Mark and Danica Yates’ lives have expanded the further they’ve moved from Sydney.
Their first move was to Wollongong on the coast just south of Sydney, but home is now Temora in the Riverina, 430 kilometres inland from the New South Wales capital.
“We really enjoyed the beachside lifestyle of Wollongong,” Mark says.
But after renting and moving several times, the Yates decided they needed to go somewhere more affordable if they wanted to finally settle and own their own home.
“Over the years we’d driven through the Riverina and knew how beautiful it was,” Mark says.
They registered for email updates from the Riverina’s Country Change website and attended a Country Change expo where they met Craig Sinclair from the Temora Shire Council. He took them on a tour of the town.
“When we parked our car on the main street and stepped onto the footpath, the first person who walked by said hello,” Mark says.
The town of about six-and-a-half-thousand people has given the family of seven room to move and the opportunity to design and build their own home on two-and-a-half acres.
When they moved to Temora in January 2020, Mark took his national Telstra job with him. But with regional areas hungry for skilled and professional workers, he’s since been snapped up by a large farm machinery dealership.
Danica secured work as a contract teacher before landing a permanent Assistant Principal role at Temora Public School.
“I used to drive 50 minutes to work and our children were at before- and after-school care,” Danica says.
“Now, I can take the kids to school and sports training through the week, and for the first time, I’ve been able attend a Mother’s Day morning tea at my children’s school! It’s made a big difference to me as a parent.”
The family enjoys strong community connections and “the kids enjoy freedom like never before,” Mark says.
“Everything has fallen into place so easily and it feels like it’s meant to be.”
