CHILDREN were playing, motorcycles were roaring and checkout tills were 'cha-chinging' again on the weekend in Nundle, as locals and visitors alike descended on the town's shops and parks after lockdown.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
While it wasn't packed to the rafters in the weekend getaway hotspot, things were nearly back to normal according to Nundle Cafe owner Andrew Brown.
He said that was a welcome sight, and explained in no uncertain terms how quiet things were during the lockdown.
"I would've walked out on the street, whacked someone on the head and dragged them in if I could," he joked.
"I don't think anyone understood how quiet it had gone here.
"You could've ridden up and down the street naked on a horse and no one would've even seen you."
He said there was a steady flow of customers into the cafe on Saturday, and by Sunday it wasn't quite overwhelming, but was almost business as normal.
This was backed up by Nundle Events and Groups owner Teree Burr, who said a number of local outlets were enjoying the sight of shop doors swinging open and shut throughout the day.
READ ALSO:
The likes of the Peel Inn Hotel and Nundle Woollen Mill were kept busy, but it was the outdoor spaces that attracted the most attention, she said.
"This past weekend we noticed a lot of the locals getting out from around the region, the Tamworth and Quirindi areas - that one hour drive market," she said.
"They were enjoying the sunshine and mostly the outdoor recreational areas were the most popular, like Chaffey Dam and Sheba Dam.
"I think people were keen to enjoy that beautiful warm weather and the recreation of swimming, and boating, and skiing, and fishing and things like that."
She thinks there was still a bit of hesitancy and confusion about restriction conditions though, and wanted to send a very clear message that locals and tourists from non-lockdown areas can visit.
"Nundle is definitely open for business, all of the business owners are following COVID guidelines," she said.
"We've still got a long way to go but we can definitely see some light and the positive thing was, especially in the local shops, there is that real sentiment for buying local and supporting people in the community."
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark northerndailyleader.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News