Australia's Scenic Public Toilets #8 - Gunnedah, New South Wales

At first glance, this public toilet in Gunnedah, Central NSW seems unremarkable, right?

Especially when compared to the wonders and delights of the Australian public toilets already on display in these pages ...

BUT ... Gunnedah's offering can hold its head high in the public toilet pantheon, because it offers a complete poetry-themed amenities experience!

At the end of Gunnedah's 'Poets Drive' featuring 16 Aussie poets, the brochures encourage tourists to visit the 'Lyrical Loos'!  If you think, as I first did, that this is just a cutesy way of describing a convenience block, you'd be wrong!  It's a literal description - the continuous loop recording of famous Australian poems plays throughout the building to match the external silhouettes of poetic scenes!

But wait!  There's more!!

Choose a cubicle by your preferred poet and poem - conveniently etched on each door to aid the selection process.

Then, when seated inside doing what comes naturally, take the time for quietly reflecting on your selected poem, against the backdrop of the recorded recitation.

   

Alas, the rain that had dogged our trip was drumming so loudly I couldn't hear the recording, but full marks for a unique Australian experience!  Perhpas it was just as well - I'm not quite sure how I'd react to hearing one of my favourites, 'My Country', in these circumstances...  Maybe next time!!

And I couldn't hang about, either!  One is looked upon with deep suspicion when entering such premises with a camera - so a couple of quick snaps and I scuttled out of there before anyone could peg me as a nasty perve ...

One day we'll return to complete the experience.  Gunnedah is not only famous for commemorating Australian poets, but it's also Australia's Koala capital!  Perhaps appropriately for this post (!!), the only evidence of koalas on this visit (August 2010) were the droppings around our camper trailer under the eucalypts in the caravan park ...

Happy travels!!