5 Things Country Towns Do Better Than Big Cities

Bindarra Creek Romances

Living in a large inland city on the edge of bushland, I enjoy many of the advantages of both city and country living. I see pros and cons to life in each type of area, but what it comes down to for most of us is preference.
 
I have a couple of sisters-in-law who choose to live in the heart of big cities and it’s great visiting them. Public transport is a short walk down the street and I occasionally have ‘Arts envy’ when I see the wonderful shows and exhibitions on their doorstep. They have so many choices of varied ethnic restaurants and cafes, and access to much speedier internet (don’t get me started!)
 
That said, I love the feeling of returning to my peaceful home and waking to birdsong each morning. I look out over the valley in all its seasonal beauty and smell the eucalypts. So, if we take as a given that preference is often the determining factor in where we live, what are five things country towns do better than big cities?
 

1. Strong sense of community – you not only know your neighbours but most of the town/wider community.
2. Space, peace and quiet – blocks tend to be larger than two passes with a lawnmower and with room for a garden and vegie patch, plus.
3. Security and a sense of safety – when everyone knows everyone, you have a brilliant neighbourhood watch!
4. Making your own fun. Living in Cloncurry, many of us ‘transients’ joined with members of the local community to put on shows, which we took on tour to ‘nearby’ smaller towns. My social life was much busier than when I lived in the Big Smoke!
5. Clean air and starry skies at night. In the city I miss seeing familiar constellations and smelling the scents of the bush after rain.

 
There you have my top five reasons for preferring life in the country (or at least on the edge of it). Perhaps they also explain why I've been drawn to writing rural or small town romances
Which do you prefer, city or country, and why?
An e-copy of one of my rural romances will be a random prize for one person who comments here. 
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