The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Underwhelmed to meet you! The mayor of Bland in New South Wales, Australia, visited Dull near Aberfeldy yesterday. The town is already twinned with Boring in the US...and there are plans to forge links with fellow US towns Ordinary and Dreary.
Insipid-sounding communities form a triumvirate of tedium
An international league of some of the world’s most tedious-sounding communities could expand.
On Friday night, villagers from Dull in Highland Perthshire – an area already linked with Boring in Oregon, US – threw a party to welcome the Mayor of Bland, New South Wales.
The three areas decided to come together for a quirky partnership, in an effort to boost tourism and put themselves on the map.
Now talks are under way to join up with two more US communities – Ordinary and Dreary.
Speaking at a civic reception in Aberfeldy, where Mayor Tony Lord was greeted in traditional Scottish style, Perth and Kinross Provost Dennis Melloy said: “We’ve found Ordinary and Dreary, both in America, and I think they could soon be part of it all, which is quite interesting.
“I’ve heard it called the League of Extraordinary Communities, and I quite like that. But really, having links with communities from other parts of the world is just a great way to broaden all our minds.”
Dull’s name is thought to have come from the Gaelic word for meadow.
Others have speculated it could be connected to the Gaelic word “dul”, meaning snare.
Bland is named after William Bland, a medical practitioner and politician, who was transported from the UK to Tasmania in 1814 after being convicted of manslaughter.
Mr Lord was given a tour of the area before a reception in his honour at the Birks Cinema.
He said: “Dull appears to be an absolutely Scottish village.
“Its part of the real Scotland, the part that the tourists often don’t see.”
He added: “I am sure we will see more people from Bland coming here in the future.”
Mr Melloy said: “For me, the most important thing is joining hands across the sea.”
We’ve found Ordinary and Dreary, bothin America, andIthink they could soon be part of it all, which is quite interesting. DENNIS MELLOY