Balingup, popularly known as the Scarecrow Town in Western Australia reminded me of the many one-street (with a few tee-off's) small towns still found in many parts of Malaysia. Had it not because of the many man-size scarecrow figurines planted beside the main highway, people would simply just drive through Balingup without stopping. One of the reasons we decided to spend a night on 13 April at the nearby Bridgetown was to see this unique little town.
With barely 500 inhabitants, this little town has plenty to offer - Lavender Farm, Tree Park, Old Cheese Factory, Horse Riding etc. Every year, the annual events, the Balingup Medieval Carnivale and Small Farm Field Day attract many visitors. Unfortunately, we were one week too early to Balingup, the 2018 Small Farm Field Day would only be held on 21 April 2018. For people interested to see the Balingup Medieval Carnivale, there is still time since it will be held on 25-16 August.
Though large metropolis may have an edge over small community in terms of size of economy, there can be exception. Balingup is a good example of what single mindedness, cooperation, inclusiveness and creativity can achieve for a small community.
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| Scarecrows, scarecrows everywhere! |
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A poignant moment in Balingup was when we unintentionally caught sight of the little old church building of St. Peter's Anglican Community Church tucked at the back of the main highway. Built in 1895 and now a council heritage building, it has remained unchanged and still serves the little Christian community as it has been since 120 years ago.
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