Like many small rural communities, the attractive town of Rand in southern New South Wales is banking on grey nomads to help it forge an exciting and prosperous future.
The community, nestled on the Billabong Creek about 60 kilometres north-west of Albury, recently unveiled an ambitious new master plan designed to breathe new life into a town which has faced its challenges. With a population of just 200 people, Rand’s once vibrant main street is now full of empty stores and, while there is still a pub here, it opens just once a week for meals.
The Rand Township Improvement Committee has long been looking for a way to reverse the decline and its original idea to simply jump on the silo art trail bandwagon slowly blossomed into a comprehensive master plan.
The Rand Hotel opens once a week for meals. PIC: Sara Kreutzberger
The town hopes it can now get grant funding for other projects, including improving accommodation and amenities for tourism, landscaping certain areas, the installation of dump points and picnic tables, and launching a new ‘Billabong Festival’.
Rand was formerly the terminus of the 53-kilometre Rand railway line which ran to Henty but the station has been closed for several decades now. Although it has seen better times, the town still has plenty to offer grey nomads including a bowling club and a nine-hole golf course with white sand greens and mostly straight holes.
While the Rand Hotel only opens for meals once a week, it also boasts a small shop selling a limited range of supplies. Of course, there are several interesting places and scenic villages to visit in the area, many of which boast a fascinating history … with bushrangers featuring prominently.
About 50 kilometres to the east near the town of Culcain is Round Hill Station where the wonderfully named Mad Dan Morgan carried out an armed hold-up in 1864.
The man known as ‘the most bloodthirsty ruffian that ever took to the bush in Australia’ was later shot dead by police. Modern day visitors to the area around Rand will certainly find things a lot more peaceful and welcoming nowadays. There is a great free camping spot for self-contained vehicles in town on the banks of the Billabong Creek which is an iconic permanent stream lined with large red gums.
The Rand Hotel is about 100 metres away and visitors can use the toilets when the pub is open. The Rand Recreation Reserve is approximately 300 metres away.
The Rand Township Improvement Committee hopes its ‘Plan Rand’ master plan will be fully implemented in time for the town’s centenary in 2026 … but grey nomads certainly shouldn’t wait that long to give it a look
