a day ago
'Fiercely loyal': The people who keep this tiny town's heart beating
Beyond the silos and green spaces of this beautiful country town lies an infectious community spirit.
The tiny town of Geranium in South Australia, near the Mallee Highway, has had its population shrink to double digits, but there are families still there who treasure it.
"It's a really unique little community in that it's fiercely loyal," said resident Margaret Smith.
Read more in The Senior
The town's Community Hub bought the Geranium Primary School from the state government for $1.10 earlier this year after it had closed due to dwindling enrolment numbers.
Since the purchase, an Op Shop has opened at the site in the old technology area, and there are plans for a cafe to start soon. A gym and yoga classes have been run from the school already.
Geranium Community Hub secretary Anne Bond grew up in the town, with her great-grandparents moving to a farm there in 1910.
Mrs Bond recalls seeing numerous families on farms in the town and neighbouring areas, with community life revolving around sporting clubs, and the school becoming a focal point in the district.
She said there was a lot of grief when the school closed, but there was a strong community response.
"That brought a lot of people together to support that dreaming of what we could do with the school," she said.
"We felt that we can make it a meeting place."
In the town, there is a bowling club that hosts meals plus several games, a community pool that runs in the summer, an antique shop, a post office, Uniting Church, a space for free camping and a a Soldiers Memorial Park - a nice space to "meditate and have afternoon tea", said Mrs Bond.
Geranium is part of the Southern Mallee district, where farming became a big part of the region's development after railway services started in the early 1900s.
According to the 2021 Census data, Geranium's population was 83, down from 240 in 2006.
There are several volunteers who donate their time to keep the town's spirit and connectedness alive.
Adam Morgan is a fourth-generation farmer in the town with his wife, Tanja, and they have three children.
"I've lived here all my life... I love farming here, but also enjoy the small community," he said.
The Geranium Community Hub chair said keeping the school in community hands has given people a place to gather, including for working bees and local events.
"School has always been somewhere where people have been able to go," he said.
Margaret Smith opened the Op Shop at the school shortly after the sale.
"It's a really good connecting place for locals," she said.
Ms Smith and her husband David - who is involved with the local Uniting Church - moved to the town about 40 years ago. They have barley, wheat, canola and sheep on their farm, plus David breeds Merino rams.
The couple's five children were students at the school and Ms Smith worked there for a time, including as a teacher and a pastoral worker. She recalls families rallying together for school and other community events, and noted how even today, lots of people put their hand up for various causes.
"Everyone sort of pitched in... there's a real loyalty [here]," she said.
Rosemary Howard is the editor of The Guardian, the town's newsletter and has lived in Geranium with her husband Peter since 1968.
Their children went to the town's school and their son lives next door, where he has cattle, dorper sheep and crops.
Mrs Howard had noticed people had been moving to the town in recent years in search of quietness and cheaper housing.
Socially, she said the bowling club's dinners attracted people far and wide, and she loved having a coffee at the Op Shop recently with people who had just finished a yoga class.
"It's always been a friendly town," she said.
"It really is just a very friendly, welcoming place."
Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
Beyond the silos and green spaces of this beautiful country town lies an infectious community spirit.
The tiny town of Geranium in South Australia, near the Mallee Highway, has had its population shrink to double digits, but there are families still there who treasure it.
"It's a really unique little community in that it's fiercely loyal," said resident Margaret Smith.
Read more in The Senior
The town's Community Hub bought the Geranium Primary School from the state government for $1.10 earlier this year after it had closed due to dwindling enrolment numbers.
Since the purchase, an Op Shop has opened at the site in the old technology area, and there are plans for a cafe to start soon. A gym and yoga classes have been run from the school already.
Geranium Community Hub secretary Anne Bond grew up in the town, with her great-grandparents moving to a farm there in 1910.
Mrs Bond recalls seeing numerous families on farms in the town and neighbouring areas, with community life revolving around sporting clubs, and the school becoming a focal point in the district.
She said there was a lot of grief when the school closed, but there was a strong community response.
