Why relocate to Leeton Shire?

One of the best things about living in Leeton Shire is being part of a community that is friendly, caring and inclusive. People who move here for a short-term job often decide to stay. And those who leave often return because they appreciate everything the Shire has to offer.

Advantages of living in Leeton Shire

Employment opportunities

Leeton has been renowned as the “heart of Australia’s food bowl” for more than a century. The average farmer in the MIA is estimated to feed on average 600 people, 450 of these are through exports, and contributes 38% of NSW vegetable production. This provides an abundance in employment opportunities for skilled and unskilled workers.

There are in excess of 950 businesses employing approximately 5,000 residents in the Leeton Local Government Area (LGA).

The majority of Industry is driven by the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area – the availability of water and prime agricultural land.

Recent statistics indicate that Food Product Manufacturing is the largest sector of employment (22.6%) in the Local Government Area, followed by Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (15.5%), Education and Training (11.1%), Construction (7.8%), Retail Trade (6.4%) and Health Care and Social Services (6.1%).

The major difference between the employment opportunities held in the Leeton Local Government Area compared to the New South Wales average is that a larger percentage of full-time equivalent workers are employed in Manufacturing (22.6% compared to 7.1%) and in Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing (15.5% compared to 2.6%).

Affordable Housing

An effective housing strategy for Leeton Shire is a key element in realising our social and economic aspirations for our community. Effective housing policies will afford our current and future residents the best of our social and economic opportunities amid our remarkable environmental and cultural setting. 

Housing costs in Leeton Shire are very reasonable compared to city prices, and Leeton Shire Council is working on a Housing Strategy that will both support housing availability and affordability for current residents and also enable growth in our area.

Excellent Educational facilities

Leeton has seven primary schools and three secondary schools, with two of them offering boarding facilities that draw students from across the state.

Gralee School is an excellent facility for children with special needs.

TAFE NSW has a  Leeton campus and the Country Universities Centre.

High quality Sporting facilities

Leeton is fortunate to have a number of high-quality sporting grounds and facilities that accommodate a variety of activities for people of all ages. The newly redeveloped Leeton Regional Aquatic Centre and the Whitton Swimming Pool are two of the Council’s amenities. There are several athletic grounds around the shire that provide for various codes of football, cricket, tennis, and netball, as well as the Leeton Indoor Stadium, which accommodates basketball, netball, volleyball, badminton, indoor soccer, and is accessible for private gatherings.

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Attractions, Activities and Events

We offer a variety of public and private tourist attractions and activities that help draw 43,000 domestic overnight visitors to Leeton each year. This contributes to our community’s economy and boosts the vibrancy of the area.

The Australian Art Deco Festival Leeton, the SunRice Festival (held biannually), the Bidgee Classic, the Leeton Show, the SunRice Golf Pro-Am, the Outback Band Spectacular, and the Leeton Eisteddfod are some of our most popular tourist events.

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A new business owner's story

Read Kerry Cornes story from Arbour and Ivy Flowers.  Kerry Cornes has worn many hats in her lifetime, across many industries. From floristry, working in banking, airlines, admin, reservations, snow ski resort customer service and even a dump truck operator in the mines, none have compared to the newest hat she has donned in her new town, Leeton.

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