The Yates family, Michelle and Robbie Vowles, and Monica Boland may only have been here a few months, but all the new arrivals have settled in quickly.

Aileen MacDonald, president of the Guyra Chamber and District Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the new arrivals to Guyra.

The morning tea was organised by Christine Gellie, Guyra Flower Farm owner and the Commerce’s events and tourism official.

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Hamish Yates, director of nursing at Armidale Hospital, and his family had moved from Glen Innes in January.

“It’s a really friendly town,” Mr Yates said, “and we’re finding we’ve been accepted quickly. My two young boys have made friends locally, and my wife’s happy here.”

The Yates live on an acre farm, where they keep chicken and sheep, and get on well with their new neighbours.

“Being invited to the morning tea was really pleasant,” he said, “which we haven’t experienced in other small towns.”

Michelle Vowles, a domestic cleaner, and her husband Robbie, studying aged care, came from Adelaide four months ago.

“We came for the climate and the affordability, and we felt very welcomed by the friendly locals,” Mrs Vowles said.

They may have only been in Guyra for four months, but the y know the town well. They would often drive through while going from their former home in Adelaide to Brisbane.

“We feel very at home here,” Mrs Vowles said. “We feel like we’ve been here a long time, and we looked forward to coming for quite a few years. We used to do road trips and scouted around for a new place to live away from the cities, and picked this one. It took us a few years to get here, but we made it in the end.”

Monica Boland had come from the Hunter eight months ago.

“I was looking for a smaller place to run a few animals, and a cooler climate,” she said. “I feel as though I have been embraced by the community. It’s been gorgeous.”

She particularly wanted to thank her neighbours and others, including Graham, Matthew, Wendy and Michael, Judy, Lisa and Finlay, and Noreen, for their help and generosity.

“The gardens here are glorious,” she added, “and the health services and facilities here are second to none.”