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