Alocalselling

Late '50's couple, kids left, downsizing. We previously lived in a tiny village and we are amazed at the convenience of living in a large town again. You can even get milk delivered! Local retail is perfect - we haven't had to go out of Mullum to purchase anything, (including furniture and white goods) and the service in places like Mitre 10 etc is very impressive. Hand-crafted timber furniture at Timber Slab factory is pricey but will outlast the purchaser! Very wide range of eateries. The artistic/creative side of the town is unique too. The quality of the original music is very good. I look pretty straight and a few of the alterno people have given me disdainful looks but the other 99% of the alterno's are good hard-working and honest people. Not too many Koori's to be seen - poor buggers have priced out probably.Very healthy place too - you can stock pantry and 'fridge with nearly everything being local and organic. I've never known a place with so many good looking women! You don't see fat families much either. Watch the pedestrian crossings in the two main streets though. Byron Council has carefully planted head-high shrubs at the entry points of the crossings so you can't see people crossing until you are right on the crossing.

There's only one decent eatery in Wardell, and thats a B+B and restaurant in Cedar Street...its a fully restored century old timber place and fully licensed. The pub is pretty ugly inside but very safe. Wardell Public School has had a lot of money and extra staff pumped into it over the last few years and is doing pretty well in standardised tests I believe. Wardell in the past had a reputation for racial intolerance but that has all but disappeared. There's been a lot of government money poured into the village recently for urban renewal. This is particularly noticeable with new footpaths, making things a lot safer for kids and prams. There's some pretty ugly houses around but there are also hundred year old weatherboard homes with long established gardens. Wardell Police Station is a beautiful example of the better-looking places. The police station is manned and we have an active Rural Fire Service as well. Socially the town may not be as diverse as say a Mullumbimby but it isn't full of yuppies like Bangalow either! Gay people, the Koori's, alternative people here are treated respectfully. The Google map has an error - What they call Emigrant Creek is actually the Richmond River!