MEDIA RELEASE - Visitors from Chinese sister City
November 2015
This week, the Shire of Manjimup hosted two visitors - Brian and Peter - from Haiyan County in China, which is located in Jiaxing, the sister city to Bunbury. The purpose of their exchange tour, organised by the South West Development Commission and the Bunbuty-Jiaxing Business Office, is to gain a better understanding of Australian Government functionality, to familiarize themselves with the South West's key industries and enhance relationships with all sister cities of the South West and Jiaxing.
Brian is the Deputy Director of the Haiyan County Foreign Affairs Office and Peter works for a private company that specialises in food production. Their time with the Shire of Manjimup has included time spent the Chief Executive Officer attending various meetings including a Probus get together and heading out and about meeting farmers and sampling produce with the Southern Forests Food Council.
Shire President Wade DeCampo highlighted how important it was that they see as much of the Shire as possible, whilst still experiencing and learning the functions provided by a large regional Shire and getting to meet some of the community.
"Brian and Peter also visited Northcliffe, Windy Harbour, Pemberton with our Environmental Health Officer, attended a road construction project with the Shire's Manager of Works, took a drive to Walpole with the Manager of Parks and Gardens and Manager of Planning, visited some iconic locations such as One Tree Bridge and learnt about other Shire facilities like the libraries, recreation grounds and the AquaCentre." To conclude their visit in Manjimup, an informal morning tea was held as a send-off.
Brian and Peter have been overwhelmed at the size and natural beauty of the Shire and noted similarities between the Shire and their home county. "We like the weather and the scenery and the region is so rich in agricultural resources," said Brian.
Having already spent two weeks in Bunbury with their third week in Manjimup, Brian and Peter will now spend a week in Margaret River and Busselton and their sixth week back in Bunbury.
"It is so important that we take the opportunity to host visitors from other areas and countries - we have a lot to be proud of and building these relationships often leads to great things," said Cr DeCampo.
