CROOKWELL, NSW AUSTRALIA

Crookwell is a picturesque town, with a population of around 2100 people. It's situated within the crossroads of the Crookwell River and Kiamma Creek, and is located 242km southwest of Sydney via Goulburn which is 48km to the southeast.
The town being 914 metres above sea level, and much of its surrounding districts being higher, this is what ensures Crookwell at least one good snowfall per year. Crookwell's climate changes readily depending on the season, its summer days can be very hot, while the nights are always cool.

Crookwell is renowned for its agricultural and pastoral land. Being one of Australia's finest producers of wool, fat lambs, beef cattle, oats, hay, dairy produce and cold climate fruits, not to mention being one of New South Wales' major producers of seed potatoes. Along with all this, Crookwell has some fabulous gardens, which displayed massed bulbs in the Spring, and the tree are lovely and colourful during Autumn, the whole area is a blaze of colour.

Short Term History
Over the past 10 years in Crookwell there has been a major shift in lifestyle. The average age of grazing property owners is getting older; there are very few young people on the land. On a family property of say 1000 acres in the past, one son would have come home to help his father and be able to have a comfortable income for both families. These days with barely a living for one family the son would have to find employment elsewhere other then on the families farm. Another example of the above situation is that the property would be cut up into several smaller blocks. The son would still work elsewhere, while the main block still run the same; absentee owners would own the other small blocks. They would have the father care taking the blocks, which in turn would supplement his income.
With these subdivisions, where grazers have sheep and cattle and grow potatoes, they may have a nursery or grow grapes and in some cases nothing is done and the land is neglected, noxious weeds and animals may become a problem. One example of a property to be subdivided is "Norfolk Rise", which has been in the same family since the early 1850's. Over the years it has changed from a sheep grazing and potato growing property to a sheep and cattle property. This property is also now the temperate home to a flock of young goats. Besides the obvious changes Norfolk Rise's owner died not that long ago, and the new owner, the previous owners daughter lives away from Crookwell, she has decided to have the property subdivided into several small blocks. Many of the prospective buyer's maybe hobby farmers who may work in larger cities such as Canberra or Sydney and they could turn into Rural Retreats.

Crookwell council along with many of the local residents decided after years ago to change the outlook of Crookwell historical main street, to a modern and safer design, much like that of the town of Young. What had been planned to be just a matter of fixing the damaged draining system in Goulburn Street, became one of Crookwell's largest geological changes this decade. Many people use to look upon Goulburn street a s being a plain old street, with a few shops here and there, this was the place where many of us would only go to when needing to buy something. It had never been thought of as a tourest attraction. Now days when visitors or anyone else for that matter drives into Crookwell are firstly met with retared and widened road, which all motorists like. Secondly they are met with the great beauty that is the town of Crookwell, that being the newly installed roundabout which is covered with gorgeous roses and a tall light post, which some say can be seen from kilometres away on a clear night to. Moving further into the town there are pretty little ornamental Cherry Trees, which have been planted evenly along both sides of the street, guarded against dangerous motorists by colourful tree guards.
As well as this Crookwell's council now days, is more aware of people's safety as well as the beauty of the town. They have improved the crossing by turning it into a main feature. Adding a warm atmosphere of beautiful flower gardens with pansies and other flowering plants. Seats have also been placed at the crossing, which gives the area a friendly atmosphere that helps attract people to the crossing and therefore safe lives.

