we havent a thread on the many out- back towns of NSW
great historic townships-
Moree
Bourke
Cobar
Narrabri
Tenterfield
Walgett
Dubbo
Orange
Armidale
Bathurst
Young
Forbes
Parkes
Mudgee
Wagga Wagga
Ivanhoe
West Wyalong
Deniliquin
Broken Hill
Wilcannia
Hay
Cooma
Tumut
Albury

post info/photos on any of the towns you have been to.

http://www.sydney-australia.biz/maps/graphics/nsw-west-map.jpg

Go to some media sites and you might find some underwater photos of Bourke. Not sure that it's a "great historic township" - highest crime rate in NSW, anybody?

There was an Albury (which ain't outback, and has an urban population of 100,000 with Wodonga so more city than town) photos thread in the City Images forum a few months back :)

I have been to all of those towns you listed, except Ivanhoe.

Instead of posting tripe next time I'm bored, I should post some streetscapes instead.

when you search the towns in NSW, you realise how magnificent this state is.

the PARKES Observatory, is a 64-metre Telescope used for Radio Astronomy. located approximately 20 kilometres north of Parkes in New South Wales, Australia. Parkes is 265 km west of Sydney.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/180/455280513_42bc53e1db_o.jpg

wagga wagga
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1106/680029105_5f2ebb8079_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3029/2373937870_4eebd9c879.jpg?v=0

st micheals catholic cathedral WAGGA
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3180/3035867171_f19a600389_o.jpg

st marys catholic church MUDGEE
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3074/2761940225_a5d866ec74_o.jpg

MUDGEE railway station
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3264/3160511149_10e48c8f9d_o.jpg

ARMIDALE
st marys catholic church
one of tallest in outback NSW
nearly 50m high
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/23/29120482_3984af31d9_o.jpg

the magificent st peters anglican church
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3265/2748453378_d1cdef0052_o.jpg

I have taken a shed load of pics in a number of towns within a few hours of Sydney - when I have time, I'll post some...

near HAY
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1377/575444590_ee97a530c5_b.jpg

Here's some I've taken in Bathurst:

http://home.graffiti.net/roofromoz09:graffiti.net/centralwest_bathurst16.JPG

http://home.graffiti.net/roofromoz09:graffiti.net/centralwest_bathurst22.JPG

http://home.graffiti.net/roofromoz09:graffiti.net/centralwest_bathurst26.JPG

Lithgow:

http://home.graffiti.net/roofromoz09:graffiti.net/centralwest_lithgow12.JPG

http://home.graffiti.net/roofromoz09:graffiti.net/centralwest_lithgow17.JPG

http://home.graffiti.net/roofromoz09:graffiti.net/centralwest_lithgow16.JPG

Oberon:

http://home.graffiti.net/roofromoz09:graffiti.net/centralwest_oberon04.JPG

^great photos

churches of wagga

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3429/3306469902_f80d3f0c03_o.jpg

Great photos!
However, I never been there.

NSW is big, australias most populous state.7 million?
many dozens of large towns. some gems out there.

KATOOMBA
the landmark Carrington hotel (with powerhouse chimney)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3089/3159597874_7bcff8612e_b.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1440/972302170_2aed71a392.jpg?v=0


Claredon hotel
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3494/3202784892_009416b300_o.jpg

Embassy theatre

My friends Aunty managers that hotel, so she say's. Apparently its a really creepy place at night. It's a beautiful building though.

The $100 million Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort in the Blue Mountains is nearing completion it is scheduled to open in October 2009.

I found a couple of pics of the current progress
http://www.emirateshotelsresorts.com/images/group/view/hotels-and-resorts/wolgan-valley/construction_update.jpg

A suite with your own pool
http://www.emirateshotelsresorts.com/images/group/view/hotels-and-resorts/wolgan-valley/suites/01.jpg

I think there are only 36 suites. Rates start at $1490 per night with a minimum stay of 3 nights.

10-storey apartment tower topped by a penthouse swimming pool has been proposed for central Albury.

David and Anthony Gould are asking Albury Council to approve the spectacular “Sakura’’ development between Spencer and Macauley streets, next to existing five-storey offices in Swift Street.

At almost 40m, it would be about as high as the Hume Dam.

Sakura (Japanese for cherry blossom) would have seven floors of apartments above two floors for parking, with two shops at ground floor level.

Under the design by Simpson Architects, there would be 22 apartments and a pair of two-storey penthouses, all the residential floors with floor-to-ceiling glass walls.

http://www.bordermail.com.au/multimedia/images/full/423201.jpg

Shortly after this approved their was a height limit proposed of 7 storeys.

But the tower has been Approved.

i love albury and when i was there last year i thought to myself that it would be prime for much taller buildings especially because heritage is limited. ridiculous that they have slapped on a 7 storey limit now, that's just stupid. then again, there's lots of prime farmland on the city fringes that could be turned into mono sprawl i suppose. also, why would they need to build the carpark above ground? is it a ground water issue with the murray i wonder???

Ahh now highrises for Albury, is Muffin Break opening there too?

^ :lol: a sense of humour developing! ;)

I think he could of been serious, I dont detect a smiley at the end of BSD's post therefore he maybe serious?

we have a regional thread. albury is in there.
i think its great.10 floors maybe tad high. maybe 7 like the limit?

Ahh now highrises for Albury, is Muffin Break opening there too?

I live in Albury for 18 years. Ballina aint got shit on Albury my dear friend.

It even had a Starbucks (which closed due to Starbucks closing most of Aus's stores)

Albury itself sprawls pretty big for a city of 100 000.

