Grey is the new Orange

Orange, in NSW's Central Tablelands, is quite the place for a visit. If you believe visitnsw.com, it's about unforgettable getaways in exquisite rolling hills, vineyards, lush orchards, boutique shopping, and renowned food and wine. Plus it's renowned also for its preserved heritage.

All that's true of course. I like it, and have often stopped there briefly and quite liked the place.

This time we spent a night and a day there, and looked around a little bit more. (Photo at right courtesy visitnsw.com)

 

 

 

 

We checked out the botanic gardens and Cook Park, both very nice places.

 

 

 

But Orange's recent popularity has brought a big expansion in its population, and big new suburbs are appearing all around. And what's with the ubiquitous dark grey roofing everywhere? Not just unsightly, but a very sub-optimal colour too, if you don't want to waste energy during the rather hot summers they have out here.

Green Square 2017

Green Square was just a station on the Airport Line for quite a while. But there was a plan for a magnificent new suburb with 40,000 people.

I heard that things were happening there now, so did a quick tour of inspection. There's lots more to come, but some interesting things have appeared, and a town centre is indeed taking shape, right alongside that railway station.

One's the Infinity building, said to be described by some as a doughnut, a rollercoaster, or an armchair.


And there's the public library, mostly underground, and very avant garde. I spent a while searching for the free magazines to read, before finding them upstairs, in the cafe. Which is quite logical really.


I'll head back in a year or so for another progress report.