Bathurst should not be surprised that there already seems to be a push on for Orange to start its own winter festival in years to come. After all, we have seen this from Orange before. 

When Bathurst introduced its New Year’s Eve fireworks in 2009, it was the first major Central West centre to do so.

Bathurst Regional Council could see real merit in bringing the community together to celebrate the passing of one and to welcome a new one.

As we know now, the fireworks were a great success and in the first few years drew hundreds of people to town from other areas across the Central West.

So it was no surprise when Orange City Council decided to copy the idea and run its own New Year’s Eve party.

Of course, Bathurst could never claim exclusive rights to the idea of fireworks on New Year’s Eve so we were happy to see Orange run its own (slightly less successful) event.

Now history is repeating with regards to the winter festival. Again, Orange has given Bathurst a couple of years to see how the festival has gone and now may be considering its own.

And who could blame them? What regional city would not want to replicate the successes of Bathurst?

Let Orange also build an international standard BMX track, their own indoor swimming centre (oh, that’s right) and maybe one of the best harness racing complexes in the state.

What Orange cannot replicate, though, is Bathurst’s standing is one of the fastest growing regions in NSW – and the single fastest growing region in its own right.

The three centres currently growing faster than Bathurst - and only marginally-  are all doing so in the shadows of major cities.

Maitland can attribute much of its growth to its proximity to Newcastle while both Yass and Queanbeyan rely on the overflow from Canberra for their continuing development.

Not so in Bathurst. Here, the city is growing on its own merits and as a result of its own vision for the future.

And if being a leader in regional NSW  means neighbouring cities wish to imitate us, then Bathurst should wear that crown with pride.

The other towns and cities should know, though, that they will never do things quite as well as the original and best.