^ hence why it should have at least 10 storey buildings by now, if not more. it's no longer just a country town, and the plan was for it to be around half a mil by this stage in its life, so bring on the inland talls! i don't think there's a better suited inland centre for it, other than canberra (and similar to toowoomba). it doesn't have the heritage of the vic inland cities of almost similar size. oh, it still has a husons coffee doesn't it?

So? We even had 7 floors highrise for many years. So Ballina shits over Albury. Even though Albury have tiny population growth compared to ours + massive tourism thanks to Byron.

Care to post a link to back up your claims BEE ESS DEE

So? We even had 7 floors highrise for many years. So Ballina shits over Albury. Even though Albury have tiny population growth compared to ours + massive tourism thanks to Byron.

Albury has had a 8 storey hotel for 20 years :)
Ballina has no class, Albury is beautiful it is all about wine, food and has some beautiful old architecture dating to the 1800's.

Albury Wodonga is over the 100k mark buddy, you come up with nothing but rubbish.
Get the hint, most people are sick of your rubbish claims...

^ source BSD? or is that just sauce?

Yea like you getting sick of you being a tired arsehole. Thats why you talking stupidwise. Albury in term of population is bigger but not compared to our tourism! We get almost 2million tourist in our region a year!

The official opening of the new Lawson town centre took place last weekend in the Blue Mountains.

This includes the construction of New Street, Unnamed Street, Staples Street, Adelaide Street, Blind Street, Benang Street, Bellevue Street and their associated car parking and footpaths, as well as a new village square and village green. Actually they have done a great looking job along with using recycled bricks to create a Welcome to Lawson entry.

Next stage is the demolition of all the commercial premises fronting the great western highway. State Rail is doing heaps of work realigning the rail line through the village and the widening of the highway has already started east and west of the village. Most importantly the old pub is being restored to its former glory.

Final stage is the contruction of all the new commercial premises along the new widened highway to replace the old.

Yea like you getting sick of you being a tired arsehole. Thats why you talking stupidwise. Albury in term of population is bigger but not compared to our tourism! We get almost 2million tourist in our region a year!

tired of you yes

The official opening of the new Lawson town centre took place last weekend in the Blue Mountains.

This includes the construction of New Street, Unnamed Street, Staples Street, Adelaide Street, Blind Street, Benang Street, Bellevue Street and their associated car parking and footpaths, as well as a new village square and village green. Actually they have done a great looking job along with using recycled bricks to create a Welcome to Lawson entry.

Next stage is the demolition of all the commercial premises fronting the great western highway. State Rail is doing heaps of work realigning the rail line through the village and the widening of the highway has already started east and west of the village. Most importantly the old pub is being restored to its former glory.

Final stage is the contruction of all the new commercial premises along the new widened highway to replace the old.

so would you say the end result is just going to make the nimbies look silly?

stupidwise.

this has to be one of the msot contradictory words iv ever read

im Stupid yet wise

My brain cant process this!

so would you say the end result is just going to make the nimbies look silly?

The end result is going to be a new much friendlier better looking commercial centre that highway traffic can speed past with the kids in the back watching theor dvds. :)

this has to be one of the msot contradictory words iv ever read

im Stupid yet wise

My brain cant process this!

:lol:

So what's happening in regional NSW, ie, anywhere outside the main cities?

Home Instead opens in Ballina
17th December 2009
http://www.ballinaadvocate.com.au/story/2009/12/17/home-instead-opens-ballina/

THE Ballina branch of the world’s largest provider of home-care services for seniors, Home Instead Senior Care (HISC), opened in Ballina last week.

It is the first branch to open in northern NSW.

Home Instead Senior Care Ballina aims to help older people live independently in their own home for as long as possible by providing non-medical care services.

HISC Ballina manager Melissa Williams said Home Instead was all about making life easier for older people and providing them with more flexibility and choice.

“Our fully-trained CareGivers make daily living activities easier – menus are planned, food prepared is fresh and wholesome, bills get paid, prescriptions are picked up and most importantly, our clients remain connected to their community,” she said.

The franchise provides non-medical home-care services to older people such as personal care, meal preparation, light housekeeping, medication reminders, transport for appointments, shopping or errands, respite and convalescence care and early stages dementia and Alzheimer’s care.

The franchise is operated by the business arm of not-for-profit organisation Care Connect.

Home Instead Senior Care Ballina is located at Suite 4 46-54 River Street, Ballina. Phone Melissa on 0437 567 156 or email hiscballina@homecareconnect.com.au.

So what's happening in regional NSW, ie, anywhere outside the main cities?

Geez that's a large window you're opening there :lol:

Check out this - it's a bit late (circa September 2009), but relevant nonetheless:

Brewarrina’s New Dog Pound

“Brewarrina Shire Council is expected to open its new environmentally friendly dog pound in the next month”, said Mr Francois Van Der Berg, Manger of Health and Building for Council.

“The new pound will allow for all waste water to be treated and re-used to irrigate trees and grass around the building”. Mr Van Der Berg explained that “The new facility is constructed of 30MPA concrete which will help to insulate the facility and reduce the annoying noise from impounded dogs at night, which has been an issue in the past” Brewarrina Shire Council Ranger, Mr Derek Tattersall said “the new pound is a great improvement on the old model.” Mr Tattersall indicated that impounded animals will be housed more appropriately and the increase in security will reduce the number of animals that are set free by owners and vandals. ”Stray dogs in Brewarrina are an issue for the health and safety of the community” Mr Tattersall said, “and we hope the new facility will keep stray dogs off the street”. Mr Van Der Berg commented that “Brewarrina impounds and euthanizes over 180 dogs a year, that are abandoned or are not claimed by owners, in an effort to assist the community in reducing the level of disease that dogs spread.” Brewarrina Shire Council encourages all residents to register their pets and ensure that pets are restricted to the confines of their allocated homes. Dogs found roaming the streets will be impounded and weighty fines of up to $200 imposed for non-spayed dogs.

