A small NSW town with a quirky connection to a famous 13th-century Italian mathematician has done its homework and calculated the best way to attract more grey nomads and other travellers to visit.
Uralla, located about 20 kilometres south west of Armidale on the New England Highway, is officially opening four new public spaces this Friday and Saturday, and all are expected to generate a lot of interest among visitors.
This is the only town in Australia whose postcode – 2358 – follows the Fibonacci sequence of numbers, whereby each number is the sum of the two preceding ones.
To celebrate the connection, the town has reimagined its Pioneer Park into a flexible town-square-style public space in the heart of the main street.
The Sculptures of the South are likely to be a big hit with visitors. PIC: Peak & Tide / Uralla Shire Council
The Fibonacci Installation features a spiral pathway, artwork by local children and, at the entryway, spectacular locally handmade mosaic tiles.
The local council says prominent tiered amphitheatre seating is perfect for travellers to rest and community to gather. Its design borrows from ancient Greek and Roman architecture, and the smooth curved seating creates an acoustic ‘whispering gallery’ effect, where people at either end of the curve are amplified and can hear each other perfectly.
A series of large-scale sculptures set within a 30-acre bushland reserve located at The Glen, Uralla is also expected to be a big hit with grey nomads. The Constellations of the South concept invited sculptors from across Australia to respond to constellations visible in Uralla’s night sky. The installation features eight metal monuments set atop locally mined granite monoliths. The sculptures are arranged in a stone-henge-like arc, around a central stargazer and spire sited to the axis of the celestial south pole.
The first two works were installed in 2004, and a further six were installed earlier this year.
“The opening of Constellations of the South is the culmination of more than 20-years of community collaboration, drawing on skills of our local sculptors, artisans, construction and landscaping teams,” said Uralla Shire Mayor, Robert Bell. “We expect it to become a major tourist drawcard for our region.”
Rotary Park, which originally opened in the 1970s to offer travellers a convenient place to park, explore, and refresh has also undergone a major transformation to provide high-quality amenities: modern toilet facilities, parking spaces for caravans, barbecues and shaded picnic tables. Rotary Park is perfectly located directly opposite Constellations of the South.
The newly revamped and restored Uralla Court House is also being officially opened this weekend.
The 139-year-old building is testament to Uralla’s importance as a pioneering trading post and gold mining settlement. The council says the restoration project enhances Uralla’s impressive line-up of 19th and 20th Century architecture which is showcased along the town’s heritage walk and has created a new multi-functional space for community use.
With Friday being the Winter Solstice, Uralla is also holding a free stargazing event in the evening, complete with the chance to get hands-on with giant telescopes, and to be guided around the skies by Internationally renowned astronomer-at-large, Professor Fred Watson.
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Uralla is the Gem of the New England, and definitely worth visiting any time of year. Winter is especially nice as the local pubs are warmed with log fires and great food.