Goulburn Mulwaree Council plans visit to sister-city, Shibetsu

April, 2024 marks 25 years since Goulburn struck the sister-city agreement with Shibetsu, located on the island of Hokkaido. Since then there have been numerous student exchanges between secondary schools, trade delegations and friendly gestures like the 2019 launch of a Japanese garden in Goulburn.

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With the 25^th anniversary looming, Mayor Peter Walker, Crs Jason Shepherd and Carol James have expressed interest in visiting Shibetsu as part of a 13-member council delegation in April. Council directors, Marina and Brendan Hollands and Scott Martin, and executive assistant, Amy Croker, are also keen to go.

Councillors agreed at their recent meeting to start planning with Shibetsu Council for the trip. Participants will pay their own way.

It will coincide with a major community event, where the community paints 4km of fencing around sheep, as the snow melts.

Mayor Peter Walker said the cities enjoyed a good relationship, with a Shibetsu museum centred on Goulburn.

"The arrangement is different to other sister cities. It's been ongoing for a long time and it certainly has its value," he said.

Mr Hollands, a regular participant in the Shibetsu delegations, said Goulburn people had been warmly received in the Japanese city of almost 22,000. This was the case even outside official visits.

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Student exchanges started when Mulwaree High School had a Japanese language teacher. While this was no longer the case, the exchanges had remained popular, despite their interruption since 2019 due to COVID-19, Mr Hollands said.

Now they're resuming.

Five Shibetsu students and a chaperone will arrive in Goulburn on Friday, July 28. They will be welcomed at a civic ceremony that afternoon. The students will spend two days at Trinity Catholic College, one day at Mulwaree High School and see the sights, including Taralga Wildlife Park on Friday, August 4.

Mr Hollands anticipated that a Goulburn student delegation would visit Shibetsu in 2024.

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