There's an important message in there for all of us - spay your dogs!

Council to fund masterplan?
FAYE WHEELER
21 Dec, 2009 04:00 AM
http://www.dailyliberal.com.au/news/local/news/general/council-to-fund-masterplan/1710108.aspx

A Dubbo councillor wants to divert the city’s $318,000 economic development budget to the formulation of a public hospital masterplan.
Cr Tina Reynolds has called on her colleagues to show their “passion” for the city’s health services by putting up the money for the necessary step towards a redeveloped Dubbo Base Hospital.

Dubbo was likely to miss out on a share of $560 million in Federal funding for regional cancer centres because it lacked a masterplan, Dubbo MP Dawn Fardell told the Daily Liberal on December 4.

Since then Greater Western Area Health Service chief executive Danny O’Connor has ordered reviews of strategic data and information for the preparation of a masterplan and NSW health minister Carmel Tebbutt has provided “support” but not dollars.

Cr Reynolds thinks it is time for Dubbo to take a “leading hand” in the development of a masterplan.

Her foray into the matter comes less than two weeks after she was roundly criticised for “expressing reservations” to the Sydney Morning Herald about the involvement of former Grow Dubbo general manager Rorque Poisson in the Dubbo Orana Cancer Action Team’s bid for a share in the Federal funding.

Cr Reynolds will motion for the allocation of funds in the 2010/2011 budget for economic development to the total of $318,270 to be diverted.

“We’re missing out on essential funding without a masterplan,” Cr Reynolds said.

“I know this is a State issue, but it’s a Dubbo issue (as well).”

Cr Reynolds has been an outspoken critic of the council-funded Dubbo City Development Corporation, which once traded as Grow Dubbo, and its former general manager Mr Poisson.

Yesterday she denied taking funding from economic development would harm the city.

“Economic development still happens in this city ... those interested in coming to Dubbo have dealt directly with the council (not an external organisation),” she said.

Cr Reynolds said the people of Dubbo were happy to put the money to the masterplan.

“Everyone I’ve spoken to thinks it’s a fantastic plan,” she said.

But it’s her 10 colleagues she will have to win over tonight when the motion goes before the council.

“They should have Dubbo’s best interests at heart and should be voting for this.”

faye.wheeler@ruralpress. com

this has to be one of the msot contradictory words iv ever read

im Stupid yet wise

My brain cant process this!

:lol:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3029/2373937870_4eebd9c879.jpg?v=0

Interesting that Wagga had posts to support "any future electrification" on the railway. Was it ever planned to extend electrification there at one point?

^ what are you referring to in that photo?

The signal tower is a standard electric line staunchion but that's more for convenience than anything I suspect.

So? We even had 7 floors highrise for many years. So Ballina shits over Albury. Even though Albury have tiny population growth compared to ours + massive tourism thanks to Byron.

if i were to choose 1 of those towns as my fav itd be Ballina but Albury is ok its got good jobs, shops, night clubs, pubs and pree good roads :). the thing albury does lack in is decent swimming pools!!! the best, closest swimming pool is the oasis pool in wagga! love that pool! its :D. its also got no beach and its too far away from any major city although melboune is that far but still a long way :( ballina on the other hand is only 1 hr away from the gold coast and 2 hrs from brissy! it has a very fast growing populatiion also in tourism! also madd surf! its got good shopping( not as good as alburys) the jobs there idk? i think its more of a retiree town but i think they have some ok employment there. ballina will soon overtake albury in population, jobs and shopping etc. like albury it also has a bypass...well soon to be anyway :) so i think there related in some ways

ballina will soon overtake albury
The whole of Ballina Shire has a population of about 40,000. Albury City is quite safely in the lead with 55,000.

ballina will soon overtake albury
The whole of Ballina Shire has a population of about 40,000. Albury City is quite safely in the lead with 55,000.

yes well for the moment but in the next 20 or so years it will probably have just about overtaken albury :) just like albury will probably overtake wagga in the next few years

Ballina only has a population of 16000.

Which is how many people Albury City is ahead of Ballina Shire!!!!

Spot the difference.

Ballina only has a population of 16000.

You obviously haven't driven up there in recent times.
Ballina Shire has 39,000 people, most of that in Ballina, with the hamlets and villages of Lennox Head, Broadwater etc.

if i were to choose 1 of those towns as my fav itd be Ballina but Albury is ok its got good jobs, shops, night clubs, pubs and pree good roads :). the thing albury does lack in is decent swimming pools!!! the best, closest swimming pool is the oasis pool in wagga! love that pool! its :D. its also got no beach and its too far away from any major city although melboune is that far but still a long way :( ballina on the other hand is only 1 hr away from the gold coast and 2 hrs from brissy! it has a very fast growing populatiion also in tourism! also madd surf! its got good shopping( not as good as alburys) the jobs there idk? i think its more of a retiree town but i think they have some ok employment there. ballina will soon overtake albury in population, jobs and shopping etc. like albury it also has a bypass...well soon to be anyway :) so i think there related in some ways

Isn't there an Indoor Aquatic Centre in Wodonga?
I love swimming, and aquatic centres would be an important facility if I were to relocate to anywhere.
Wagga Wagga has a great facility, a wave pool! - but no sauna or spa!

So, in that case, Albury should claim Wodonga as it's only just across the river?

