Far from the hustle and bustle of Sydney and Melbourne, Griffith kids have a relaxed attitude to life and an appreciation of the land.
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We asked a number of born and bred locals to share their favourite things about Growing up in Griffith.
Do you have anything else to add to the list?
1. Adventures on Scenic Hill
Whether it was exploring the Hermit’s Cave or defying danger in billy carts, Scenic Hill is a fixture in every kid’s life. An imaginative setting for moon explorations, daring princess rescues and bushranger fantasies, the caves, crevices and rocky outcrops are the stuff of childhood dreams.
And those slopes are a pure adrenaline-junkie’s dream.
2. Swimming in the river
A trip to Darlington Point and the mighty Murrumbidgee meant swimming and fishing without the crowds of the pool or the dangers of the canals. Those lucky enough to camp by the river’s edge saw stars seldom sighted in smoggy Sydney.
3. Knowing everyone
Depending on when you grew up, Griffith was either a small town or a small city, but regardless it was a place where everybody knew your name. Second and third-generation residents run into former schoolmates at the school gates and a walk down Banna Avenue can take anywhere from 10 minutes to four hours depending on who you run into.
4. Multiculturalism
You don’t realise how middle class and white mainstream Australia is until you get out of Griffith for the first time. Kids grew up hearing a variety of languages and seeing all sorts of strange delights in the lunchboxes of fellow students. While pizza is multicultural for some families, Griffith kids from all backgrounds were swapping salami sangas in the schoolyard.
5. Farm life
Even for the kids who grew up in town, farms were only a bike ride away. There were cars, bikes and tractors all ready to be driven by kids tall enough (and strong enough) to reach the pedals. If you didn’t ride around on a little grey Fergie at the age of nine, you didn’t truly live.
6. Street sports
Griffith kids knew you didn’t need a paddock for sports, even though there were plenty about.
Quiet suburban roads could be cricket pitches or football fields depending on the season, with mothers preparing the iodine and band-aids in winter.
7. Lapping
There was no greater rite of passage for a Griffith kid than getting in a car and cruising between Co-op Corner and top block. It didn’t matter if you were in an old Holden with Johnny O'Keefe coming through the wireless or a Datsun 180B blaring Guns ‘n’ Roses, the very act of lapping meant you had come of age.
8. Salami making
This became the norm for many children with an Italian background. Families come together once a year to recreate the family’s salami recipe.
10. Attending a big wedding
Many children grew up thinking it was typical for a couple to invite 300 plus guests to their wedding.
11. Dropping in to Bertoldo’s
You can't get more Griffith than Bertoldo's. This local bakery is the longest-running bakery in Griffith. You can get everything from freshly made pies and sausage rolls through to delicious salad wraps, pasta, rice and birthday cakes.