Parkes Phoenix Editor

Looking for that city escape without leaving the comfort of the country? Dubbo has everything you need for any kind of trip – a business event, a family holiday or a romantic escape. Dubbo is known as the “City of Smiles” and has a refreshing blend of urban and rural cultures. For the history buffs, Dubbo is built on rich cultural heritage and interesting experiences are on offer for visitors and locals to explore the past.

This thriving inland city is home to more than 40,000 people, and claims to be the envy of other regional cities due to its breadth of diversity in health, education, retail and professional services, as well as a quality lifestyle, job opportunities and affordable housing. Situated opposite the picturesque Victoria Park, Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre is Dubbo’s premier event venue.

It is located in the heart of the city, just a short stroll to the central business district, restaurants, shops and the Macquarie River. The DRTCC houses the 750-seat Macquarie Auditorium which is the perfect venue for hosting business events, conferences and trade expos. The auditorium also has a retracting wall that divides the floor area of the auditorium into halves. It is framed by a foyer space which is ideal for sponsor and trade displays.

The 500-seat Joyce Schneider tiered theatre boasts modern facilities including a comprehensive, computerised sound and lighting control room, box office, acoustically designed auditorium, hydraulic orchestra pit, fly tower, dressing rooms, ‘green room’, refreshment bar and designated seating for people with disabilities.
Visit the DRTCC to enjoy a variety of shows from concerts, plays, musicals, opera, family shows, dance and comedy.
Call 6801 4378 or go online at www.drtcc.com.au for tickets and more information. When booking tickets, don’t forget to mention that you read about the shows through the Forbes Phoenix!

Another little gem you will find in the heart of Dubbo Street is The Book Connection, an independent family bookstore with over 50,000 new and used titles in stock. There are books in a diverse range of categories from Aboriginal Studies to Cooking books with a myriad of fiction and children’s books in between. If you love browsing through books you will probably need a few hours to peruse the shelves at The Book Connection. There are also many contemporary Australian titles to choose from and a range of beautiful photography collections showcasing different Australian themes.

Dubbo is built on land traditionally owned by the Tubbagah People of the Wiradjuri Nation. Ambition and spirit became the driving forces that transformed a village into a vibrant city hub. The community is bubbling with character, personality, potential and hundreds of interesting stories to tell. To celebrate and honour the past you can walk the footsteps of Dubbo’s pioneers into the city’s intriguing past. Dubbo is steeped in the history of bushrangers,
underworld figures and renowned architects which you can learn all about on the Heritage Walk, starting at the Dubbo Visitor Information Centre.

Orana Mall is Dubbo’s shopping hotspot with a massive range of stores and services. All of your favourite fashion, gaming, homeware and footwear retailers can be found here, as well as a food court full of the tastiest flavours. Orana Mall is on track to complete their $30+million redevelopment over the next few months and there are a whole bunch of new shopfronts opening during August and September. This will include Jeanswest, The Coffee Club, Factorie, Cotton On Body and Cotton On Kids.

The Western Plains Cultural Centre is an $8.2 million facility operated and managed by Dubbo City Council. Located at the site of the old Dubbo High School which closed its doors in 2000, Western Plains Cultural Centre features an art gallery, a museum, a community arts centre and a café. The Cultural Centre was the 2009 winner of the Education and Public Engagement Award and has full amenities including wheelchair access and baby changing facilities.

The Outlook Café is open from Wednesday to Monday between 8am and 5pm, and open late on Fridays for dinner; the perfect way to top off an afternoon wandering through the permanent displays at Dubbo Regional Museum or an hour of art appreciation at Dubbo Regional Gallery. There’s no better way to shop! Save with amazing specials throughout the centre. Be early… only while stocks last!

At this time of year, the town of Canowindra is enjoying Christmas in July, a celebration intending to mimic the northern hemisphere’s white wintery Christmases. Many events are organised as part of the celebrations including
the Christmas in July Window Competition which inspires local businesses to get into the spirit of Christmas by decorating their shop windows.

The old Hardware Shop on Gaskill Street has become a showcase for elaborate window displays that change regularly to reflect either the time of year or a special celebration. The windows are a project of Tommy Jeffs’ from Deli Lama across the road and have become an attraction for visitors to the town. Stop in for a coffee and admire the display from across the street.

Canowindra is a historic village nestled among the rolling hills and spectacular landscapes of Cabonne. The town has a reputation of being a friendly and inviting community with warm and helpful locals. The quirky, curvy main street of Canowindra is lined with heritage listed buildings adding to a strong tourism culture built around history, art, food and of course wine. Canowindra is also Australia’s premier balloon flying region– the ultimate way to get a spectacular view of the flawless landscape.

The town boasts a thriving restaurant and café culture as well as several incredible vineyards producing some of the best wines in the region. It’s been five years since Jackie and Geoff Yeo restored the iconic building in Canowindra known to locals as “Finns Store”. Together they transformed the desolate, silent shop into a vibrant centre of social activity. The mix of coffee, food, clothing, jewellery, and furniture gives the shop a sense of old world
charm merged with modern expectations.

To complement the wonderful food served and the functions being held, the store has recently become fully licensed! Customers have an amazing choice of local and imported beers and local wines. Since it opened, Finns Store has gained the reputation of being one of the regions must visit experiences. Geoff and Jackie believe that the central location of the store gives people an opportunity to make an escape for the day to a venue and town that feels like another world, without needing to travel long distances.

Finns Store is a venue where locals can mix with visitors; a venue that promotes wonderful wines, food and art; a venue that has an array of clothing, jewellery and furniture; truly a ‘licensed cafe emporium’ which can make you feel you have entered another world.

Check out the Age of Fishes Museum to discover the 360 million year old history of this land.