You obviously haven't driven up there in recent times.
Ballina Shire has 39,000 people, most of that in Ballina, with the hamlets and villages of Lennox Head, Broadwater etc.

How about you look up the official stats for Ballina stat div on the ABS so as to disprove yourself and gain some truth!

Ballina Shire Council Demographic Profile (http://profile.id.com.au/Default.aspx?id=370)

Cities of Albury & Wodonga Community Profile (http://profile.id.com.au/Default.aspx?id=264)

^ ssshhhhhhhh! The sign going into Ballina says 16,000 man! You do love your new resource don't you!

See, even this credible population website says just over 16,000 -
http://maps.bonzle.com/c/a?a=f&sc=lg&st=1&cmd=sp

As does this less credible website -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballina,_New_South_Wales

Ye Gods, you're right LD! Forgot to add these resources:

www.thesunshineshow.com
www.acredibleaffair.com
www.oprah.com

Click on the links above to disprove yourself and gain some truth = profit!

Ballina Shire Council Demographic Profile (http://profile.id.com.au/Default.aspx?id=370)

Cities of Albury & Wodonga Community Profile (http://profile.id.com.au/Default.aspx?id=264)

Ballina Shire now has over 41,000!
Was last up that way in 2006 and it said 39,000, not sure if they have updated the sign, but if an avid local ex-poster here has anything do with it - they would have by now!
Albury and Wodonga are now one contiguous population centre , for all intents and purposes. The combined population is bigger than Wagga Wagga, which is regarded as the largest inland centre in NSW.

Excavation has started on the new $17 million Blue Mountains Cultural Centre in Katoomba, includes:

New Regional Art gallery
300 car spaces
New Coles supermaket underneath
Food court,
15 shops
Interpretive centre,
Tourist information centre
Scultpure garden
New City library

The Centre is located next to the highest point in Katoomba the Carrington Hotel and will have views over Katoomba itself and the Mountains beyond including the Jamison Valley.

More info here (http://www.bluemountainsculturalcentre.com.au/)

Finally!!! They were talking about it more than 10 yrs ago.

So that's what's going in that hole they are digging. What are they going to do with the existing Coles building and carpark? Surely that's prime for something else?

recent visit to maitland
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=72161727#post72161727

So that's what's going in that hole they are digging. What are they going to do with the existing Coles building and carpark? Surely that's prime for something else?

The existing Coles and Kmart building is a dogs breakfast, needs major maintenance work and upgrade.

Funnily enough the Coles and Kmart site is owned by Woolworths, lot of speculation and rumour that Woolies will transform it into a new Big W.

A new Woolworths is currently under construction in Leura a new Woolworths Petrol station has been approved for the Great Western Highway in Katoomba, construction to start later this year I beleive.

New Dan Murphys has also been approved for a hole in the ground in Katoomba CBD lots happening up here.

New Civic Centre upgrade has just been completed too.

Highway upgrades progressing all over the place Lawson is nearly complete with a new set of shops currently under construction more to be demolished soon.

Is Big W going in that big hole on the main street of Leura!? Havnt been up there in ages, hows that building coming along? It was a hole for ages! Hope its not ruining the small street scape of Leura (Hope that doesn't sound Nimbyish:)).

Edit: Haha made another mistake! Read the Big W from line above:) Woolies is alright.

Excavation has started on the new $17 million Blue Mountains Cultural Centre in Katoomba, includes:

New Regional Art gallery
300 car spaces
New Coles supermaket underneath
Food court,
15 shops
Interpretive centre,
Tourist information centre
Scultpure garden
New City library

The Centre is located next to the highest point in Katoomba the Carrington Hotel and will have views over Katoomba itself and the Mountains beyond including the Jamison Valley.

More info here (http://www.bluemountainsculturalcentre.com.au/)

Yay! I was development manager for that project back in 2006/07 when I worked for Coles development. I wondered if it would ever get underway!

If anyone up Newcastle way notices the start of construction on the shopping centre on Minmi Rd, Fletcher please advise - that was one of my projects too and quite a battle to get it through Council!

Isn't there an Indoor Aquatic Centre in Wodonga?
I love swimming, and aquatic centres would be an important facility if I were to relocate to anywhere.
Wagga Wagga has a great facility, a wave pool! - but no sauna or spa!

yeah but the wodonga leasure centre is not that good but it does have a spa and sauna and an ok gym but no olympic swimming pool only a 25 metre lap pool. it also does not have much for kids to play on unless ur 0-5 years of age!! i still think wagga pools are better!!

yeah but the wodonga leasure centre is not that good but it does have a spa and sauna and an ok gym but no olympic swimming pool only a 25 metre lap pool. it also does not have much for kids to play on unless ur 0-5 years of age!! i still think wagga pools are better!!

25 metres is adequate for the average person, unless you are an Olympian!

http://lehunte.swelldesign.com.au/wp-content/uploads/773821.jpg

Project Overview
The office development has been designed to provide a new regional office facility for the Australian Taxation Office. Located on Smollett street Albury, it will provide 10,000m² of ‘green’ office space.

Construction is due to commence in March 2011 and is expected to be completed by October 2012

Features
The office development is of ‘A’ grade quality with 5 Greenstar and 4.5 star Nabers Energy ratings.

The 7 story development offers 10,000m² of office accommodation with a Smollett Street address. Office accommodation is provided in rectangular office floor plates on six levels offering approximately 1670m² of office accommodation per floor. Office floors are modular and column free except for columns located at centre zone office partition locations. allowing for a flexible floor plan to suite many needs.