"That brought a lot of people together to support that dreaming of what we could do with the school," she said.
"We felt that we can make it a meeting place."
In the town, there is a bowling club that hosts meals plus several games, a community pool that runs in the summer, an antique shop, a post office, Uniting Church, a space for free camping and a a Soldiers Memorial Park - a nice space to "meditate and have afternoon tea", said Mrs Bond.
Geranium is part of the Southern Mallee district, where farming became a big part of the region's development after railway services started in the early 1900s.
According to the 2021 Census data, Geranium's population was 83, down from 240 in 2006.
There are several volunteers who donate their time to keep the town's spirit and connectedness alive.
Adam Morgan is a fourth-generation farmer in the town with his wife, Tanja, and they have three children.
"I've lived here all my life... I love farming here, but also enjoy the small community," he said.
The Geranium Community Hub chair said keeping the school in community hands has given people a place to gather, including for working bees and local events.
"School has always been somewhere where people have been able to go," he said.
Margaret Smith opened the Op Shop at the school shortly after the sale.
"It's a really good connecting place for locals," she said.
Ms Smith and her husband David - who is involved with the local Uniting Church - moved to the town about 40 years ago. They have barley, wheat, canola and sheep on their farm, plus David breeds Merino rams.
The couple's five children were students at the school and Ms Smith worked there for a time, including as a teacher and a pastoral worker. She recalls families rallying together for school and other community events, and noted how even today, lots of people put their hand up for various causes.
"Everyone sort of pitched in... there's a real loyalty [here]," she said.
Rosemary Howard is the editor of The Guardian, the town's newsletter and has lived in Geranium with her husband Peter since 1968.
Their children went to the town's school and their son lives next door, where he has cattle, dorper sheep and crops.
Mrs Howard had noticed people had been moving to the town in recent years in search of quietness and cheaper housing.
Socially, she said the bowling club's dinners attracted people far and wide, and she loved having a coffee at the Op Shop recently with people who had just finished a yoga class.
"It's always been a friendly town," she said.
"It really is just a very friendly, welcoming place."
Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
Beyond the silos and green spaces of this beautiful country town lies an infectious community spirit.
The tiny town of Geranium in South Australia, near the Mallee Highway, has had its population shrink to double digits, but there are families still there who treasure it.
"It's a really unique little community in that it's fiercely loyal," said resident Margaret Smith.
Read more in The Senior
The town's Community Hub bought the Geranium Primary School from the state government for $1.10 earlier this year after it had closed due to dwindling enrolment numbers.
Since the purchase, an Op Shop has opened at the site in the old technology area, and there are plans for a cafe to start soon. A gym and yoga classes have been run from the school already.
Geranium Community Hub secretary Anne Bond grew up in the town, with her great-grandparents moving to a farm there in 1910.
Mrs Bond recalls seeing numerous families on farms in the town and neighbouring areas, with community life revolving around sporting clubs, and the school becoming a focal point in the district.
She said there was a lot of grief when the school closed, but there was a strong community response.
"That brought a lot of people together to support that dreaming of what we could do with the school," she said.
"We felt that we can make it a meeting place."
In the town, there is a bowling club that hosts meals plus several games, a community pool that runs in the summer, an antique shop, a post office, Uniting Church, a space for free camping and a a Soldiers Memorial Park - a nice space to "meditate and have afternoon tea", said Mrs Bond.
Geranium is part of the Southern Mallee district, where farming became a big part of the region's development after railway services started in the early 1900s.
According to the 2021 Census data, Geranium's population was 83, down from 240 in 2006.
There are several volunteers who donate their time to keep the town's spirit and connectedness alive.
Adam Morgan is a fourth-generation farmer in the town with his wife, Tanja, and they have three children.
"I've lived here all my life... I love farming here, but also enjoy the small community," he said.
The Geranium Community Hub chair said keeping the school in community hands has given people a place to gather, including for working bees and local events.
"School has always been somewhere where people have been able to go," he said.
Margaret Smith opened the Op Shop at the school shortly after the sale.
