TODAY is a special day in our shire and throughout the country.
I mark this as my second anniversary of joining The Tenterfield Star and well remember my first Anzac Day here.
It was a revelation for me as someone who grew up in a city to see just about the whole town watching the parade and strongly showing their support for the Australians who have served in conflicts.
The tradition can only get stronger. Not only do nearly all of us have someone who has served in our family, but Australians are still at war today.
Tenterfield people have distinguished themselves in conflict.
Today, The Tenterfield Star has the story of Ray Tullipan, whose songs were part of a remarkable calm eye in the storm during World War II.
His songs were part of the celebrated Changi Concert Party and will be heard today in the Soldiers Memorial Hall as part of Anzac Day events.
We also have Australia’s first general and a leader of the Australian Light Horse Sir Harry Chauvel, Oliver Woodward of the film Beneath Hill 60 fame, Sir Michael Bruxner who was at Gallipoli, and J. F. Thomas who famously defended Breaker Morant.
As a bypass looks more certain, it is time to embrace some sort of theme for this town and shire.
While there are hopes the bypass will be a heavy vehicle bypass only, it is more likely that many travellers will choose to sail past without catching a glimpse of Tenterfield.
They need a reason to stop.
While we have great shops and cafes, they are often not in themselves enough to take people off the highway. If we were to become an Anzac town, suddenly we have a solid foundation to build a stronger stopover tourism industry.