More than 10,000 people walked through the doors of Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from Friday to Sunday.

Wimmera Development Association project officer Tammy McDonald said about 150 people completed registration forms for Wimmera jobs and about 20 people showed interest in businesses for sale in the region – more than last year’s response.

‘‘The people who attended this year were more dedicated to relocation and were seriously considering moving out of Melbourne,’’ she said.

‘‘A lot of them were looking for an easier lifestyle – they’re sick of living in the city and it’s expensive.’’

Mrs McDonald said there were 50 Wimmera positions on offer in a range of areas, including jobs in health, management, hospitality, administration and education.

She said more than 600 USB sticks with information on the Wimmera and 1400 copies of Wimmera magazine, produced by The Wimmera Mail-Times, were handed out to visitors.

‘‘It gave a great snapshot for the region to help people make an educated decision,’’ she said.

West Wimmera Shire economic and business development manager Kellie Jordan said the shire’s stall also had a great response.

‘‘We’re really happy with the people we spoke to and the conversations we had,’’ she said.

‘‘People want to move to a rural area for a number of reasons, including retirement, lower cost of living or trying to start up or buy a business.’’

Ms Jordan said packs were given out to visitors with a range of information about economic opportunities, tourism information and schools.

She said there was a lot of interest in the shire as a tourist destination.

‘‘We told them about our four-wheel-drive tracks and the abundance of flora and fauna in the area,’’ she said.