They might be tiny but these historic villages M David ...

TWIN TOWNS MAKE A

They might be tiny but these historic villages enjoy a fierce rivalry, writes David Fitzsimons

Most people strive foryears to achieve their

of fame.Barry justve towns.ral west are rival with heapstory,

ralia’s onlyo museumisitors canin train

agemmodation.orgetry andonga orurst andge, we’re

ng about —le and

y.he tinys in Centralare amongllages ofey Shirereasinglyctingy touristsescapes.at the local

nd Carcoar, oon, but ou start and Barry?t 10km, thed s since they 1880s.n’t take

long for the sports teams to

develop an intense rivalry.Take this report on the

early years from Neville’s Centenary publication.

“The rivalry between Neville and Barry became notorious, wild brawls broke out at most matches. Older residents still remember one particular wild clash, which culminated with two of the spectators fighting it out with spokes off the roof of the Wheel Wright’s shop!”

Things have calmed down alot since then — player shortages eventually forced the teams to merge by the 1950s — but there is still plenty of fun to be found.

NEVILLEI’m greeted by lifetime resident Kevin Radburn who not only runs Neville’s unique railway accommodation complex, but has a lengthy family link to the town.“We’re about 10 generations. We go back to Thomas Radburn; he came out as a convict.”

But when he gestures to thebloke standing next to him, what he says blows me away.

“Meet Neville Barry.”Yep, Neville’s newest

celebrity, has this amazing name.

“I was looking for anotherjob,” explains Barry.

“I had 20 years in the Navy

and years driving tourist anddive boats out of Cairns.

“I saw the names of the twotowns on the map and I said‘I’ve gotta go there’.”

He tells an amazing story ofhis first trip in 2007 where hearrived in nearby Blayney on apublic holiday. Unable to findan ATM and needing cash herang the Neville pub.

“I said ‘Have you got EFTPOS?’ The girl who answered said, ‘Who is it?’ I said‘Neville Barry’. She said, ‘Pull the other leg’. Then I came out and walked in. She looked at my card and she said, ‘Lookeverybody here’s Neville Barry’.

“I couldn’t buy a beer in thepub for three days.”

Barry has since moved in ascaretaker of the Neville Siding camp where you can stay in a collection of renovated railwaycarriages. The rail fans’ heaven even includes the complete railway station moved from nearby Mandurama.

Barry says: “It’s like they’veadopted me as part of the town.Everybody waves to you. They toot and say, ‘G’day Nev’.”

Radburn says the remarkably tidy Neville is undergoing a revival as tree changers move in from Sydney seeking the quiet life.

yn

With Neville Siding close tothe Abercrombie caves and bushwalking opportunities in the Pennsylvania State Forest,the town is in demand from holiday-makers.

Radburn says: “I’m bookedout for the Bathurst car race

.

week. People just seem to find things to do here. We’re pet friendly, too. Lots of people just want to walk around and take photos of all the old churches and everything.”

The town boasts a pub builtin 1929, a modern school (about 15 pupils) with some fun sculptures in the grounds, and a collection of historic

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Neville public school caters to about 15 pupils (above); the area is a growing destination for tourists (right); Neville’s man of the moment Neville Barry (below right); and Nadia Day-Hakker with one of the rare pianos at the Golden Era Piano Museum. Pictures: David Fitzsimons, Melanie Monico and Blayney Shire Council





Abercrombie Caves are a popular local attraction and (inset) Newbridge’s Winter Solstice celebrations.





churches. It also containsAustralia’s only pianomuseum.

Piano tuner and playerRaymond Day-Hakker hasbuilt up a remarkablecollection of 24 grandpianos dating fromthe 1800s.

When Neville’sold general storebecame availableearlier this year, hemoved in. Day-Hakker says hiscollection focuses onthe “golden era” of pianohistory from the 1860s-1914when the domesticimportance of the keyboardwas in its prime.

“We’ve got more than thenational museum in America,”Day-Hakker says.

All rare and complete with

gold medallions awarded tothe makers, there are someunique items like an 1861square grand piano thatdoubles as a dining table.

“Don’t you love it, you haveyour dinner on it, lift up

the lid and you playmusic on it,” hesays.

And he addsthat even themuseum building

has a musical linkat it was once the

Palings piano agencyfor the district.So life in Neville is pretty

good for the locals andtourists. And even the name isbetter than the town’s originaltitle, Number One Swamp.

BARRYIn contrast Barry is a town atthe crossroads — literally.

The intersection of tworoads marks the centre of atown that has lost virtually allits facilities. A school, generalstore, post office and an earlyhotel have all closed.

The primary school is stillstanding and used as acommunity meeting centre.Long-time residents JoanStonestreet and ShirleyCheney proudly show off thetown’s holy grail — its majorsporting triumph — the cupthe Barry Bluebells won fouryears in a row in the BlayneyHockey associationcompetition in the 1930s.

Both women’s childrenwent to the school.

“We have got a niceplayground here at the school;if anyone wants to come andhave a picnic they arewelcome,” laughs Stonestreet.

“There was a sportingrivalry. Neville has always had

the hotel. Barry hasalways been aworkers’ town, forfarm workers.

“It was a littlecommunity. It wasvery friendly, a verygood place around theschool and the postoffice,” she says.

Cheney says: “Thereare new homes though.There are affordableblocks of land, they areoften cheaper thantown blocks. People buythem because they likethe lifestyle. We are only10 minutes from Blayneyso it is almost like livingin town.”

And what’s in a name? Barry was originally called Five Islands but was changed to avoid a clash with the area near Wollongong. It is believed to be named after Bishop Alfred Barry, then Bishop of Sydney. Indeed all the streets of Barry are apparently named after clergy of the time.

DOWN THE ROADSo, there’s Neville and Barry — and Arthur is down the road. The old gold mining village of Trunkey Creek was officially named Arthur for many years.

Just north of the twin townslies Newbridge — famous for its pub, which is a drawcard for people from around the area, a historic railway station where trains don’t stop any more and its new bridge that has seen better days.

Incredibly even the Queenhas spent a night Newbridge. Back then newly crownmonarch’s royal tstopped for a nighNewbridge — though she stayedin her carriage.

The town’s newest festival is

the Winter Solstice celebratedin June complete with a hugebonfire, medieval knightsfighting in costume,blacksmithing and stalls.The writer travelled courtesy ofCentral West [email protected]: @FitzAtLarge





GETTING THERE� Barry is a 266km (3h30min) and Neville is a 276km (3h 40min) drivefrom Sydney.

STAYING THERE��Neville Siding, CrouchSt, Neville; $50 per headper night, 6368 8455, nevillesiding.com.au�Neville Hotel, Crouch St,Neville; 6368 8413�Gladstone Hotel, ThreeBrothers Rd, Newbridge; 6368 1004, facebook.com/pages/Gladstone-Hotel-Newbridge/188038317889990

DOING THERE�Abercrombie Caves,

Abercrombie KarsConservation AreTrunkey Creek; 40-min drive (37km) from NeviThursday-Monday9am-4.30pm, daiduring schoolholidays, tours froadult $18, conc $1child $12, family $45, 6368 8603, abercrombiecave�Golden Era PiaMuseum, 52-54 CNeville; Saturdays4pm, adult $7.50child $5, facebookGoldenEraPianoM

MORE INFO��visitcentralnsw

essentials

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St James the Apostle Church at Barry (above); the region under a blanket of snow during this winter’s big chill; Barry’s treasured trophies.





They might be tiny but these historic villages M David ...

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