But railway roundhouses, chocolate factories and haunted houses are not quite so common. 

Junee’s unique intrigue and charm, driven by these quirky attractions, was on full display to the entire region during last weekend’s Rhythm n Rail festival.

The festival is the best tool we have to shine a spotlight on the sometimes forgotten, hidden away beauties of our town.

Few places can simultaneous boast such a rich and authentic journey through the years of both railway and musical history. 

Plenty of punters from elsewhere will tell you they had no idea Junee had so much to offer, while others will say they thought they knew what to expect, but had those expectations blown out of the water.

It’s immensely satisfying to watch out-of-towners gasp as they pull up at the half tin, half brick chocolate factory or cast their eyes around the interior of the one-of-a-kind roundhouse.  

It’s even more satisfying watching those who’ve lived here their entire lives showing wide-eyed visitors around their beloved hometown’s attractions.

Adding further appeal to this year’s festivities was the street parade.

It was the Junee’s first parade of any description in decades and for those who’re a little longer in the tooth, it brought back memories of the town’s seemingly endless railway centenary celebrations in 1978.

Almost everyone loves street parades, as evidenced by the hordes of crowds which gather annually for Christmas parades in the capital cities, and the same principal applied here.

The beauty of the parade is that it drew people here in the first place, meaning many of them were then likely to stick their head into the various other attractions the festival had to offer.

But if there’s one aspect of Rhythm n Rail that could do with a hearty boost, it’s the festival’s committee.

The folks operating the current regime do damn fine work.

But as with the Junee Show committee, there are too few members and they’re having to take on a staggering amount of work year after year.

A town is only as good as the people who volunteer their time for its benefit, and as our biggest festival looks for more helpers, now is the time to shine for those who are willing and able.