And so it is with news that the median price for housing in the Bathurst region is the highest in Central West after jumping a further 4.7 per cent during the June quarter.

The latest Domain House Price Report shows little sign of a coronavirus slump in housing right across the Central West, with most towns recording healthy rises in their property values.

And Bathurst's median house price of $450,000 has again put the region at the top of the Central West property ladder, a position it has held for much of the past decade.

That's fantastic news for people who have invested in the local market, but it's not such good news for those still dreaming of buying a home for the first time.

And that represents a great social challenge for Bathurst as the region continues its reign as one of the fastest growing regional centres in the state.

But is it any wonder our city is so popular?

There are many reasons that this is such an attractive place to live, both for those who grew up here and for tree changers looking to raise their family outside of Sydney.

There is no doubt that relative proximity to Sydney is a great advantage for Bathurst but it would mean nothing if the city had not developed the way it has over the years.

While other regional centres have been subjected to the boom and bust economies of mining, Bathurst has maintained a diversified economy that effectively smooths out many of the peaks and troughs.

The city is an also education hub with six local high school options, more than 20 primary schools in the region, plus a university and a TAFE college.

In recent years, council has been pouring money into developing local sporting facilities and Bathurst's cultural attractions match anything in the state.

And even in this most extraordinary of years, Bathurst has been in something of a bubble as we've missed the worst of the bushfires, the worst of the floods and even the worst of the pandemic (fingers crossed).

So it's no wonder people want to live here and when that happens, it naturally follows that housing prices will continue to go up.

And that means those who have already been the winners in the real estate market will continue to prosper while those doing it tough will find it even harder to start their climb up the property ladder.