The main pedestrian entry is located off Smollett Street with a generous Foyer providing access to office floors above, Ground floor staff amenities and the Volt Lane Market. The service core includes collective control lifts, stairs, toilets, cleaner’s facilities and service risers. The service core is centrally located with a maximum walking distance of 40 metres.

25 secure car parks are provided in the buildings basement which is accessed off Smollett Street. 80 bicycle spaces are also made available, as is required with the 5 Green Star rating.

Role
Le Hunte Properties along with The Doma Group are the development managers for this project.

Details
Address
520 Smollett Street, Albury
Client
Australia Taxation Office
Architect
May + Russell Architects
Completion
October 2012.

Here is another Building in Albury that has gone up silently.
The Gardens Medical Centre
http://www.flexoutphysio.com.au/img/pics/albury_clinic.jpg
http://www.australianschooloflifecoaching.com/images/The-Gardens-8.jpg

I thought I'd also post the other render posted by Brizboy.

TAXATION OFFICE, ALBURY
ALBURY, NSW
PROJECT OVERVIEW
The office development has been designed to provide 10,000m2 NLA of “GREEN” office accommodation in the Albury City Centre. The office development responds to an accommodation enquiry by the Australian Taxation Office for a new regional office facility.
The base building and integrated fitout is due to commence in March 2011 and be completed in October 2012.
FEATURES
The office development is a new generation PCA Grade “A” quality office building offering flexible, functional accommodation with a 4.5 star Nabers Energy and 5 Greenstar rating.
The 7 storey building offers 10,000m2 of office accommodation with a Smollett Street address. Office accommodation is provided in rectangular office floor plates on six levels offering approximately 1690m2 of office accommodation per floor. Office floors are modular and column free except for columns located at centre zone office partition locations.
The main pedestrian entry is located off Smollett Street with a generous Foyer providing access to office floors above, Ground Floor staff amenities and the Volt Lane Market. The service core includes collective control lifts, stairs, toilets, cleaner’s facilities and service risers. The services core is centrally located in the building with a maximum walking distance of 40m to integrated service core facilities to optimise the accommodation solution. The building is designed with breakout spaces for tea room facilities to enable integration of staff facilities into the fitout design.
A loading area with associated waste centre and access to passenger/goods lift is provided off Smollett Street for goods delivery and waste collection. Tenant stores are provided at Basement level with passenger/goods lift access from the loading area. Secure car parking spaces are provided in Basement parking with access off Smollett Street and bicycle parking spaces are provided in accordance with the building 5 Greenstar pathway.
The building is designed to offer:
Inspirational building image for the tenant
Showcase for appropriate environmental design and management practices
City style workplace integrated with nature
Natural inspired interiors
Flexible teaming culture
http://www.domagroup.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/ATO-North-e1280364343314.jpg
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1400402

Albury is having somewhat of a boom :O

How many people living down there now?

The design of the taxation building is a bit of a disturbing hotch-potch - doesn't work visually.

Think the population is a bit over 50,000 - with Wodonga, it's about 88,000.

The design of the taxation building is a bit of a disturbing hotch-potch - doesn't work visually.

Think the population is a bit over 50,000 - with Wodonga, it's about 88,000.

I believe that the combined population is over 100,000.

It depends on how much of the surrounding district is included. I got my figures from Bureau of Statistics - for what it's worth.

Albury is having somewhat of a boom :O

How many people living down there now?

According to the ABS (http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/subscriber.nsf/log?openagent&32180ds0004_2001-10.xls&3218.0&Data%20Cubes&A0CEA5BBFBEC5F9DCA257863000E723A&0&2009-10&31.03.2011&Latest), the Albury-Wodonga Statistical District (the same measure used for other regional cities in Australia like Newcastle, Townsville, Gold Coast-Tweed etc) had a population of 106,052 as of June 30, 2010.

Gough Whitlam is 1/3 of the way to his goal of 300,000 for Albury-Wodonga then.

Gough Whitlam is 1/3 of the way to his goal of 300,000 for Albury-Wodonga then.

Probably more on target than the Bathurst-Orange project though.
Now there's a relic not too many people would remember.

Ah, yes, Vittoria! No signs of life there.

^^ That's because it all happens in Lucknow.

Back to Albury (specifically Lavington), in April the JRPP approved a 6 storey retail and commercial development at 360-368 Griffith Rd & 353-355
Wagga Rd - further details here (http://jrpp.nsw.gov.au/DevelopmentRegister/tabid/62/ctl/view/mid/424/JRPP_ID/512/language/en-AU/Default.aspx).

Ah, yes, Lucknow! With its glistening, soaring towers and bustling, teeming streets, cosmopolitan, urbane, vibrant (of course) and an example of what all modern cities should be. How could I forget?!

Ah, yes, Lucknow! With its glistening, soaring towers and bustling, teeming streets, cosmopolitan, urbane, vibrant (of course) and an example of what all modern cities should be. How could I forget?!

Never even heard of it!

It's not the rather larger and more historical one in Uttar Pradesh, India, but it is a one-pub 'village' near Orange on the Great Western Highway. Former gold mining spot, now much shrunken in ambition and size.

It's not the rather larger and more historical one in Uttar Pradesh, India, but it is a one-pub 'village' near Orange on the Great Western Highway. Former gold mining spot, now much shrunken in ambition and size.

Been a long time since I've been on the Great Western Highway, have some in-laws in Dubbo, but travel via the Golden Highway.
Must be a non-event.
Town sounds similar to somewhere like Aberdeen on the New England Highway (before Scone - where more in-laws live). Only claim to fame for that town is the old disused abattoir, oh, and Katherine Knight.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_Knight

Dubbo is my home town with loads of rels still there which is why I've often travelled the Grt Western H'wy.
Aberdeen! Haven't been through it in decades - at least!
I think Lucknow got a couple of new houses in recent years, so surging ahead.

