Orange, unfortunately, has always been a ‘cliquey’ community. If you don't belong to a particular clique you don't get to use all the facilities of the town. Let me illustrate ...

Lake Canobolas was originally built as a water supply for the citizens of Orange. The cost of construction and maintenance was borne by funds from the rates and taxes of all the people.

Yet for years full use of the lake was only available to the members of the trout fishing clique, and if you didn't belong you couldn't fish at the lake.

Because the lake was stocked with their trout you could not engage in other water activities such as sailing either. This allowed about 100 people to bottle up a facility built for everyone.

Eventually the club members died out and the council ended the monopoly.​

Now some of our community want to ride their bikes on trails in the Mount Canobolas SCA, another precinct we all sponsor. But once again a minority want it restricted to hiking, bird watching, etc.

POLL: Have your say …

Might I remind the readers that these are the same people who year after year objected to the controlled burning of accumulated debris that posed a serious fire threat to all the area. 

Finally nature itself took control and we had the bush fire that cleaned most of it out earlier this year. Fortunately there was little damage to property or life but it didn't have to happen at all.

Wake up, Orange. If we all pay we all want our turn on the toys.

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