Congratulations to Dubbo on turning the big five-zero as a city.
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On Monday a small crowd, including a number of past and present city officials and elected representatives, turned out at the Church Street rotunda to honour the landmark.
It was a far cry from the thousands that lined the streets on September 12, 1966 to watch NSW Governor Sir Roden Cutler proclaim Dubbo as a city.
Sir Roden was so impressed with the development of Dubbo in the 20 years prior to proclamation that he decided to come and do it himself.
Would residents at the time have predicted that Dubbo would grow into the vibrant and go-ahead city it has become?
It has certainly undergone plenty of change in that time. As agriculture has shrunk as an industry, Dubbo has embraced other industries and opportunities.
It still remains the hub for agriculture in western NSW but it is also so much more.
In recent times the city has expanded its cultural footprint, with the Western Plains Cultural Centre and Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre both welcome additions.
The city’s sporting facilities are as good as any west of the Great Dividing Range, with Caltex Park and the international standard DCL (Barden) Park.
The range of shopping centres and businesses is second to none in the Central West with Orana Mall expanding, the CBD undergoing a resurgence through the Ignite campaign and the recent addition of the largest regional JB Hi-Fi in Australia.
The city might have some problems. It has grown a reputation for crime, a trend that is common in Western NSW, and some social problems but those have been acknowledged and more is being done than ever before to tackle them. It will take time, but the right steps are being taken.
A half century after coming of age, Dubbo continues to grow and develop with the times.
As Dubbo Regional Council administrator Michael Kneipp pointed out, it would be nearly impossible to predict what Dubbo will look like in 50 years, but based on the hard work and resilience of its people, it is safe to say it will be a bright future.
One has to wonder what Sir Roden would think if he was around to see Dubbo in 2016.
Residents have plenty to be proud of and everyone should take the opportunity to wish our great city a very happy birthday.