What exactly did the Bathurst-Orange project consist of? Never heard of it until now.

The Whitlam Government designated a number of growth centres, including Albury-Wodonga and Bathurst-Orange, which were enabled by state legislation (in NSW, the Grwoth Centres (Development Corporations) Act 1974 which is still used today for the Central Coast, Hunter and Sydney Metro Authorities). The aim was to attract development to the centres.

Albury Wodonga was considerably more successful than Bathurst-Orange - I still remember the signage heading west from Bathurst.

Yes, so do I. It was centred on the crossroads hamlet bravely called "Vittoria" - original settler there Italian? - which is about half way between the two towns, or 'cities' as they now prefer to be known.

Albury-Wodonga is the closest surviving centre as it was already well established, but the most planned, virgin location one was "Monarto" outside Adelaide which had plans drawn up and, for a while seemed a real 'go-er'.

Were these also the wondrously titled 'Multi-Function Polises' that were bandied about at that time or was it a bit later?

Multifunction polis was Hawke Govt (1987) and sited near Adelaide. Officially dumped by Howard in 1998.

Vittoria used to have a great car scrapyard and not much else...

That's right! Another glorious plan in the dust! The Adelaide MFP was meant to be some advanced technological centre of some sort and was in a different location - swamp land? - to Monarto.

And that's right, again! The car junk yard at Vittoria and a sort of house/humpy or two. When I used the word 'hamlet' I wasn't confident - it certainly wasn't a village but I wasn't sure it could even be classified as a hamlet, more an accident of time, place & circumstance that somehow acquired an identitification as a locality.

^^ That's because it all happens in Lucknow.

Back to Albury (specifically Lavington), in April the JRPP approved a 6 storey retail and commercial development at 360-368 Griffith Rd & 353-355
Wagga Rd - further details here (http://jrpp.nsw.gov.au/DevelopmentRegister/tabid/62/ctl/view/mid/424/JRPP_ID/512/language/en-AU/Default.aspx).

http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/8951/afsdf.jpg

Yes, so do I. It was centred on the crossroads hamlet bravely called "Vittoria" - original settler there Italian? - which is about half way between the two towns, or 'cities' as they now prefer to be known.

Albury-Wodonga is the closest surviving centre as it was already well established, but the most planned, virgin location one was "Monarto" outside Adelaide which had plans drawn up and, for a while seemed a real 'go-er'.

Were these also the wondrously titled 'Multi-Function Polises' that were bandied about at that time or was it a bit later?

Italian?
Reminds me of Little Italy, between Maclean and Woodburn in the far north of the state.
Now this is little more than a locality on the Pacific Highway, and a museum, a relic of a very ambitious project of a new Italian settlement in the Southern Hemisphere.

I believe that the combined population is over 100,000.

if u count albury by itslef its population is 51,000 and is the 3rd largest regional city in Nsw behind coffs harbour(53,000) and wagga wagga(60,000) otherwise if u count albury wodonga(106,000) together its population would be right up there with Newcastle wollongong etc.

if u count albury by itslef its population is 51,000 and is the 3rd largest regional city in Nsw behind coffs harbour(53,000) and wagga wagga(60,000) otherwise if u count albury wodonga(106,000) together its population would be right up there with Newcastle wollongong etc.

It depends how much of the surrounding area you count. I think the common stats are 55 000 Albury, 33 000 Wodonga, 18 000 close surrounding areas.

if u count albury by itslef its population is 51,000 and is the 3rd largest regional city in Nsw behind coffs harbour(53,000) and wagga wagga(60,000) otherwise if u count albury wodonga(106,000) together its population would be right up there with Newcastle wollongong etc.

100,000 + in Albury-Wodonga is nowhere near the population of the Newcastle-Lower Hunter region, and even the 'Gong is about 2 1/2 time this size.
If Maitland alone was considered separately, it would be larger than all of these - but it is considered part of Newcastle for population purposes.

100,000 + in Albury-Wodonga is nowhere near the population of the Newcastle-Lower Hunter region, and even the 'Gong is about 2 1/2 time this size.
If Maitland alone was considered separately, it would be larger than all of these - but it is considered part of Newcastle for population purposes.

well what i meant was it would rank around 4th or 5th so sorta close to wollongong and newcastle

Is there any push to get regional centres to build tall instead of sprawl?

good article on orange today
http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/7040/p1000110r.jpg

I do like Orange.

Some lovely old houses and a very characterful park with a glass house full of amazing begonias!

Is that article from the Terror? Yes, Cook Park and environs are the prize of Orange, but there's plenty of other beautiful stuff in the city and surrounding areas. Well worth a visit!

I do like Orange.

Orange is a pretty, but ultimately boring town.
Orange Ag College was once part on UNE, now part of USyd?
The town has no affiliation with WA, so this article is quite ironic.

yeah Orange is a pretty boring town. if were to live in a country town it would probably be either wagga, albury or port macquarie.

The town has no affiliation with WA, so this article is quite ironic. Other than the fact that one of its major employers is doing FIFO with its staff from Orange to WA.....

