![Bernard Salt says Warrnambool is ready to boom. Bernard Salt says Warrnambool is ready to boom.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/rfMky9QKApaVy5SirRq7KE/cd43c68c-960c-463f-95ab-d624c45ba703.jpg/r0_0_2289_3624_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
WARRNAMBOOL is set to boom over the coming generation with potential to become a hub for government agencies, leading demographer Bernard Salt says.
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The best-selling author said Warrnambool’s status as the largest city between Geelong and Adelaide meant it was well suited for growth.
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The KPMG Demographic chief was the keynote speaker at a Small Business Festival function in Warrnambool on Wednesday night.
He said the city could benefit from governments willing to shift public service jobs to regional centres.
“Warrnambool is a de-facto capital city,” Mr Salt said. “It’s a bit like Brussels and this is Belgium (the Western District), this region is equivalent in size (to that nation). It is it’s own entity of 90,000 people from Camperdown to the state border centered on Warrnambool.
“It’s the logical place for federal government departments, state government departments, head offices, regional offices.”
More than 200 people attended the Lighthouse Theatre forum where Mr Salt mapped out south-west Victoria’s demographic shifts, particularly the rural-to-urban drift.
“It all comes down to critical mass. Hamilton has about 10,000 people, Portland about the same – never really had the critical mass where as Warrnambool with 30-odd thousand has that capacity to grow,” the former Terang resident said.
“(The south west’s) economic base has effectively not changed since I was at school in Terang. It’s still farming. The nature of that farming has changed. But there’s an urban sophistication here in Warrnambool now, you can sort of feel it.”
Warrnambool was becoming increasingly cosmopolitan, which attracted urban baby boomers, Mr Salt said.