The Corang Estate cellar door is one of four shops housed in The Corner. Photo: Corang Estate.
How much can a commercial development of four shopfronts change a town? Well, in the case of Tarago, the answer is a lot.
Before construction of The Corner in 2021 by locals Judy and Carl Alcock, there were no shops in town, just a petrol station and a classic country pub. You would have certainly been forgiven for driving through without stopping.
The Corner is now full of tenants who are staking their livelihood on the tiny town, and they’re working hard to invest in its future and put Tarago on the map for daytrippers.
For Jill and Michael Bynon, the owners of Corang Estate wines, the new development gave them the opportunity to bring a new experience to the town of Tarago: a cellar door and shopfront for their locally made, award-winning drops.
“Having travelled overseas to wine regions, we could see that there’s a growing trend of ‘off-site’ cellar doors located in villages rather than kilometres out of town at vineyards. Tourists and travellers want the convenience of other amenities such as cafes, parks and other shops to visit at the same time,” Jill tells Region.
Jill and Michael Bynon have brought a new experience to Tarago with the cellar door. Photo: Corang Estate.
With Tarago being the closest village to the vineyard, which they planted in 2017, Jill and Michael are now operating what they consider a long-held dream: a place that combines their two loves, food and wine, and they feel that the passing traffic that has discovered the cellar door is thrilled to have found a hidden gem.
Within the new development, Jill and Michael have found fellow entrepreneurs who are also investing in the town, and their commercial neighbours Felicity and Glen Harris are bringing the year-round joy of Christmas with their shop, Christmas on Rosebery.
Felicity shares that since moving to the village eight years ago, she and Glen have fallen in love with the sense of belonging they have felt in Tarago. They say the business opportunity has been positive, with more passersby now stopping to take advantage of the shopping opportunities the town now offers.
“We’ve seen steady and positive growth, while Tarago has beautifully maintained its small-town country charm and strong sense of connection,” Felicity says.
”It’s a place where people know one another, support local business, and take pride in their town.”
The Corner was developed by Tarago locals to bring business and tourists into town. Photo: Christmas on Rosebery.
On the Lumley Road side of The Corner, the Chubby Cat Cafe has found a home, bringing a much-needed injection of caffeine to the town, along with a large cafe menu and themed dining nights in conjunction with their fellow tenant, Corang Estate.
At its recent French food and wine dinner, the cafe served up three courses, all paired with French varietal wines by Corang Estate, and its Italian-themed nights are coupled with Sangiovese and prosecco.
Themed dinners, wine tastings and a year-round Christmas: it’s certainly a new face for a village that barely had a town centre, but that growth was long overdue in the village, which has seen significant construction of new housing over the past decade.
Jill also feels that Tarago’s location at a crossroads between major locations is contributing to the appeal for those looking for a destination. She says the passionate business owners are attracting a new crowd to the region and enticing those who once just drove through to stop and experience what is on offer.
“Being an hour out of Canberra, it’s the perfect pit stop for a coffee or a wine tasting and to stretch the legs,” she says.
”Equally, travellers from Sydney pass through on their way to Braidwood or the Far South Coast, and it’s a great spot to pick up some local wines and produce.”
With all these new happenings, it would be a shame to forget the staple businesses that the town has relied on for decades. The Loaded Dog Hotel stands proudly on the opposite junction to The Corner, looking over its newest neighbours. With its classic country pub vibes, large beer garden, live music and solid menu of hotel classics, it’s a destination in itself.
So what does the future hold for this tiny town that’s seeing new opportunities? Well, The Corner is also home to Southern Tablelands Realty, and a growing town always needs new residents seeking a tree change.
