The firm advertised for a newly created manager role at their Inverell branch in November of 2022 and despite lucrative incentives and packages offered by Forsyths to attract the right applicant, the role has remained unfulfilled.

Forsyths Project and Communications manager, Kelly Clarke, said the company has searched far and wide in an effort to find a suitable candidate for the position and has made every effort to pitch Inverell as an attractive regional town for professionals, however, finding the right applicant has been a "significant challenge" for the firm.

"It's a quality and highly desirable, newly created senior professional role at our branch in Inverell, but despite extensive advertising, search efforts and offering an attractive package with benefits, the firm is continuing to encounter difficulties attracting top quality candidates," she said.

The Business Services Managers Accountant position is a senior position at Forsyths which, according to the company's website, requires leadership, exceptional operation skills and a knack for building strong relationships and the ability to engage with a wonderful community.

The position's responsibilities include overseeing the Inverell branch business operations and flexing senior accountant skills to support valued clients.

Communications manager Heidi Manning, at 2 Creative Media, a communications brand and marketing company based in Tamworth, said attracting professional talent to regional towns is an ongoing issue that does not appear to be improving.

"Despite its undeniable charm, rich history and the high quality of life it offers, Inverell like many regional towns, struggles to fill roles in both the professional and healthcare sectors," she said.

"This ongoing issue impacts not only the local economy but also the accessibility and quality of services that are crucial for community well-being."

Forsyths has seven regional hubs in NSW including Armidale, Tamworth, Gunnedah and Inverell. They employ over 150 professional and support service team members.

The company has over 100 years of experience. They commenced operations in Armidale in 1921 as a family operated business and is one of the largest finance and business advisory firms in regional NSW, offering a full suite of personal, business and advisory services.

This includes superannuation and business management, whilst servicing core areas of tax, accounting, audit and assurance.

Rural health has been in the spotlight recently, particularly the shortage of medical professionals on hand that is leaving vulnerable community members potentially at further risk.

Doctors were being incentivised with $60,000 one of payments to relocate to Inverell in mid-2023 to help sooth a health professional shortage, despite a $60 million dollar upgrade to the town's hospital.

The rural doctor shortage made some tree changers begin to question their decision to relocate out of the city in search of a quieter, more peaceful life

The pandemic-inspired tree change was touted as a major socio-political phenomenon that would redefine the urban vs rural divide.

Sydney suffered a major exodus in 2023 with 65 per cent of all inner-city migration outflow coming from NSW's capital.

Regional Australia Institute (RAI) chief economist Dr Kim Houghton said the increased migration should spur policy-makers into investing more in regional infrastructure.

Commonwealth Bank executive general manager of regional and Agribusiness banking Paul Fowler said that with regards to employment in regional areas, there are "really strong employment opportunities."

"Around 87,000 regional jobs were available in early 2024 "across a broad range of industries", Mr Fowler said.

"As regional businesses expanded, their need for staff would grow in 2024," he said.

So, if this is the case, how is it that a business that has over 100 years of expansion in several regional areas in NSW and provides essential services to regional residents and businesses, cannot find a suitable candidate to fill a prominent role in nearly two years.

Inverell Mayor, Paul Harmon, has represented the shire of Inverell as a councillor for 20 years - including 11 years as Mayor.

He said the issue of attracting and retaining quality talent to regional areas is complex, multi-faceted, ongoing and effects many different industries.

It's a combination of a lack of awareness about what regional towns can offer and deeper, more systemic issues.

"It's a very complex question, why businesses are unable to fill roles they are advertising, especially in those kinds of professional roles," said Cr Harmon.

"Certainly council is in the same boat where we have had to advertise on multiple occasions for the same role in order to try and attract suitable candidates for the role and that's been the case certainly since COVID.

"Everybody is getting back into the workforce, it's a mix of stay at home, getting back into the office, working remotely and it adds to the complexity of finding qualified staff.

"I think a lot of people during and after COVID took a breath and I guess maybe reevaluated their current priorities, so there may be skill shortages in certain areas but I know that it is Australia wide not just relevant to our shire."

Cr Harmon said regional towns like Inverell have plenty to offer potential staff.

"I think if people knew what regional life was actually like and what rural life had to offer, I think they would be pleasantly surprised and I think they would get out and come out here and visit," he said.

"But people just need to be brave enough to take that first step, and I'm hoping more people will actually do that."