Orange's metal cow sculptures on the eastern entrance to town are set to gain some new admirers with a stop-and-rest site to be built off the Mitchell Highway.
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Plans for the travellers' rest point were unveiled by Cr Sam Romano on Thursday.
It will involve separate access roads off the highway for cars and larger vehicles to the existing former dairy building and sculptures.
People driving long distances know they can stop and have a snooze
- Cr Sam Romano
Cr Romano said a toilet block and drinking water facilities would be provided as part of the $750,000 project.
He said it would operate similarly to facilities on the entrance to Bathurst from Orange.
"It is going to be a substantial size," he said.
Cr Romano said he and former councillor Mario Previtera, who died last August, first proposed the stop-and-rest three years ago and it was backed by council.
The project has received $250,000 funding through the Resources for Regions program and the remaining $500,000 is to be allocated in the council's 2021-22 budget which is due to be ratified next month.
Cr Romano said it was expected work on the project would start in the upcoming financial year.
"Orange is probably the only country town or city that doesn't have a stop-and-rest," he said.
"It has been a passion of the late councillor Mario Previtera and myself.
"People driving long distances know they can stop and have a snooze."
The site is part of the former Redmond family dairy farm and the former dairy building has been preserved on the site and will form the centre of the new area.
Council is also considering re-locating a former building from the old saleyards, now off Edward Street, to the stop-and-rest site to extend the cattle theme, but that has yet to be decided.
The existing Driver Reviver site nearby on the same side of the highway will be retained.
Meanwhile work on the nearby Southern Feeder Road extension on Dairy Creek Road is two weeks ahead of schedule.
This week's council meeting was told this stage 3 of the project was now aiming for a late July-early August completion.
Council was told the fourth stage from Forest Road to Pinnacle Road is about $2 million short of full funding.
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David Fitzsimons
I am a senior journalist at the Central Western Daily concentrating on council, government and real estate issues. Before moving to Orange I filled senior roles at the Daily Telegraph, Daily Telegraph-Mirror and the Daily Mirror in Sydney. They included being an editor, news editor, chief of staff and reporter.
I am a senior journalist at the Central Western Daily concentrating on council, government and real estate issues. Before moving to Orange I filled senior roles at the Daily Telegraph, Daily Telegraph-Mirror and the Daily Mirror in Sydney. They included being an editor, news editor, chief of staff and reporter.
