Both men have previously worked for SGSC, with Mr Barber formerly holding the title of manager of organisational development, while Mr Neeson was previously employed as a lifeguard and then a duty manager at the Hamilton Indoor Leisure and Aquatics Centre, before taking on a communications role.

SGSC chief executive, Tony Doyle, said he was pleased to announce the appointments, acknowledging the new skills both directors will bring to the senior leadership group, staff, and the community.

“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to welcome both Rory and Darren back to the Southern Grampians Shire Council,” he said.

“Throughout the recruitment process, which was extensive and well applied, both candidates demonstrated significant experience and leadership skills that will undoubtedly complement the current executive team and assist with the progression of our major upcoming projects.

“Both Rory and Darren have been part of the Southern Grampians Council staff previously, before building their professional experiences at other Councils in Victoria and South Australia.”

Mr Doyle said Council would benefit from the expertise of both new additions to the SGSC Executive Leadership Team.

“Rory brings extensive knowledge and experience in community engagement, business, tourism, communication, and advocacy,” he said.

“He is also passionate about building workplace cultures and performance so will be a positive addition as director wellbeing, planning and regulation.

“Darren returns to us from City of Mount Gambier and brings 20 years of experience across a range of sectors including human resources, OH&S, industrial relations, recruitment, regulatory services and community.

“In addition to strong, values-based leadership skills, Darren has a demonstrated strong record in supporting staff development and relationships within the community.

“We welcome his appointment as director people and performance and look forward to building a new Executive with Darren onboard.”

For Mr Neeson and Mr Barber, local connections run deep as both were born and raised in the region and had fathers who also worked for SGSC.

When discussing his return to Council, Mr Neeson said the Southern Grampians had always been home and he was inspired by a “really strong pull of family” and the opportunity to use skills gained in recent employment to benefit the community.

“I left in a communications coordinator role and went to Corangamite where I was able to become a manager down there and did a lot of learning and picked up a lot of new things,” he said.

“It was really great to get that experience by moving down there - at the same time, that was 10 years and when this opportunity became available I thought it was a really good time in my career to look at going from a manager to a director.

“I’d done a few acting stints at Corangamite in the last few years as well, so I got that taste and thought that was something I’d really like to pursue.

“When the opportunity came up with Southern Grampians where I’m very passionate about this region and have been living here for majority of my life and have family and friends still living here, it made it a really easy decision.

“I also think it is a great opportunity to come back to this Council at a time when there’s some really exciting things on the cards and some really good projects which were all part of making this a really attractive career step for me.”

Mr Barber said his situation was similar in terms of leaving SGSC to delve into a new role, but slightly different as he had not moved away from Hamilton, even while working in other towns, such as Warrnambool and Mount Gambier.

“I left SGSC because the role (in Mount Gambier) as general manager was at the same level as a director here, so it gave me an opportunity to go and learn new skills and experiences,” he said.

“Especially working in a community the size of Mount Gambier … the second biggest city in South Australia …  the opportunities you had there for connection to Commonwealth Government, State Government, and advocacy were things that gave you great skills to bring back to our community.

“So, when the position became available here that’s why I put my hat in the ring because I have that experience now and could come back and deliver in the community where I was born and raised.”

Both new directors said they were excited to be re-entering Council at a time when there are so many new projects underway, such as the CBD rejuvenation and Melville Oval redevelopment.

Mr Barber shared this enthusiasm for these upgrades and said they were two big draw cards that attracted him to the role.

“They’re projects that are going to set the city up for the next 50 years, so it’s great to be here now and to be able to have some influence and be able to support the community through building those projects,” he said.

“It’s about realigning the liveability of our city which is something that’s really important that we look at after COVID-19.

“There’s great pride in our community, it’s a naturally rich area … sometimes you can get a bit complacent about where you live and I think we’ve got an opportunity to refresh that with these projects and new faces in Council.”

Describing the career move as “perfect timing”, Mr Neeson said he was excited to have the opportunity to be back in the area surrounded by the kindness of locals and the scenic landscapes.

“I am passionate about working with communities to deliver projects that are important to them with an emphasis on community engagement and communication,” he said.

“Already in the first month it has been great to get out and meet with members of the community from across the Shire and I look forward to this continuing over the coming months.

“Walking up the street in Hamilton there’s always someone that will say hello to you - it’s a great community.

“We have, I think, one of the most beautiful parts of the world and I think it’s still a bit of a secret I would say amongst people outside our community and I think inside our community there’s a way to just show that civic pride in what we do have and that does excite me coming back.”

Both director positions form part of the Southern Grampians Shire Council’s Executive Leadership Team and are existing roles vacant due to the departures of Andrew Goodsell and Evelyn Arnold in 2022.

Both Mr Neeson and Mr Barber said they welcomed community members contacting them through Council and looked forward to interacting further with locals in both a professional and casual capacity.