by Ryder Howes  

When my nan was a little girl in the 1960s, Tilba was different. She used to do a lot of things you can’t do now. Like run around in the paddocks, build cubbies out of wood, and ride down the main highway on her scooter. She normally rode to the general store once a week to get a big bag of lollies for 20c. Back then there were more houses than shops. There were also a bunch of things they had on like flower shows, fashion shows, dances and Sunday school. As you can see Tilba was a children’s playground back then.

In the 1980s my mum was a young girl. During the 1980s, a few more shops opened, including an art gallery, the Teapot Café, Tilba Leather and the Woodturning Gallery. But the Cheese Factory was still there as well as the General Store and Dromedary Hotel. Lollies and paddle pops were still only 20c. My mum enjoyed choosing the lollies she wanted in her lolly bag. Now the kids of Tilba would wander out in the magical paddocks, having adventures and finding new places to explore. My mum went to the Spring show and Sunday School like her mum but she also got to enjoy a new event, the Tilba Festival.

Now in 2023 Tilba is a thriving village full of shops and is a popular tourist location. The kids of Tilba now have to wait until the sun is setting to go out to play on their scooters and bikes. And the average lolly is at least two dollars. The land where the kids used to play long ago is now full of National Park walks and signs. But the General Store is still at the entrance of Tilba. But even that is changing. You can no longer buy the lollies my Nan and Mum enjoyed from there. As you can see through the three generations of my family Tilba has changed but remains a special place in our hearts.