But few of the exhibitors will be able to offer the sheer breadth of attractions Bathurst does  when it comes to luring Sydneysiders west.

Since the Evocities campaign launched in 2010, Bathurst has consistently proven to be the most attractive destination for young families seeking a tree change. 

And is it any wonder? As the eight-page supplement printed in today’s Western Advocate illustrates, our region offers everything you could want in a regional centre.

Bathurst is fortunate to have a widely diversified economy that makes it relatively immune to individual market fluctuations, and is home to one of the most secure water supplies in the state.

The region is also a centre of education excellence, boasting a university, award-winning TAFE campus, six high schools, dozens of primary schools, and museums such as the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum, National Motor Racing Museum, Chifley Home and Bathurst Goldfields.

Few regional centres can compete with Bathurst’s sporting facilities, with state-of-the-art complexes for motor racing, harness racing and cycling either well established or nearing completion.

Then there’s the history that comes with the title of Australia’s oldest inland settlement, the natural beauty of a region that boasts four distinct seasons throughout the year and the convenience of being just a three-hour drive from the centre of Australia’s largest city.

And that’s not to mention our greatest asset – the people, who pride themselves on rallying to a good cause and making all newcomers feel like they’ve lived here for years.

We wonder what other exhibitors at the Country and Regional Living Expo can produce to rival Bathurst’s attractions. Hardly seems fair, does it.