Tuena, revisited 

Just that. No hustle and bustle, just a quite, peaceful place that travellers are drawn to and locals choose to remain at.

Tuena is a quaint village that posses a special quality about it.

At first I couldn’t put my finger on it, but after visiting I knew it was the fact that it brings with it an element of old-fashioned surprise.

Like Jenelle Parsons, who runs the Parsons General Store, didn’t know what her future was going to hold when she said, “I do” to Bryce Parsons.

“I didn’t ever expect that I would end up running the Parsons General Store,” she said.

“My granddaughters, Ruby and Fynella, like to help me in the store when they come and visit.”

“And I don’t know what the future brings or future generations will bring.

She runs it with evident passion and commitment and provides a ‘soul’ to the people who live there.

She runs the business with her husband and his sister and brother in-law Lynda and Michael Carney.

It is the main meeting point in town and provides the locals, campers and travellers with everything they need.

It has been in the Parsons family since 1886, but the current building was built in the late 1940’s.

“The original signs, cedar counter, and shelves we moved from the original store,” said Jenelle.

“We wanted to keep as much of the original store as we could.”

Jenelle has been running the store for 20 years in June.

Her in-laws, Arthur and Jess Parsons, left it to their son and daughter Bryce and Lynda, who have managed to maintain it, with the help of their respective spouses, charmingly and successfully.

So when the Goldfields Inn Hotel shut in May last year, they saw an opportunity and necessity to provide the locals with the chance to still be able to buy liquor.

“People were upset that the doors shut at the Hotel,” said Jenelle.

“Not only that, but with the decline in population in the area over recent years, there has also been a decline in business at the store.

“So we decided to take the opportunity and go ahead and apply for a liquor licence as Tuena is rather isolated.

“We got the licence about a week before Christmas, which ended up being good timing as it is so busy over the Christmas holidays.

“Now the store has been going well with the addition of the licence.”

It took a lot of work acquiring the licence.

A common impact statement had to be sent from Jenelle to everyone in the community to see if they approved.

“I had to give them 30 days to respond, thankfully everyone was fine with it,” she said.

Jenelle also had to draw a plan of the premises designating where the licenced area would actually be, draw a map of where the premises is in the village and go through a police check.

“Of course I had to follow all legalities, and it took a lot of time, but in the end it was worth it,” she said.

“It has to be roped off and is small, but it serves the purpose.”

TUENA may be what some called ‘isolated’, but it is en route for many to Orange, Bathurst and Cowra and vice versa to Crookwell and Goulburn therefore attracting a lot of travellers.

It is also home to a country style camping area set alongside the Tuena River and just a hop, skip and a jump to the Abercrombie River.

“There are very busy times here,” said Jenelle.

“After Christmas, Easter and school holidays are the prime times.

“Easter is probably the busiest with up to maybe 30 campers at one time.”

The picturesque camping ground is run by the Tuena Hall committee.

It has powered sites with a shower block and two toilet blocks in the village area.

“After the ‘Gold Rush’ stopped in 2000 we didn’t have anything going on in the village,” Jenelle said.

“So about five years ago the Hall Committee started running a Pumpkin Party at Easter time.”

This year it is on Easter Saturday, and a large crowd is anticipated.

There will be six-a-side cricket, a barbecue, cake stalls and drinks and bar, air slide and castle for the kids and in the evening local talent Alice Plumb and her band will be performing.

“People bring their pumpkins down to get weighed,” said Jenelle.

“It is always a lot of fun for everyone.

“2011 was probably our biggest year, but we are hoping with the evening’s entertainment it will attract more people.

“It is so easy because you can just bring your family, some camping gear and stay.”

And easy it is, to visit such a charming, old-world village, and find yourself wanting to stay.

The store itself is antiquated with the gorgeous huge cedar counter, stained wooden floorboards, enamelled signs and remnants of the old store splashed perfectly around to keep your attention.

There is a craft shop positioned neatly at the Tuena Hall and is open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

This was opened when the ladies craft group needed somewhere to sell their arts and crafts.

There is also trout fishing, wonderful walking tracks along the Abercrombie River, swimming at Green’s Bluff and the Abercrombie Caves just 20 kilometres away.

And if that is not enough there is a chance you could find your fortune and pan for gold.

Tuena Creek is open to fossickers within the village area, but they also try Junction Point, Grove Creek or the Abercrombie.

“People are coming back looking for gold,” said Jenelle.

“Since the global financial crises, gold has become a stable option rather than shares or investments.

“We have a lot of weekenders panning for gold and some even stay longer.”

When I drove away from the sunny village, I felt a sense of calm.

If you ever needed to get back to the simple basics of life, Tuena may be just the place to visit.

Waking up in a sleepy village, enjoying the simple pleasures of life and taking it all in. One. Day. At. A. Time.