To the town that warmly welcomed me and helped me grow as both a journalist and person, thank you.

I did not expect to leave so soon, but I have been offered another position too good to turn down, working at SBS on their Insight program, so my time in Mudgee has comes to a close.

I am incredibly grateful for the generous people who have offered their personal time and stories to me, and shared them with the Mudgee Guardian readers.

Regional news is a national treasure that we must fight to preserve, while newsrooms across the country are continually under threat.

It is easier than ever to silo ourselves in communities of our own creation, and forget about our own neighbours.

Papers like the Mudgee Guardian help keep a sense of community and identity intact, and I encourage people to consider the consequence of outsourcing news to social media, or once in a blue moon State coverage.

I feel privileged to have been able to hold a mirror up to Mudgee, and reflect its challenges and achievements.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to my editor and colleague, Ben Palmer and Jay-Anna Mobbs, with story ideas and leads.

Regional news is a community effort and requires a reciprocal relationship from the town to the journalists in order to survive and thrive.

On a more personal note, it is not easy to break into a country town, thank you to the people who made it a little easier, particularly David and Clarissa Mort.

The closest friends I have made in my time here are all decades older (and wiser) than myself. In opening myself up to friendships with people of all ages, I've been given a real gift and am extremely grateful.

I am going to miss my daily walks around the town, stopping in the street to talk to familiar faces and enjoying the sun in Robertson Park.

The full effect of the beautiful rolling hills and countryside was never lost on me, as I drove around to interview people far and wide.

I am leaving Mudgee with fond memories, and it is a place that will always hold a special place in my heart.