Leading demographer Bernard Salt said Noorat was an example of a resilient town with a strong history.

Born and bred about six kilometres down the road in Terang, Mr Salt said Noorat had a lot of things going in its favour.

He said the cost of living was a positive with affordable housing that meant people could buy a house with a decent back yard. 

“It’s less than 10 minutes to Terang where there’s the supermarket and doctors,” he said. “There’s jobs in the broader region in Camperdown and Warrnambool.” 

According to the 2016 Census there were 219 people living in Noorat, with 52 per cent of the population men and the median age was 47.

In Nullawarre there were 267 people and 50 per cent of those were women. The median age was 35.

In Derrinallum there were 246 people and 51 per cent of the population were men and the median age was 57.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics there were 278 people living in Lismore and 55 per cent of the population were men. The median age was 55.

Mr Salt said it was the sense of community that was impossible to replicate in other larger centres.

“That quality of life will always be in demand,” he said.

“Many of these little towns have long histories, with schools, churches and sporting clubs. 

“There’s also cultural traditions like the Noorat Show and the culture dates back to the time of Alan Marshall and the Black family.

“It’s got a lot going for it. It’s never going to challenge Warrnambool, but it’s affordable, safe and secure.”