All good things come to an end
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382412)
Rockingham, Australia
November 18, 2023 5:41pm CST
From 1980 to 1984 we lived in the small country town of Ravensthorpe in south-east Western Australia. We were several hours drive from any other towns and, if the town needed a service of any kind, it was up to the residents to provide it themselves. So there was a fire brigade, ambulance service, Hospital Board, Senior Citizens’ Centre, Lion’s Club, etc.
Apart from the hotel, the main social hub was the golf and bowling club which, for the size of the district, had a huge membership. All the facilities had been installed by volunteers and were used most days of the week by one group or another.
However, last time we were there we were told that only the bowling club was still operational. The golf club had closed due to lack of members. Another sign of the times I guess.
The photo is of the Ravensthorpe hotel and is typical of a country pub.
23 people like this
22 responses
@ptrikha_2 (49775)
• India
19 Nov 23
@JudyEv
Many people might have migrated to the bigger cities or bigger suburbs.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169534)
• United States
19 Nov 23
The picture is great. The building looks welcoming. So many small communities are struggling now.
3 people like this
@AmbiePam (121033)
• United States
18 Nov 23
I hate to see places like that lose people, and this a special way of life. I love the picture you included.
Have you ever been to that city in Australia that was built underground because it was so hot? I think there was a bar, church, grocery store, and a lot of residences? Or was that something a well meaning show got wrong?
Maybe there is more than one?
3 people like this
@JudyEv (382412)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Nov 23
We went to Coober Pedy and I think it is the only city in Australia where most residences are underground. We had one night in the hotel there just so we could say we had slept underground. We toured one house and I was really intrigued to learn that, if they wanted a new shelf, they just dug out the soft rock to create one.
It was hard to take 'outside' photos as there's nothing to see but here is the entrance to the church.
4 people like this
@allknowing (153529)
• India
19 Nov 23
But you have wonderful memories to reminisce on
4 people like this
@snowy22315 (209108)
• United States
19 Nov 23
Some things just don't stand the rest of time.
3 people like this
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
19 Nov 23
So this obviously wasn't the big pad you had right this place in Ravensthorpe Judy?
What did you have in this town then, a little house or what?
It looks lovely there.
Pity stuff has closed up.
2 people like this
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
19 Nov 23
@JudyEv Oh my that must have been lovely Judy with the wattle and daub
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (135944)
• Marion, Ohio
19 Nov 23
Wonderful building. Everything changes
3 people like this
@1creekgirl (44560)
• United States
18 Nov 23
That's a beautiful building. Sad that life changes, isn't it.
3 people like this
@Beestring (15372)
• Hong Kong
19 Nov 23
That's a nice looking building. Golf is quite popular here. In fact, membership of golf clubs is quite expensive.
2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (98072)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
19 Nov 23
That is so sad it sounded like such a nice place but this often happened to places based on clubs that people don't attend anymore after a while,
1 person likes this
@Fleura (35097)
• United Kingdom
19 Nov 23
That is a shame. I'm sure there are still plenty of people so why don't they keep things going?
I love that building. Places like that were built to cope with the climate in the days before A/C, and they did it well. Those styles and techniques should be resurrected to cut the demand for electricity.
1 person likes this
@Shiva49 (28394)
• Singapore
19 Nov 23
Change is the only constant, but some are hard to digest.
Closed-knit communities are unraveling all over with people running hither and thither.
There is a mass movement of the younger generation to the cities in Asia with the older generation left behind.
1 person likes this
@aninditasen (18202)
• Raurkela, India
19 Nov 23
It looks really beautiful. Hope it's maintained well. The government should keep it as an heritage.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382412)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Nov 23
@aninditasen Yes, it is. They have a nice museum there too.
@aninditasen (18202)
• Raurkela, India
20 Nov 23
@JudyEv That's nice. So the heritage is still preserved.
1 person likes this
