Menangle St, Picton, NSW 2571

Seven years ago we drove into Picton along Menangle Street and I said to my husband "This is it, this is where I want to live".

There were pretty timber cottages with picket fences and gardens full of flowers and shady trees. 500metres down the road there was a grand old pub, perched high above the street. The Hotel overlooked a pretty corner where there were tall old trees and colonial cottages lining the lane that leads to the train station. There was a steam train leaving the station on that day, fully loaded with happy kids and smiling parents. Wow! What a place.

Another 500metres down the road we saw a rather ordinary 1980's brick veneer house on the side of the hill, partly hidden behind gum trees and garden. There was a FOR SALE sign out front and I could imagine us living there one day with kids running around the back yard and neighbors dropping over for a beer on a sunny afternoon.

That's where we are now. In that house, we've got a couple of little boys who run around the back yard with the dogs and we love it when our friendly neighbors wander over and stay for a drink.

Picton is a great place to live. It's the best kept secret in NSW. Only an hours drive from Sydney city and half an hour from Wollongong and Bowral. It is a beautiful town in a picturesque valley. The surrounding hills are dotted with grazing cattle, it is a typical rural village yet real close to Sydney.

Picton has great facilities; supermarkets and all the necessary stores; large swimming and fitness complex, train station, buses, schools and three fantastic pubs. One pub even has its own brewery and was the focus of a Reality TV Show. Everything is in walking distance. We could walk to the town centre in less than 10 minutes. Picton has very clean air and most people prefer to walk around here rather than take the car.

On Saturday mornings the paths are lined with joggers, walkers, parents with prams and people walking their dogs. The streets are so pretty and this exercise becomes a delight, not a chore.

Mobile reception is good, we have Satellite Pay TV and Broadband access. We don't have natural gas on Menangle Street yet but is available elsewhere in the town.

Menangle Street is the main access road into Picton from the Hume Highway. Therefore, traffic may be a concern for some people. It's not heavy traffic during the day, it's more like a regular buzz during the peak times, and the occasional car the rest of the time. Weekends are much quieter and the nights are very quiet. Very few cars come by after 8pm. I've spent a few nights wide awake from insomnia and haven't heard a car for several hours.

The part of Menangle Street where we live is far enough away from the Railway line that we don't hear the trains. You hear the steam train whistles on the weekends but no-one minds that sound!

Our house backs onto a cow pasture and the kids enjoy feeding the cows. We have native finches, whip birds, Bellbirds, yellow-breasted robins, honey eaters and the occasional cockatoo in our garden. Every tree has a birds nest in Spring. We also had a red-bellied black snake and a brown snake during the drought. 'Wires' were there within 5 minutes to remove the black snake and the brown snake went away, never to be seen again.

Our neighbors are great, very friendly. We don;t live in everyone's pockets but we enjoy getting together. We all help each other out when we need it, just a phone call and someone will be there in minutes. We have large yards on Menangle street and our homes are very private.

The showground is on Menangle Street. This is the location for the Picton Rodeo, the Picton Show and the Regional Football grand final. The Council office, Public Library, hardware store and Catholic school are also on Menangle Street. The town centre is at the end of our street and the Train Station is just off Menangle Street. There are two pubs on Menangle Street and a Vet. It's great to be so close to everything.

In Picton it is very common to be the only person in the queue at the Bank or the Post Office. You usually only have to wait for one other person in the supermarket check-out queue, if you have to wait at all. People are happy in Picton and no wonder why.

I feel very safe in Picton. I don't know of a single house in Picton that has been broken into. I'm sure there is one but I've never heard about it. Young kids can feel safe walking home from school, some neighbors never lock their doors, there's no gangs. The ambulance station is in town so if you need it, it is usually only a couple of minutes away. There are two doctors surgeries, dentists and other professional services.

I like Menangle Street. It's a beautiful street, full of charm and character in a beautiful town. If you think you'll like the village life, you'll like it here.

Happy reading, from Picton.