industrial experience he would hopefully attain a role in quality assurance next year, which he was really looking forward to.
He said he really liked living in Mount Gambier and he was not missing out on anything living here.
“There’s nothing negative about my move, I’m really happy,” he said.
“Everyone knows that Adelaide is convenient, well the Mount, it’s 10 times convenient. I’m really not missing out and I’m really liking the country sort of feel, like this freedom, I really love it.”
Mr Herath said he has made lots of friends and connections through the Young Professionals Group (YPG). In his free time he enjoys shooting hoops, working out at the gym, hanging out with his YPG friends and said he loved Robe and the Coonawarra region.
“There are a lot of first things that I did in here, that’s the best thing, I have never been to the trots, so the first time at the trots was in here,” he said.
“I crossed the border for the first time from here, went to Melbourne. I even tried surfing, that did not go as planned but it was a good experience.
“It’s given me the freedom, given me my break and making my break worth it as well out of work.”
