BARELLAN
Barellan is the next town encounted
now as we head west through Griffith. Barellan is a nice little spot
made famous by Evonne Goolagong
Barellan had a population of 366
people. It is a quiet Riverina wheat town with characteristic silos,
and functions primarily as a service centre for the surrounding
agricultural area.
The railway reached Barellan in 1908 and the Post
Office opened shortly after on 1 April 1909.
The Commercial Hotel, "a typically large and rather
gracious hotel with an impressive upper verandah", was built in 1924
Big Tennis Racket was unveiled on 3rd October 2009,

There is also a small plaque honouring her in the
main street. Evonne Goolagong was born in nearby Griffith on 31 July
1951 and attended Barellan Primary School. Although Aboriginal people
faced widespread discrimination in rural Australia at this time,
Evonne was able to play tennis in Barellan from childhood thanks to a
kindly resident, Bill Kurtzman, who saw her peering through the fence
at the local courts and encouraged her to come in and play. To this
day kids still play at the Goolagong Wall and the courts busy with
children.
The Barellan Museum is on the main street opposite
the ‘big racket’
The churches are Barellan are old turn of the
century buildings.  
The Barellan War Memorial is a block removed from
the main street. 
Barellan is a nice spot and refreshment, at a
minimum will be in order as you take your mind back to different
tennis era.
Diary notes
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