The suburb of Mascot could become the first urban area in Australia to be rezoned as rural following Botany Bay Council’s proposal to honour local country music star Amber Lawrence.
The proposal seeks to establish Mascot as a bona fide country town and to pay tribute to the 2015 Golden Guitar award winner for Best Female Artist.
Lawrence has become a star on the Australian country music scene but spent her youth ensconced in suburban Sydney, where she attended St Therese Catholic Primary School, Mascot, OLSH, Kensington and UNSW.
“The people of Mascot are enormously proud of Amber” announced City of Botany Bay Mayor, Ben Keneally, who put forward the proposal.
“Consequently, we have contacted the relevant authorities with the view towards earning Mascot rural designation”, explained Keneally.
“Should the proposal succeed, Mascot Oval and L’Estrange Park will double as communal grazing grounds and sports fields. Council is also in the process of organising a B and S Ball as well as the first ever Mascot Field Day and Campdraft.”
Keneally went on to explain that the establishment of rural status would see a proliferation of Utes ‘lappin the main’, a closure of essential services such as banks and post offices as well as poor phone and internet reception.
The Mayor also boasted of increased tourist revenue into the suburb as a result of the designation, though the promotion of local landmarks.
“Goulburn has The Big Merino, Coffs Harbour The Big Banana – Mascot has the Big Airport. We’ve even approached Amber’s people with the idea of producing an airport tie in with her single Feel Like Flying.”
Published in The Beast, May 2016.
Images: http://www.happynessphotography.com.au
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