Curious Central West in 2017: Investigating the confronting to the quirky
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In 2017, Curious Central West travelled far and wide and investigated stories that were complex and confronting, while others were cute and quirky.
It was all because audience members participated in a form of people-powered journalism by asking the questions they had always wondered about.
Here is what they asked and what Curious Central West found out.
Why did time stop in Orange?
Curious questioner, Trudi loved the chimes of her city's timepiece and wanted to know what stopped the historic Post Office clock at Orange.
During the ABC investigations, the clock re-started, but the story highlighted the importance of a working town clock for many regional communities.
Which is colder, Oberon or Blayney?
Towns often have rivalries but this story looked at which of two communities had the dubious honour of being the coldest.
Curious questioner, Jasmine went to Blayney High and remembered playing the 'Ice Cube Cup' against Oberon High and wanted to know if Oberon or Blayney was really colder.
Why are country roads so wide?
While metropolitan motorists duck and weave through narrow city streets, there is often a lot more room to move on country roads.
Curious questioner, Clare wanted to know why country roads were so wide.
What is the story behind the name Elephant Park in Orange?
Curious questioner, Kylie often visited Orange's Elephant Park with her young son but wanted to know why it was called Elephant Park.
The investigation revealed a colourful slice of Australia's circus history and a never-before documented Orange elephant eyewitness account.
What can old abandoned grain silos be used for?
Curious questioner, Catherine wanted to know what could be done with the hundreds of old, abandoned grain silos along railway lines in regional Australia.
Her question won the first Curious Central West voting round by an overwhelming majority.
Are Bathurst's street lamp traffic turning arrangements unique?
It's an old joke in Bathurst that locals can spot a driver from out of town because they turn the wrong way at one of the city's historic lamp standards.
It was one of the first things Curious questioner, Vincent noticed when he moved to Bathurst and he wanted to know why the traffic turned that way around the lamp posts.
Why are pelicans seen in some inland areas and not others?
Pelican-loving Curious questioner, Liz wanted to know why pelicans were seen in some inland areas like Forbes but not in others such as Orange.
The story uncovered another mystery about pelicans that scientists still don't have all the answers to.
Why are there so many hotels called the Royal?
Curious questioner, Berrill spent a fair bit of her youth patronising the Royal Hotel at Canowindra where she grew up.
She wanted to know why nearly every town had a Royal Hotel and this question won the second Curious Central West voting round.
What is behind a set of grand old stone gates near Molong?
Driving the road between Orange and Wellington, Curious questioner Susan wondered what was behind a set of grand old gates at Larras Lee.
The story revealed that through her ancestry she had a link to the family living at the property.
What happened to the Aboriginal people of Coolah and Dunedoo?
Many regional towns have a strong Aboriginal presence such as a Land Council or local elders, but others don't have a visible occupation.
It got Curious questioner, Fiona wondering what happened to the Aboriginal people of Coolah and Dunedoo.
Audio: Curious Central West investigates what happened to the Aboriginal people of Coolah (ABC News)
How did the giant boulders of Rock Forest near Bathurst come to be?
Photo:
Huge boulders, or tors, at Rock Forest near Bathurst, NSW. (ABC Central West: Melanie Pearce)
Every day Curious questioner Nicole drove past huge rocks rising out of the land near her property.
She wanted to know how the amazing boulders of Rock Forest near Bathurst formed.
What is the deal with reverse angle parking in so many country towns?
Curious Central West received a number of similar questions including one from Andrew in Melbourne who wanted to know why so many country towns had reverse angle parking.
This was the clear winner of the third Curious Central West voting round.
What are the brick ruins on the hillside just outside Blayney?
Curious questioner Sally often drove on the Millthorpe Road entrance to Blayney and wondered what were the brick ruins on the hillside.
Curious Central West found just the expert — a historian who had actually written a book on the historic lime kilns.
What is the meaning and origin of these Central West place names?
This story was the product of more than a dozen nominations from Curious questioners wanting to know what was the meaning behind place and road names in the Central West.
The Central West was in fact the perfect place for this investigation, being home to the NSW Geographical Names Board at Bathurst.
Can attitudes towards cycling be changed in Orange and beyond?
Curious questioner and 'occasional cyclist', Hanne wanted to know what could change attitudes towards cyclists.
The story generated a lot of social media debate.
Topics: people, community-and-society, history, regional, orange-2800, dubbo-2830
