Tuesday 27 August, 2024 Mayor Cr Liesbeth Long - Advertiser

Published on 27 February 2024

An article in last week’s Herald Sun stated that Maryborough is rated third in Australia’s top 30 retirement destinations for over 50’s, behind Ingham in QLD and Armidale in NSW.

My answer to this is ABSOLUTELY! Maryborough is my forever home and it’s where I too will one day, retire.

I lovingly refer to these people as ‘young retirees’ because they have plenty left in the tank. They also want to make a difference in the community, with many involved in Council’s volunteering opportunities, such as EB, the Visitor Centre and our Art Gallery.

In my time on Council, I’ve come across so many people that have moved here to retire. And why wouldn’t they? Maryborough punches above its weight for a town of only 8000 people. We are situated in the geographical centre of the state, have 4 major supermarkets, a brand new $115M hospital nearing completion, fantastic eateries, quaint towns to explore, monthly markets, a rich pioneer history, sporting facilities, libraries, an indoor pool and so much more.

But what happens when they are not so young anymore in 20-30 years’ time? Well Council is aware that right now there would probably be a skills shortage. That’s why we’re investigating the opportunity of a Regional University Study Hub - RUSH. These hubs enable school leavers or people looking for a career change to study tertiary education right here in Maryborough. This model is popping up more and more, because it means students do not have to travel or leave home to get a qualification. To help us build the funding case, we’ve partnered with Bendigo’s La Trobe University to capture a snapshot of learning needs, with a short survey.

To find out more and to participate in the survey visit:

www.engage.cgoldshire.vic.gov.au/learninghub

Mayor Cr Liesbeth Long

Flynn Ward, Central Goldfields Shire Council