Over the years the business district of Crookwell has also seen a number of changes, new business come and go, bringing with them, new employment opportunities for the local people. But there's always the fact that some business haven't serviced the past 10 years as well as many people, due to the last drought having a bad effect on much of the district, which will hopefully bounce back in a few years.
Lindner Sock Factory moved here from Goulburn about 3 years age, it was already a well-established business and has been a big plus for employment as well as the local wool industry. This factory arson with the Wind Farm will be what keep Crookwell on the maps, not to mention letting Crookwell be known around the world.
Along with the Lindner Sock factory Crookwell also has a Weaving Mill that is owned and run by a very talented Taylor Alan Craven. This business also helps the local wool industry and is opened for inspection.
Clifton's Pharmacy is local at Goulburn Street; it has been a family business for generations. This business has now become Double JJ's Supermarket; there is also rural vetenary section that has been sold to Virbac Australia Pty Ltd. They use the promises to manufacture stock drench etc, which helps farmers in the district.
Peter Clifton Toyota was a new car dealership, which has been sold and closed. It was only ever open a couple of days a week by people from Goulburn. It has now become a woman's clothing store named Bushrangers Clothing Co, which employee's local people.
Aunty Lou's which is a specialised Woman's Clothing Store, which also incorporates a coffee shop. The owners originally were grazers who decided to sell off some grazing land and try retail business. This shop use to be an electrical goods store, therefore caters for entirely different people than before.
What used to be a basketball pavilion has recently become a Youth Center, it has a pool table, Nintendo, table tennis and other actives to help entertain the young people and to give them somewhere to go off the streets.
The ANZ Bank closed about 2 years ago and has been turned into an agency in McGeechnes Farm Supplies, Then Sate Bank has also is now in Moorelands Department store run by reduced staff and opened on Saturday mornings.
The Historical Post Office downgraded to Postal Shop; mail sorted elsewhere and need fewer staff.
Crookwell now has a Video Store, which is very popular with the young. This place had once been Crookwell Sound Centre, now Davies Newagency are the only people in town selling CD etc.
Crookwell is renowned for its Hockey and many sport fields like Jean Todkill Park, which once was sheep grazing property. The land was donated to the Crookwell Hockey Association by Jean Todkill family after her untimely death, a dam has been made to water the fields and large pine trees planted for protection from the wind. They look really nice situated on the Goulburn Road, just as motorists enter Crookwell from the Goulburn end.
Lincooper Fields are really good fields; they are much larger and have good atmosphere much better than soccers old fields the showground. The soil just wasn't made for such a game as this. The showground is real boogie hole at the best of times; it was no place for such great soccer players to play. The showground has now been upgraded with new sheds and trees.
A large subdivision called Laver Place has been developed not that far from Crookwell High School on a site that use to be grazing land. It has become popular site for new houses, which at this point in time making a lot of work for local builders in the area.
Telstra tower has been erected to improve phone services, particularly in small places such as Peelwood, its situated as the back of the telstra office.
There is a Mobile Phone Tower in Millers Paddock on Old Binda Road at the back of the Ostrich Farm. Pinelea Ostrich Farm was started a few years ago as an alternative to having all sheep as well.
There have also been many changes over the years to the district surrounding Crookwell. On the Kialla Road there are now subdivisions and new houses where properties one were. Many sheep and cattle still graze along this road. There's also a Gladioli Farm owned by The Willis Family, they employ a lot of people at picking and packing times, this property was used for sheep only.
Heading on out towards the Laggan area there has been a lot of subdivision near redground, which in later years has become quite a popular place to build new homes. Mostly due to the fact that the owners can live every close to Crookwell and still have a property large enough to provide an income from or just have a hobby farm.

The Laggan area it's self has always been known for its sheep and cattle grazing as well as potatoes and some of the best fat lambs in the district. Times are slowly changing, some of the properties are being sold, their owners moving and some retiring. Two properties now changed to Nurseries. Laggan Nursery sells strawberries and plants also have ducks, goats, sheep and horses instead of all sheep grazing. The other Nursery grows flowers sold in local shop or you can pick your own. Once cattle grazed it now has a hot house cool room and flowerbeds with a few sheep grazing.
Neighbors have bought land from next door to us extending their grazing land at "Pinedale". Brodericks now grow broccoli in their paddocks, they also have cooler rooms to keep it fresh, a big shed has been built to sort in, they employ a lot of casual labouur.
"Maxton" owned now by The Cady Family, has the house is rented out to people who have ducks, goats also our sheep graze there as usual having their lambs. "Appletree Forest" also owned by The Cady Family, which has two houses, one house is rented out, sheep lambs and The Cady Family live in the other.
"Ejan" is now rented out owners moving to Wheeo some 5 years ago, at the moment pigs and goats grazing with the sheep.
The old Howard property was sold out after their son died, the family who bought it come from Sydney owning a Nursery their. They have put in lots of trees everywhere also cattle now graze with the sheep.
The Wool store on the corner of Macintosh and Laggan Road closed is now for sale being used for storage at the moment.
Regular fortnightly cattle sales have been discontinued.

Over time Crookwell like every other town or city in the world sees many changes if not in the environment, but in the people who live there. Crookwell has seen a lot over the past 10 years, and should keep getting stronger as it starts to recover after so many years of hardship.

Crookwell is not only a town based to sheep and cattle growth, it's also home of Australia's largest Windfarm.

NOTE: The Cady Family refers to to Heather Cady's family.

These words were taken from Heather Cady's Year 11 Major Geography Project 1999.