AUSTRALIA—The Australian regional office moved about 40 miles south and east toward the Pacific Ocean on March 9, from Narellan to Wollongong, both suburbs of Sydney. The move was planned, prepared and executed within six weeks.

Since December 2013, the regional office had been waiting on a decision on moving to a new location that would consolidate operations under one roof: storage, mail processing, literature fulfillment and administration.

Member Ross Macdonald searched out office locations in Sydney, Campbelltown and Wollongong. He looked at over 60 offices online and narrowed his search down to 10, which he visited.

Macdonald said the first time he saw the current location, it “sparked an interest.” He said it was “the most maintained and looked after” office he found, and “definitely suits the pcg standard.” The building is located on a relatively quiet street, and has enough square footage to accommodate all of the office needs. It was also “in a price range that is fair and affordable,” he said.

The options were presented to Regional Director John Macdonald and pcg chief financial officer Andrew Locher, who flew to Sydney in December. The two men viewed potential offices and narrowed down the choices to the current location and another facility on the other side of Wollongong, which they were very keen on. After much deliberation and a second look, Mr. Locher said he was happy with the current location and took the choice to Pastor General Gerald Flurry. The decision was finalized at the end of January. The lease for the new location was signed February 17; one week later, the pcg received the keys.

The office staff and volunteers had a total of six weeks to prepare for the shift to the new location, with an additional week before the grand opening and viewing for the members.

The move started at 8 a.m. on March 9 and continued until 10 p.m. In between loads, move coordinator Ross Macdonald and volunteers stacked boxes, built pallets, moved and set up furniture and itemized pyc equipment on newly installed warehouse racking. Macdonald said that the move day was “long but rewarding. A lot was achieved in one day.” He added that the organizing of the warehouse will improve pyc and Feast logistics.

“[I] left home at 7 and didn’t get back until midnight, so it was a 17 hour day,” Local Elder Colin Hercus said, adding that a number of members put in long hours and sacrificed their Sunday to make the office move possible.

Mr. Hercus and member Sandy Richardson drove trucks, each with a team of people to load and unload it. Campbelltown “on-loaders” and Wollongong “off-loaders” moved the furniture, equipment, files and other items from the Narellan office, a storage unit and two homes of regional office employees to the new facility.