Bathurst Regional Council’s regular Welcome Wagon gives new residents to the city the opportunity to meet each other, along with the mayor and business chamber representatives.

Cyclist Janelle Lindsay, who won gold at the 2004 Athens Paralympics for piloting Lindy Hou, may have been born in Bathurst and grew up in the city, but for many years she has travelled the world before deciding to return “home”.

She was among a group of people at the Welcome Wagon from all over Australia, including a family from Colombia.

Bathurst mayor Graeme Hanger was among those who welcomed them to the city.

“There’s a lot of returnies here. People who grew up in Bathurst and then went away, did what they have to do and then moved back because they knew Bathurst was a good place to be,” he said.

Among the “returnies” was Ms Lindsay who returned to live in her home town of Bathurst last November, along with her husband Mark Hetherington and their daughter Victoria, 5.

“I did uni in Canberra and moved to Sydney and lived all over the world – in Japan, England and the Philippines,” she said.

But with a young daughter Ms Lindsay said she wanted to be close to family so they decided to move to Bathurst.

She said the city offers them so much in terms of sport, community, family and friendships and the decision to move back was the right one.

“She’s loving it and also being able to catch up with Grandma,” Ms Lindsay said of Victoria.

Retirees Len and Cheryl Bevis were also at the Welcome Wagon and moved to Bathurst from the Central Coast in November.

While the couple do have family in Orange and surrounding areas, they chose to move to Bathurst for a number of reasons.

“We moved away from the rat race – it was partly that and partly lifestyle,” Mr Bevis said.

“We find the people in Bathurst very friendly and willing to help you.

“We made the right decision, we love it, we really do.”