Here in my region, small country towns, not near a railway line, can struggle, but can also develop a strong sense of community.
In the Cold Chisel song "Flame Trees" one lyric says "there's no change, there's no pace, everything was in its place". I think many small towns are old fashioned, in, for example, business opening times. No all night shopping to be had there. Not even open Saturday afternoons and Sundays, and forget Christmas Day eating out, the pub staff have gone home to their families. Here's the question: can cities learn from that?
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Where are the people on Saturday afternoon? Well they might be engaging in local sports. Football is big in the winter, and cricket in the Summer. Or they might be at ballet lessons. Boating, fishing, dirt bike riding, or a BBQ at home are enjoyed. I take a look at the lawn height, while hubby tries to hide... The milk bar is always open during the day, and evening. I like to walk there with a dog or two and buy an icecream in a cone.
Pubs are quite often the only venue that is open on a Friday and Saturday night, except the occasional restaurant. It's a place for people to meet, talk and compare rainfall, stock prices , discuss the footy, and the like,plus local gossip, or play a game of pool or gamble on the machines.
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Teens aren't very impressed, not being allowed to drink alcohol in, or to be unattended by a guardian in a pub until they're 18. "Cause there's nothin' else to set fire to this town", (from Flame Trees). Small towns can be stifling for many teens, socially. Many move away as soon as they can, looking for study opportunities, work, and a chance to dance to a DJ.
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Fish Creek Hotel. Link
The Fish Creek Hotel actually does have a large fish attached to the roof!
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YARRAM CLUB HOTEL
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If your pub has been left out, don't worry! We drop into lots of pubs for daughter and hubby to have a game of pool, and you might get a mention in future posts. We are usually on the soft drink though. Get some diet brands in for me! Cheers!
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I really enjoyed this *small country town* post!!
Thankyou.
It is so interesting to see your local area attractions and life in a small Australian town.
It is so interesting to see your local area attractions and life in a small Australian town.
Stay tuned as it is impossible to cover hundreds of kilometres in one post. Thanks for the feedback.
I grew up a village and as you said Cath, I was one of those teenagers who couldn't wait to leave. The call of meeting different people and having different social venues to gather in grew louder and louder and I took the leap when I was 21. Where I moved to still wasn't enough but it took another 3 years before I had the opportunity to move to a CITY! I've stayed here ever since as despite several teething problems I've always felt it's where I'm happiest and that's what really counts I guess. I visit my parents every couple of months and love the countryside 'feel' but so far have never wanted to go back. I may not be the social butterfly I once was, but when I do want to venture out I have everything on my doorstep. I live in the outskirts of the Norwich now, so it's very quiet to live in, but socially have a vast array of of restaurants, several different theatres and am surrounded by beautiful countryside too. Can't ask for much more really. Having said that, there are many cities I really wouldn't want to live in and that definitely includes London. Norwich is kind of like a very big village and it's just so pretty and safe too. Horses for courses really. The countryside is beautiful and who knows maybe one day it will call me back, but for now it's somewhere that I used to live in and managed to escape from.
Thanks, Fizz. I'd love to visit your Cathedral one day. I will Google the rest of the city.
Fizzfizz, Are you in England? I think Norwich UK is near where Prince William And Kate live...is that true? I have seen that area online and it looks beautiful.
Yep. They have a 'pad' in Anmer in the same county as Norwich, (which is Norfolk) and the Queen has a major residence in Sandringham a few miles away from the village I grew up. It's pretty lovely around here.
Fizfan, Oh you lucky lady.....it is beautiful there. I took the train from London to Stoke On Trent and the countryside was beautiful. We saw the little boys wearing their short pants going to school or out for a walk. The sheep were in the fields and the hedgerows dividing the properties. Then those canals along the railroad for shipping or transit of goods. They looked strange to me. We stayed in Kensington area of London and it was very nice but not las picturesque as the countryside.
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