At first blush, Sheraz and Nabila Aziz and their three children, Isla, Adam and Niall, might not seem like your typical tree change families. After all, they’ve lived a very exciting international life, from their home country of the UK, a big heart move to Perth, then three years in Qatar before coming back ‘home’ to Australia. But, in fact, regional Australia is exactly where they’re meant to be.Nabila says, ‘We loved the atmosphere and nature of Australia and wanted our children to grow up here. And once we decided on the move back to Australia, Sheraz and I agreed we would like to try looking at smaller towns rather than the city.’
As a GP and an engineer, respectively, Sheraz and Nabila were initially unsure what work would be available in the regional areas. But one well placed comment on a GP forum, 100s of responses and one Great Quack Quest video later, and Sheraz and Nabila were suddenly considering the fantastic regional town of Temora.Sheraz says, ‘When I saw the Great Quack Quest video I thought it was incredibly amusing and I loved the enthusiasm of the entire town who were onboard to attract a suitable doctor. So Nabila and I began researching the town, and fell in love with it!’Work has been absolutely amazing for Sheraz who feels he’s settled into the role, and loves the community that he is building around him. Nabila has made the move from engineering to the aged care sector and is embracing the change and new pace of life. Plus, as she says, ‘No one complains about the commute to work anymore!’
Of course, the Great Quack Quest might have convinced Nabila and Sheraz, but the life they’ve been able to experience in Temora has thoroughly converted Isla, Adam and Niall.Nabila says, The kids love walking to school and Sheraz and I love that it is safe for them to do so! Isla and Adam enjoy attending St Anne’s and the school has been incredibly supportive. Niall is attending daycare at Dragon’s Tale, which has been absolutely amazing with him. In fact, I’ve never seen him more excited to go to daycare. And Sheraz and I just love the extra time we have the kids.’
Moving to a small town does have its challenges, of course. Particularly when coming from a large urban environment like Qatar.‘For both of us, I think we didn’t quite realise how small the town actually was. And we were initially taken aback about how far major cities were from Temora. It has taken us a while to get used to. But now we realise just how accessible the major cities are and we are in a prime location to get to both Melbourne and Sydney.And our worry about not having enough to do, especially with the kids, was completely unfounded. Once we got to meet a few people we got to know what was available and there were a lot!’ Nabila says.Sheraz says, ‘The town is extremely friendly and everyone has made us feel very welcome. We have managed to make a great set of friends and the children love how accessible it is for them and the safety in the town is a great positive.’
The Aziz’s have made an excellent choice in Temora. From gold rush history to pioneer villages to vintage warplanes, this beautiful town set in the heart of the Riverina region has so much to offer visitors and residents alike.Known as the ‘friendliest town in the state’, a stop into any cafe or shop will see you getting insider information on the best things to do in the area. This might include visiting the original family home of cricketing legend Don Bradman, or checking out the replica of the largest gold nugget ever found in the region – the Mother Shipton gold nugget. Visitors love the Temora Aviation Museum, where you can see vintage military aircraft, and don’t miss the weekends when the air shows are on. The skies filled with roaring flying machines is a sight not to be missed.
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Finally, Ariah Park gives you a glimpse into Australia’s past with the 1920s Heritage Village. Here you can admire the old architecture, shop for antiques or grab morning tea with friends.For Sheraz, Nabila, Isla, Adam and Niall, this is just the tip of the iceberg.‘What has really made us love Temora is the people. The community has been great to get to know and in small towns everyone knows each other! We are currently renovating and have been able to get things done with the help of the community offering advice and helpful tips! We are extremely lucky to have met such a great set of people that are there for you. We just hope we can return the favour,’ Nabila says.
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We asked Sharaz and Nabila for their advice for others thinking of making a country change. Their response?‘Do your homework. Join community Facebook groups, find out about schools and healthcare resources, and get opinions on the town. Most importantly, Join in with the community. There’s lots going on, but you’ve got to put yourself out there a bit – people are friendly but you have to be friendly back!And don’t be afraid of asking for help, we’ve been so surprised at how helpful everyone has been. As city people, we were initially suspicious of their motives, but quickly learnt, it’s just the country way!’ Nabila says.
If you're considering making a Country Change to Temora, reach out to Craig Sinclair from Temora Shire Council. He’s always ready to answer your questions, point you in the right direction and facilitate connections with the right people in the community to help you plan your move!
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