Lockhart’s Lifestyle Lure’s in City-based Workers

Making the country change had been on her mind for quite some time before Cathy Cullen spent nine months living in Lockhart in 2016. After going back to the coast, she realised just how much she had enjoyed her tree change, so she sold up and bought a new home in Lockhart in the middle of 2017.

Working in a Sydney-based job, Cathy feels blessed that she can live a relaxing country lifestyle, while still doing the type of work she wants to do. ‘The NBN technology has meant my career hasn’t suffered in any way by moving to Lockhart,’ said Cathy, ‘and you can’t get a better office aspect than what I’ve got!’ And she’s not wrong - Lockhart’s natural landscape is absolutely stunning, with the beauty of the Galore Hill Scenic Reserve and The Rock Hill Nature Reserve right on her doorstep.

It’s clear that the Lockhart Shire Council has really tried to grow the town by providing many opportunities in the industrial estate for new business. With support from the council, entrepreneurs looking to relocate could easily set up a business in the town and still have access to all the facilities they would have in the city. Picturesque Lockhart is conveniently located 62km south-west of Wagga Wagga, and is only a 40-minute drive away. According to Cathy though, ‘Lockhart has pretty much everything you could possibly need anyway.’ Although Lockhart has kept its turn of the century charm, in celebration of its varied and vibrant history, it’s actually a great place to really enjoy the benefits of 21st century life - minus the stress.

A big part of the reason Cathy finally decided to make the country change is the ridiculously high cost of living that can make life in the city so stressful. Although she does still have a mortgage, Cathy is now free from unnecessary financial stress, and is now paying just one quarter of what she was paying to live in the city. With a mean housing price of just $170,000, Lockhart has provided Cathy with the vibrant, happy community and stress-free lifestyle she had been dreaming of for so long.What Cathy loves most about her new lifestyle, is that she has not had to sacrifice anything by making the move. She only wishes she had made the leap a lot sooner, saying ‘it has given me a lot of balance, and a lot of time to just… relax!’