COLAC LONELY HEARTS’ PLEA FOR LADY INFLUX

BILL Alston is a farmer who wants a wife, or at least more single ladies in Colac.

The 32-year-old sheep farmer, pictured, is an affable bloke who farms thousands of acres of land on the outskirts of Colac. He enjoys a laugh, is pretty relaxed and plays weekly tennis.

But despite being an eligible bachelor he has not had a girlfriend for three years — a fact he partly blames on Colac’s drought of single women.

Latest census data shows the dating scene is more competitive in Colac for men in their early 30s than anywhere else in Australia.

The data found there were 1.6 single men for every single woman aged 30-34 in the western districts town.

This statistic is somewhat personal for Colac Otway Shire mayor Joe McCracken who, despite being the region’s youngest mayor, is 30 and single.

The undesirable singles stat has led the region’s youngest mayor to call on more people — including single women — to embrace the region’s relaxed lifestyle and its many romantic spots.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for women to move here — there are a lot of eligible young men,” Cr McCracken said. “The more people, the merrier.”

Despite the imbalance among singles, population figures for the Colac Otway Shire show there is an even split of males and female. But 49.1 per cent of all adult Colac residents at the last census were not married — more than six percentage points higher than Victoria’s rate.

Mr Alston’s own brother Tom met the love of his life after appearing on hit television show The Farmer Wants A Wife and thinks some women are put off from living in Colac because country life is perceived as boring.

But Mr Alston said his brother’s wife had been a city girl until moving to Colac and embracing the quiet life.

“Some girls are intimidated by blokes on the farm,” Mr Alston said.

“It’s a lifestyle and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the world.”

He said the somewhat isolated nature of rural living made it difficult for men his age to find true love.

“Basically when you’re on the farm you’re not exposed to the same social situations — it’s harder to get out there.

“I’m looking for a spark and I’m looking for right person to be able to settle down.”

Cr McCracken said the region had an abundance of romantic getaways and was just a short trip from the hustle and bustle of Melbourne.

“We’ve got a great landscape, rural living,” he said. “We’re close to the coast and the city — I couldn’t think of a more romantic place.”