Think you're a local - put yourself to the (road) test

14th Jul 2026

If you have lived in Guyra for many years, the names below may bring back memories. However, a recent conversation highlighted that some of our newer residents, and perhaps the younger generation, may not be familiar with these unofficial landmarks that have become part of local folklore.
So, if someone told you they were heading past the Pink Wool Shed, the Hawthorn Hedge, Dorothy’s Downfall, the Mad Mile, Stringybark Hill or Kapunda Corner - would you know where they were going? If I mentioned heading down the Pinch that would probably give it away.
It is of course the road that links Guyra with its southern suburb of Armidale, a journey of around 40 kilometres or 25 miles in the old vernacular. This stretch of road has changed dramatically over the years and was once a very different drive - narrow, winding and without the overtaking lanes we know today.
It was (and probably still is) a road where many newly licensed drivers tested their skills, and where plenty of “heroic” stories were shared about record times between the two towns.
For those who need a refresher:
Pink Wool Shed - the old pink wool shed, now the white woodshed at the bottom of the Pinch.
Hawthorn Hedge - located on the eastern side of the road when travelling south, just after the Sunnyside turnoff. It only partially remains, the victim of highway upgrades.
Dorothy’s Downfall - notorius spot along the journey, although the exact location is a bit of a mystery.
Mad Mile - a section of road remembered as a testing ground for drivers and their machines (not something we would condone)
Stringybark Hill - another well-known landmark along the highway, where the overtaking lanes (recently upgraded) pass the property of the same name.
Kapunda Corner - the notorious corner leading towards Duval Creek, which was later improved and straightened.
And these are just the names attached to one stretch of road. There are sure to be many more unofficial landmarks scattered across the district, places that may mean nothing to outsiders but instantly tell a local exactly where you are talking about.
What other local names are out there? Perhaps there is a bend, hill, creek crossing, gate or paddock that has its own story and nickname known only to locals.
We’d love to hear from readers. What are the local landmarks and road names that have been passed down through generations in the Guyra district?

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Think you're a local - put yourself to the (road) test

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