"With a heavy heart we would like to inform that we recently found ourselves in a position where we felt we had to resign from Kruger Medical Centre," Dr Ali and Dr Asif said in a statement last week.

"It was a difficult decision to make," they said.

"Both Dr Asif Sazzad and I have loved our time in Harden.

"We were settled and happy there as a family.

"The support we have received in the last several weeks from everyone including Council has been beyond comparison.

"Dr Asif Sazzad and I have taken a job offer to work at Cootamundra Medical Centre.

"We are pleased to be able to stay relatively close to Harden.

"Whilst we would have enjoyed staying in Harden, we have been welcome by Cootamundra with open arms. We are very grateful for that.

"The credit goes to the wonderful Harden community who have been very generous with their expression of affection and respect. This will always hold a very special place in our hearts .

"We would like to express our gratitude for everything the community has done for us."

The Kruger Medical Centre was contacted for comment.

Doctors Asif and Ali are two of four new doctors moving to Cootamundra.

A third doctor is believed to be joining doctors Asif and Ali at the Cootamundra Medical Centre and a fourth doctor is jing Dr Perera's surgery.

Dr Ranjan Perera, who has served the Cootamundra community for 40 years, retired last year but will retain ownership of the surgery and an interest in its day-to-day running.

A Cootamundra Medical Centre doctor, Daniel Fry, said on a Facebook post last week three new doctors had been contracted.

"This will be great for stability in our local health services and allow more people to have a regular GP," Dr Fry said.