Even the gnomes have an identity

Most of the time, though not needed with the little people (aka gnomes) , there's some sort of explanatory plaque.

But on one of Lithgow's most important buildings there's a 'feature' that must surely puzzle anyone not familiar with our early 20th century industrial history.

At the Railway Parade office block that's home to two Government agencies - NSW Police call centre and Department of Finance (State Debt) - the street frontage at the entrance is adorned with a length of old railway line with no plaque to quell the curiosity of passers by.

I can even recall then Premier Bob Carr asking me about its significance at the official opening.

What this is, we assume, is a relic of our long gone pioneering steel industry when we manufactured the rails for the line being created across the Nullarbor.

Without some signage to tell the story this is just another piece of scrap metal that leaves people wondering just what it's doing at such a location.

Wouldn't happen with garden gnomes.

STILL wondering what happened to the optimistic plans for murals on the walls of the commercial buildings overlooking Lithgow's Cook Plaza? It's a well intentioned plan that has obvious merit on facades that haven't enjoyed the loving caress of a paint brush in a long, long time.

The plan had the support of Tidy Towns - no strangers to promoting community art - but months down the track there's no sign of movement and the faded paintwork detracts from this mid city focal point.

IT was better news at James Street where during the major upgrade of one of the State's most important heritage viaducts the railway team did a great job in cleaning up and restoring the 150 year old sandstone to its former glory. It now glows more than ever in the sunlight and the after dark floodlighting.

Which has prompted an overdue thought that around Greater Lithgow we should be promoting our unique old sandstone railway viaducts as a key focal point for our city. From James Street through Bowenfels and Marrangaroo to Wallerawang we have probably more of these magnificent structures than anywhere we can recall. No one else around here's got ém éven through they'd love to.

All that's needed is some clever floodlighting on the highway side of the arches which shouldn't be too difficult after what was achieved during LithGlo a couple of years back. Then get on with some very much needed landscaping around the James Street icon that was mooted in Council more than 30 years ago but never pursued.

.... and then

BUT wait, there's more! While we're revamping our railway landmarks and lamenting missing murals we still think it was a good idea back during the Mayoralty of Maree Statham to add murals to the shabby brickwork on the Coates Avenue viaduct in Lithgow, similar to the standout feature at Hazelbrook.

This is the entrance to our main sporting and recreational facilities and deserves something more befitting such an important portal. Some prominent signage indicating what lies beyond wouldn't hurt either.

We live in hope.

LET me see if I've got this right. At the weekend a ban was imposed on dancing at weddings and such in the interests of social distancing. But at the same time there's no longer restrictions far as we know, on massage parlours.

As social distancing is demanded of dancers and masseuses there must be some imaginative contortion skills at play.

Please explain.