London has a population of 8.9 million, and Cobram has only 6000 inhabitants.
But for Cobram Secondary College teacher Emma Hargreaves, Cobram is now home, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Ms Hargreaves followed her dream to move to Australia in October 2022 after studying and teaching in the UK.
Teaching has been a calling for her and she saw a chance to combine that love with her other passion, exercise.
“I became a physical education teacher to encourage children to take part and enjoy sport, which hopefully they will continue into adulthood,” she said.
After a six-month stint in Melbourne, the young teacher realised she wanted something different.
“As much as I love the city life, I find myself drawn to the more rural areas, and at heart, I’m definitely more of an outdoors person,” Ms Hargreaves said.
This love of the outdoors drew Ms Hargreaves to Cobram and her current job as a health and physical education teacher at CSC.
“Cobram and its surrounding areas have taken my breath away with its natural beauty and its close-knit community,” she said.
“The most rewarding part is the people I have met since moving here. They are some of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever met.”
With a current push by regional schools desperate to find teachers, it wasn’t hard for Ms Hargreaves to find her current job.
However, the welcoming atmosphere she found at CSC has made changing job locations so special for her.
“The school dynamic makes you feel like you are part of a family. The staff have been amazing and so supportive,” Ms Hargreaves said.
Though many people in the city believe towns such as Cobram would be boring, Ms Hargreaves begs to differ.
“It’s a wonderful combination of the easy-going lifestyle with such a variation of activities. I never feel rushed, but there is always something to do,” she said.
“I love hiking and camping, which this area is great for.”
When not camping or hiking, Ms Hargreaves indulges her love for exercise by running and playing squash with her fellow CSC colleagues.
As for any teachers wanting to move away from the cities and into regional and rural Victoria Ms Hargreaves cannot recommend it enough and said she loves it.
“Professionally, as a teacher or trainee teacher, moving to a regional or rural area could be the best career option...Cobram has been so welcoming to me.”