By MATT NICHOLLS
A COUPLE of clicks off the New England Highway is one of the region’s best-kept secrets.
The small village of Kentucky, near Uralla, has plenty of charm and is poised to grow rapidly, according to locals.
With a thriving general store, school, winery and a popular tourist destination, Kentucky ticks all of the boxes.
Uralla-based real estate agent Peter Ryan said he would be surprised if there wasn’t substantial growth in Kentucky over the next five years.
“It’s a well kept secret,” he said.
“It’s only two minutes from the New England Highway, 10 minutes from Uralla, 30 minutes from Armidale and 50 minutes from Tamworth.
“A lot of people don’t know where Kentucky is because you don’t really have to drive through it to get to any major town.”
For more than 100 years it has been a booming sheep grazing area, but Kentucky has a diverse culture in 2014.
Like all country towns it has the store, school, church and fire brigade, but venture outside the main road and there’s more than meets the eye.
Dobson’s Distillery at Eastview Estate is a hidden gem.
Not only does it produce some of the best craft spirits in Australia, but it also boasts two of the nicest and eccentric owners in Stephen and Lyn Dobson.
Across “town” and you’ll find a farmer that imports Russian motorcycles.
Jon Taylor still lends a hand on the properties now run by his son Michael and daughter Catherine, but his passion is Urals, the iconic Russian sidecar bikes.
Mr Taylor now runs the successful Ural of Oz sidecar tours and training business from his Kentucky property.
When the Armidale Independent dropped in last week, he was about to take a new imported bike to a buyer in Sydney.
You don’t have to look too far to find other enterprising businesses.
Kentucky Roses boasts a world-class garden, while Sunhill Dairy Goats produces popular skin care products that sell far and wide.
“I don’t think Kentucky will be a secret for much longer,” Mr Ryan said.
“There’s a real charm to the place.”
