A20-something local is so confident about the future of his home town that he has jointly purchased almost four acres (1.55 hectares) of vacant land in the centre of Millicent.

Jack Davies is now the co-owner of a narrow strip of land which borders the entire length of Towers Road and contains a few hundred metres of disused broad gauge railway line.

The Sheoak Lodge aged care facility, former hospital oval, dog exercise yard, National Trust Museum and a cabinet-making business are its immediate neighbours.

For Mr Davies, his purchase is a vote of confidence in a town which is both his birthplace and workplace.

It is his first solo investment and he is confident it will eventually pay dividends.

“I regard it as a good investment opportunity as the land is close to the centre of Millicent,” Mr Davies said.

“The zoning of the land allows it to be developed for various uses.

“There has been a bit of interest of late from out-of-town investors in Millicent and I thought I would like to invest here as well.”

His life has mostly been spent in Millicent other than several years in Adelaide where he completed a Bachelor of Business degree at the University of South Australia.

His studies also gave him the opportunity to work and travel in Japan, Chile and the United Kingdom.

Mr Davies opted to return home and spent the past two winters playing with the Millicent Saints Reserves in the Western Border Football League.

The 29-year-old is taking a break from football in 2023.

He plies his business trade as the project manager with Professional Wind Services.

Owned and operated by Kym Dodd, Professional Wind Services builds and maintains windfarms across the nation and manages a workforce of 130 from its base in Davenport Street.

Mr Dodd is the other 50% shareholder in the Towers Road rail land purchase.

Like his fellow investor, Mr Dodd has an upbeat view about the land’s potential.

Mr Dodd said pulling up the rail line and remediating the land was an option.

“There is no urgency to develop it and it could be used for community purposes and services,” Mr Dodd said.

“There could be aged care, childcare or independent living.

“I think there will be a demand for services in Millicent.”

The land purchased by Mr Davies and Mr Dodd along with several other parcels of former railway land were put on the open market over four years ago by the State Government.

Until the 1980s, a timber-framed dwelling to house railway workers stood on a portion of the Towers Road property.

It was beautified a few years ago by volunteer workers from the Kimberly-Clark Australia Millicent Mill who planted trees.

The sale was handled by South East Property Sales and Management.

One block on North Terrace adjacent to Millicent Farm Supplies was purchased by this firm in 2020 and is now used by it as a merchandise display and storage area.

Two other adjoining parklands blocks fronting Ridge Terrace were purchased by a major fuel company last year for an unmanned service station.

The other parcels of rail land including the leased railway station building are currently under offer, according to South East Property Sales and Management.

The for sale signs on the land have recently been removed.