Orange is a really nice town. Used to go there a lot as a kid to visit the grandparents.

waggas tallest building. the 8storey Hospital base wing
http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/2584/waggahospital.jpg

wagga wagga is home to largest canopy in southern hemisphere!
all seasons hotel.
tallest structure in town
35m tall

http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/dd/fb/69/an-architectural-landmark.jpg
http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/18/82/1b/wagga-wagga.jpg

Did someone mention Lucknow?!

http://roofromoz.webs.com/centralwest_lucknow02.JPG

http://roofromoz.webs.com/centralwest_lucknow03.JPG

Or nearby Spring Hill?

http://roofromoz.webs.com/centralwest_springhill02.JPG

http://roofromoz.webs.com/centralwest_springhill03.JPG

http://roofromoz.webs.com/centralwest_springhill04.JPG

Did someone mention Lucknow?!
http://roofromoz.webs.com/centralwest_lucknow03.JPG

:lol:

I'm trying to find the copper on the roadside nabbing speeding motorists!

not sure if you guys follow nearmap updates. just this week, Dubbo and Coffs harbour have been completed.

This one on Park Beach in Coffs Harbour had a crane back in 2009. It is now abandoned and looks like it has been for a while.

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/1916/img4795g.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/525/img4795g.jpg/)

This one on Park Beach in Coffs Harbour had a crane back in 2009. It is now abandoned and looks like it has been for a while.

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/1916/img4795g.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/525/img4795g.jpg/)
Action at the Beaches Simcorp site

19th March 2011





A CONSTRUCTION crane that has been dormant for more than a year at the stalled Beaches high-rise development at Park Beach has been dismantled.

The work was carried out on the Ocean Pde site yesterday, six months after receivers, the Westpac Bank, foreclosed on the Gold Coast developers Simcorp Developments and the Hill Family Trust.

Builders have worked during the past fortnight to secure the incomplete apartment block, raising questions over a possible sale of the site and its completion.

The debt-ridden $13 million development has been a bone of contention in the local building industry, with some sub-contractors left up to $50,000 out of pocket.

Construction consultant APP has confirmed an assessment of the site is under way.

“The Westpac Bank is reviewing the options and the site is being secured,” APP project manager Peter Fraser said.

When asked if the bank intended to on-sell the incomplete apartment block, he said: “That's one of the options being considered.”

Coffs Harbour's other controversial building project, the failed Housing NSW units on Harbour Dr, is again in the news.

Member for Coffs Harbour Andrew Fraser has demanded that Housing Minister Frank Terenzini offer the same settlement apparently being given to Wollongong sub-contractors affected by the collapse of private contractor Perle Pty Ltd.

“A report in the Illawarra Mercury on March 16 has stated that: ‘Illawarra sub-contractors owed more than $1 million have been told to expect a positive resolution within a fortnight, almost two months after the collapse of building firm Perle',” Mr Fraser said.

“Union representatives have told the sub-contractors to expect a positive resolution within a fortnight.”

The company has left debts of $1.7 million in Coffs Harbour.

http://www.coffscoastadvocate.com.au/story/2011/03/19/action-at-simcorp-site-coffs-harbour-beaches/

TAREE
nearmap have finally flown taree
sept17

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6155/6235126679_c681805304_o.jpg

tallest bldg-5storey hospital

St Johns, 30m tall
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6157/6235126327_94c9d119e1_b.jpg

home to the Big Oyster
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2283/2214351428_9d1eee63f4_b.jpg

http://www.screenlinks.org/directories/location/images/TarGreaterTareeTownHall.jpg

Believe it or not, The Big Oyster was built by the same people that made the Big Prawn at Ballina.

Much better than the other "Big" oyster at Ceduna - http://www.bigthings.com.au/pix/bigthings/oyster_cedu.jpg

^^ Both the Big Prawn and Big Oyster were ancillary attractions to the Ampol roadhouses when they were built.

As a youngster, I used to confuse Taree and Kempsey - they have very similar approaches where the highway would cross the river then make a 90 degree right turn through the town centre.

It was built more to serve as a local lookout/observation deck. Quite bazzare.

from chimney thread
never thought australia would see a chimney built taller then 270m mt isa stack?
we may have another "supertall" structure in form of a chimney at Bayswater B Coal fired power station extention. 300m!!
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6099/6355332867_dfd680ba40_z.jpg


http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6047/6355498897_f0338eb3fd_z.jpg


http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6097/6355510977_960a5db42f_z.jpg
also new 250m stack approved for mount Piper power station near Lithgow. this will be simliar to existing stack.

from chimney thread
never thought australia would see a chimney built taller then 270m mt isa stack?
we may have another "supertall" structure in form of a chimney at Bayswater B Coal fired power station extention. 300m!!
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6099/6355332867_dfd680ba40_z.jpg


http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6047/6355498897_f0338eb3fd_z.jpg


http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6097/6355510977_960a5db42f_z.jpg
also new 250m stack approved for mount Piper power station near Lithgow. this will be simliar to existing stack.

Wait till those anti-coal mining spoilers, and the greenies get hold of this one.

Too late was approved last year

DUBBO

NSW PLANNING

Friday, 11 November 2011

New planning controls for Dubbo to support regional growth and employment

Additional housing and employment land are earmarked in Dubbo’s new council-wide
planning controls, which received NSW Government approval today.

The new council-wide local environmental plan (LEP) was approved by the Department of Planning and Infrastructure,
under delegation from the Minister, and is the result of significant co-operation between the department and Dubbo City Council.

The department provided $80,000 in funding through the Planning Reform Fund, to support the preparation of the Dubbo LEP.

The LEP zones an additional 1,620 hectares for residential use, which has the potential to support almost 7,000 new residential
lots over the medium to long-term.

It also zones additional land for employment, including 585 hectares of industrial land and 98 hectares of business land.

In recognition of the growth in Dubbo, the boundary of the CBD has been expanded by zoning additional land for business uses,
increasing the size of the CBD to an area bounded by Macquarie, Erskine and Darling streets and north of the railway line.

