Six years ago, Natalie and partner Alex left the city lights of Sydney behind to get a foot on the property ladder in Maitland, Hunter region NSW.
“We had been thinking about moving out of Sydney for a couple of years,” says Career Counsellor Natalie Peart. “We were in a tiny one-bedroom city apartment, and I really wanted a dog.”
Home affordability and the commute to work had changed the young couple’s perception over the years of being in Sydney. They wanted more space, a home to nest in and less time stuck in traffic.
A promotion for Alex’s work saw the couple jump at the opportunity.
“It all came to a head one day when I came home from work after being in the shoulder-to-shoulder commute, with a sweaty armpit in my face, that we started talking about looking for work outside Sydney,” Natalie explains. “When Alex found a great job opportunity in Maitland, we jumped at the chance!”
“We drove up to Maitland a couple of times to look around and looked at properties to buy, much of the time without my partner because he had to work, but my in-laws were there to offer guidance. We chose a home that had a lot of renovations to do but it was affordable for us and came with a lot of potential and in a great area”. Natalie explains. “I made an offer right then and there!”
“For the cost of a tiny one-bedroom apartment in Sydney, we could buy a two-bedroom home with a large backyard within walking distance to the town centre and the shops.”
Once the couple “found their feet” in the region, they realised how central Maitland is.
“I will admit that when we first moved, it was so quiet. My initial thoughts were, ‘What are we going to do here? There isn’t any action,’ Natalie explains.
“But once we found our feet, we realised how central Maitland is to so many things,” Natalie continued. “The beautiful Hunter Valley is only 45 minutes away, an hour to Port Stephens and Newcastle and the beach is only half an hour by train! The proximity to all this is really great!”
As life changes, Natalie and Alex are now parents to a three-year-old and have discovered the incredible activities available for families in the area. “And people are so friendly here.”
“There are some excellent schools, and my daughter’s daycare is so beautiful; she’s really happy there.
“The children of Maitland are spoilt for choice with extra-curricular activities and sports on offer.”
Alex and Natalie love trying new cuisines and miss Sydney’s diverse food offerings until many new restaurants have recently popped up.
“Maitland now has Japanese, Korean, Filipino, and Thai restaurants, and they deliver,” Natalie reports. “With the town growing, we are seeing diversity, and many new cultures enter the region, which is great.”
Natalie’s background was in teaching English to migrants, and when she moved to Maitland, there were no immediate teaching jobs available for her to apply for. She saw this challenge and has managed to find work regardless, helping international professionals build their communication skills and confidence to secure a professional job in their field, a job she can do remotely.
“I am looking forward to watching Maitland grow,” Natalie concludes. It is becoming a beautiful, inclusive community full of community spirit. Many food and multicultural events throughout the year bring vibrancy to the town.”
Natalie is the founder of Jobspeak Academy, an online learning platform that creates courses and programs to equip migrant professionals with the communication skills, confidence and job search skills to secure a professional job in their field.
