ABOVE: LOOK BEHIND YOU! Long time residents Tom Downham and Russell Small with Kyogle councillor Danielle Mulholland and the mysterious Yowie.
Susanna Freymark
You know you live in a small town when you don’t use your car blinker because everyone knows where you are going.
You know you live in a small town when you can’t walk for exercise because every time a car passes you’re offered a lift.
Or you drive into a ditch five miles out of town and word gets back before you do.
Christine Reid came to Woodenbong to take up a one year teaching position at the preschool.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would still be here 40 years later,” she said.
The preschool director and Woodenbong Progress Association president never went back to Orange, more than 1000km away.
“That’s what happens in this amazing place,” Christine said.
“It gets into your heart.”
Christine has put together a book Welcome to Woodenbong for new locals that includes volunteer organisations in the area and how someone could consider contributing. The book includes the — you know you live in a small town comments.
“We have always punched above our weight,” she said.
She hopes the book will continue the village’s self-sufficiency.
“If we needed something we fundraised, pooled our resources, had working bees, lobbied or wrote grant applications,” Christine said.
“We didn’t ask for handouts or expected others to give us things, we made them happen.
“We paid for our own mobile phone tower, built many public buildings ourselves such as the showground grandstands, stockyards and pavilions.”
Welcome to Woodenbong was launched at the Woodenbong Memorial Hall recently along with with goodie bags for new residents.
There were Woodenbong souvenirs available for sale from caps, stubbie holders, tea towels and more.
Woodenbong is not shy about promoting the the town to visitors. The merchandise is a great fundraiser.
So too is the book, available for $15 at Country Brushstrokes in McPherson St, Woodenbong.
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