"It's a really good connecting place for locals," she said.
Ms Smith and her husband David - who is involved with the local Uniting Church - moved to the town about 40 years ago. They have barley, wheat, canola and sheep on their farm, plus David breeds Merino rams.
The couple's five children were students at the school and Ms Smith worked there for a time, including as a teacher and a pastoral worker. She recalls families rallying together for school and other community events, and noted how even today, lots of people put their hand up for various causes.
"Everyone sort of pitched in... there's a real loyalty [here]," she said.
Rosemary Howard is the editor of The Guardian, the town's newsletter and has lived in Geranium with her husband Peter since 1968.
Their children went to the town's school and their son lives next door, where he has cattle, dorper sheep and crops.
Mrs Howard had noticed people had been moving to the town in recent years in search of quietness and cheaper housing.
Socially, she said the bowling club's dinners attracted people far and wide, and she loved having a coffee at the Op Shop recently with people who had just finished a yoga class.
"It's always been a friendly town," she said.
"It really is just a very friendly, welcoming place."
Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
Beyond the silos and green spaces of this beautiful country town lies an infectious community spirit.
The tiny town of Geranium in South Australia, near the Mallee Highway, has had its population shrink to double digits, but there are families still there who treasure it.
"It's a really unique little community in that it's fiercely loyal," said resident Margaret Smith.
Read more in The Senior
The town's Community Hub bought the Geranium Primary School from the state government for $1.10 earlier this year after it had closed due to dwindling enrolment numbers.
Since the purchase, an Op Shop has opened at the site in the old technology area, and there are plans for a cafe to start soon. A gym and yoga classes have been run from the school already.
Geranium Community Hub secretary Anne Bond grew up in the town, with her great-grandparents moving to a farm there in 1910.
Mrs Bond recalls seeing numerous families on farms in the town and neighbouring areas, with community life revolving around sporting clubs, and the school becoming a focal point in the district.
She said there was a lot of grief when the school closed, but there was a strong community response.
"That brought a lot of people together to support that dreaming of what we could do with the school," she said.
"We felt that we can make it a meeting place."
In the town, there is a bowling club that hosts meals plus several games, a community pool that runs in the summer, an antique shop, a post office, Uniting Church, a space for free camping and a a Soldiers Memorial Park - a nice space to "meditate and have afternoon tea", said Mrs Bond.
Geranium is part of the Southern Mallee district, where farming became a big part of the region's development after railway services started in the early 1900s.
According to the 2021 Census data, Geranium's population was 83, down from 240 in 2006.
There are several volunteers who donate their time to keep the town's spirit and connectedness alive.
Adam Morgan is a fourth-generation farmer in the town with his wife, Tanja, and they have three children.
"I've lived here all my life... I love farming here, but also enjoy the small community," he said.
The Geranium Community Hub chair said keeping the school in community hands has given people a place to gather, including for working bees and local events.
"School has always been somewhere where people have been able to go," he said.
Margaret Smith opened the Op Shop at the school shortly after the sale.
"It's a really good connecting place for locals," she said.
Ms Smith and her husband David - who is involved with the local Uniting Church - moved to the town about 40 years ago. They have barley, wheat, canola and sheep on their farm, plus David breeds Merino rams.
The couple's five children were students at the school and Ms Smith worked there for a time, including as a teacher and a pastoral worker. She recalls families rallying together for school and other community events, and noted how even today, lots of people put their hand up for various causes.
"Everyone sort of pitched in... there's a real loyalty [here]," she said.
Rosemary Howard is the editor of The Guardian, the town's newsletter and has lived in Geranium with her husband Peter since 1968.
Their children went to the town's school and their son lives next door, where he has cattle, dorper sheep and crops.
Mrs Howard had noticed people had been moving to the town in recent years in search of quietness and cheaper housing.
Socially, she said the bowling club's dinners attracted people far and wide, and she loved having a coffee at the Op Shop recently with people who had just finished a yoga class.
"It's always been a friendly town," she said.
"It really is just a very friendly, welcoming place."
Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