The new LEP also balances the expanded CBD with the projected growth outside the CBD and incorporates
a new mixed use zone bounded by Talbragar, Fitzroy and Cobra streets.

Dubbo Mayor Councillor Mathew Dickerson said Dubbo was on the cusp of an economic development boom
with the release of the LEP.

“The creation of the Dubbo LEP has involved extensive community consultation and feedback and will
better position Dubbo to reap the benefits of future development whilst facilitating sustainable growth,’’ he said.

The Mayor has written to those people who were directly involved in developing the LEP.
Letters will also be sent to all property owners in the Dubbo local government area advising them of the new planning controls.

“I think it is very important that we take the time to thank those people who took the time to make a submission,’’ Cr Dickerson said.

Media release

The department’s Deputy Director-General Tom Gellibrand said Dubbo was the first major
regional centre in the central west to have a new comprehensive LEP approved to update planning controls and provide for growth.

“One of the big advantages for Dubbo is that detailed maps showing the zones and planning controls
that apply across the Dubbo local government area are now available online on the NSW legislation website,
alongside the written instrument,” Mr Gellibrand said.

“This will make it easier for investors to find out the zoning and other planning controls in
place for Dubbo.”

Other key outcomes of the LEP include:

· Bringing Dubbo’s planning controls together into a single document and replacing controls contained in the Dubbo Rural Areas LEP
and Dubbo Urban Areas LEP, which were each more than a decade old;

· Zoning additional land for housing near the village of Wongarbon; and

· Zoning land around the airport and North Dubbo as light industrial to support
employment.

Mr Gellibrand said the LEP recognised the importance of agricultural land, the significance of local heritage,
as well as the region’s environmental values.


Council media contact: Cr Mathew Dickerson, Dubbo Mayor, 0418 639 053

Department media contact: Laurel-Lee Roderick, 9228 6128 or 0429 153 139

[Format went to spaghetti when I pasted article; tried to re-format it logically, so hope it makes sense. b]

enews@planning.nsw.gov.au;

News here regarding planning in Coffs Harbour, Maitland and Warnervale town centre: if interested, click on b/c I'm not going to post and re-format the items after the Saga of Dubbo.

SAPPHIRE WIND FARM, INVERELL
up to 159x 156m tall wind towers!!
http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=3245

SMH Regional website: DUBBO

A little parochial self-congratulation:


Evocities campaign attracts 300 residents to Dubbo

ANTHONY CINI

10 Jan, 2012 04:00 AM


DUBBO has proved itself the most popular of seven rural cities involved in a campaign to attract new residents.

The NSW government’s Evocities campaign includes Albury, Armidale, Bathurst, Dubbo, Orange, Tamworth and Wagga Wagga and was formed as a way to encourage people to live, work and invest in a regional city of NSW.

The past year has seen up to 300 people move to Dubbo with 93 more on their way, Dubbo City Council spokesperson, Kate Moody said.

Ms Moody said until December last year, the new resident cases equalled to over 300 people coming to Dubbo, but could not confirm if they were single or families.

“In our population of 41,211, Evocities has been responsible for a 0.73 per cent increase in population in just over a year,” she said.

Ms Moody said 87 people had confirmed they were in the process of moving out of Dubbo, with 93 considering moving in.

“It does take about two years for people to decide to move,” she said.

Dubbo mayor Mathew Dickerson said the Evocities campaign was primarily focused on changing the perception of “Sydneysiders” to think of Dubbo as a “city change”.

The change, he said, would feature great services, facilities and lifestyle benefits without the capital city hang-ups.

“People say they make their mind up to move and then start looking for a job, but the reality is people don’t want to move without one.”

He said the city of Dubbo had an unemployment rate one per cent lower than the national average, with many companies seeking new employees.

Evocities spokesman, Nathan Burman, said the main objective of the campaign was to encourage capital city residents to make the move to an Evocity and invest in the opportunities the cities had to offer.

“The campaign will showcase the abundance of opportunities in these regional cities due to their lower cost of living, strong career and business opportunities and enhanced lifestyle,” they said.

The spokesman said living in an Evocity meant less time commuting, working and stressing, and more time for singles and families to enjoy NSW’s beautiful natural surrounds.”

“More than 450 people moved to one of the Evocities since the campaign began in 2010, with over 500 people having indicated they were planning to move in the next year.

“Over 150,000 people have visisted (sic) the EvoJobs website which lists the jobs available in the seven cities, which indicates that many have decided or are contemplating a move and are now looking for work in their chosen cities.”

Great news for Dubbo. Suprised Dubbo's been so popular compared to the others, which seemingly havn't done so well, given that out of the 450 Evocities applicants, 300 went to Dubbo, with the 150 divided between the others.

What's so special about Dubbo compared to the other Evocities?

SAPPHIRE WIND FARM, INVERELL
up to 159x 156m tall wind towers!!
http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=3245

This would add to the 27 approved towers in the Glen Innes Project. Don't know about a construction start though.

There was (and still is) heaps of opposition to this project from local NIMPs. (Not in my Paddock)
http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=817

wind towers nearly 200m high planned for Uungula
http://uungulawindfarm.com.au/
http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/9489/p1020169i.jpg

love this
ob deck in Vancouver
http://ramblingsdc.net/Australia/WindFarms/VancouverTurbine.jpg

current tallest wind turbine
Paproc, poland. 210m./2012 dia 126m

hhttps://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8VI8ktzIfhs/UMCnGoutl6I/AAAAAAAACPE/J00hl4PiUDg/s500/WIND.jpg

Apart from noise and visual concerns what is the problem? You can still farm around it...