In early 2024, Espen and his family decided to trade their
bustling city life for the peaceful town of Glen Innes in the Northern
Tablelands of New South Wales.
After nearly a decade on the Gold Coast, the family was
tired of their crowded, busy lives and desired more family time and a better
work-life balance. “We found ourselves working full time and long hours, but we
wanted to spend more time with our two boys,” Espen explained.
Espen and his wife Lauren started to explore other places to
call home, where they would both have opportunities to grow professionally and
ease the financial pressures that came with the increasingly expensive
lifestyle in the Gold Coast.
And so a checklist began to form. The family sought somewhere
with more defined seasons, as Espen, having grown up in Norway, missed the seasonal
weather, that would support both their careers, offered a smaller, connected
community, and still sat within easy commuting distance to visit friends and
family on the Gold Coast on weekends.
During their search they came across Attract Connect Stay –
Glen Innes (ACS-GI), and were immediately intrigued by the idea that someone
might be able to help them in their move! ACS-GI provided lots of information for
the family, including details about the lifestyle, community opportunities and
facilities for the children.
“They were always available to answer any questions we had,
and a lot of this stuff we couldn’t have accessed elsewhere,” Espen noted.
Espen and Lauren spent a lot of time testing the fit of Glen
Innes for their family – from weekend trips, visiting the local school and
meeting the teachers and locals, deciding to make their move to more!
The transition to Glen Innes was smooth, thanks to the
support from ACS-GI. Whilst finding suitable housing and adjusting to new
schools was at times challenging, ACS-GI provided invaluable assistance. They
helped the family navigate the new community lifestyle and offered support in
setting up Espen’s new podiatry business. The town’s welcoming nature made the
family feel at home quickly.
“One of the things we could have been worried about is
‘fitting in’ to such a close-knit community – but we settled in quickly, with
ACS-GI organising social events and connecting us to local contacts, and there
were lots of other new movers to the region too!” Espen said.
Life in Glen Innes has been a refreshing change. The family
enjoys the slower pace, close-knit community, and the abundance of events to
get involved in – from the soccer team, to participating in local theatre and
open mic nights, they have quickly become part of this town.
Espen acknowledges that some aspects of regional living have
been an adjustment.
“Accessing some services has been more difficult than we
anticipated – from tradespeople to a doctor’s appointment, we have to wait a
bit more and travel a bit further now. That’s why the work of ACS-GI is so
important for the community,” he explained.
Professionally, both Espen and Lauren are kicking the goals
they set out to achieve in their new home.
The pair have opened a local podiatry business, while Espen
has also found part time employment with NSW Health, allowing him a strong
foundation to grow the business. Having previously worked as an employee in a
Gold Coast practice, Espen was keen to build something of their own.
“I love running my own business. I can do my own thing, I
can manage and choose my time, and how I spend time with my patients. I can be a
lot more flexible to cater to patients’ different needs.”
Meanwhile, as a teacher Lauren quickly found work in local
schools, and is now studying part time through the region’s university, which
offers online and face-to-face learning opportunities.
Nearing nine months since their move, Espen and his family
have no regrets. They encourage others considering the move to take the leap.
“Definitely do it! It’s a nice place to live, it’s a nice
change if you’ve been wanting to get away from the speed and hustle and bustle
of city life – finding some time to do other things that you’ve wanted to do,
it’s definitely worth it. And it’s not too far away really!”
Pictured above: Karen Munster, Health Workforce Recruiter at Local Connect, Espen and Jo Enoch, Chair of Local Connect