ORANGE is known for many things - just think great wines, foodie delights and fruit picking, but now the colour city can add one more to the list.
The city has made the front cover of the Sh*t Towns of Australia book which was released this week.
The book is a follow-on from the viral Facebook page of the same name run by New Zealanders Geoff Rissole said Rick Furphy.
Those aren't their real names. The boys from across the ditch use pseudonyms - partly for their own protection but also for the fun of being mysterious authors.
Bathurst, Dubbo, Lithgow and Orange have been lucky (or unlucky, depending on how you look at it) to secure an entry in the book.
And when the authors searched for the perfect cover photo for their book, they decided on a picture of a run-down, boarded-up building from Orange.
We've had a few death threats and people saying if you come around to Dubbo or wherever you're going to get a hiding.
- Sh*t Towns of Australia co-author Geoff Rissole
"The cover photo was taken outside the Canobolas Caravan Park on Bathurst Road. We've been told that the building no longer looks like in the photo," Mr Rissole said.
The duo travel a lot for work and the idea started when they would jokingly write "scathing reviews" of places they visited, post them to Facebook and then tag friends they knew who lived there.
They initially started on their homeland of New Zealand and then progressed to Australia where the popularity of their posts grew.
"We were a bit sceptical about how it was going to go," Mr Rissole said.
"Where we get most of our inspiration now is from people requesting a town to be done.
"We just try and move through and do the towns that have those rivalries."
Soon enough the duo were approached by a book publisher and Mr Rissole said: "When the opportunity was there we took it with both hands".
The authors said they have combined extensive field research, a desire to offend and, where possible, a sense of humour to review 60 towns and cities in the book.
"People are very passionate about their town, but the level of violence that we get threatened with sometimes has been pretty interesting," Mr Rissole said.
"We've had a few death threats and people saying if you come around to Dubbo or wherever you're going to get a hiding."
Mr Rissole laughed than one New Zealand mayor "wanted us shot".
"Our reviews are over the top so they do inspire that sort of reaction I guess," he said.
Nadine Morton
Nadine Morton covers emergency services and breaking news for the Illawarra Mercury. She takes pride in regional journalism which she believes is crucial to informing our towns and cities. Have a story? Email her at nadine.morton@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Nadine Morton covers emergency services and breaking news for the Illawarra Mercury. She takes pride in regional journalism which she believes is crucial to informing our towns and cities. Have a story? Email her at nadine.morton@austcommunitymedia.com.au
