The New Frontier - A Realistic, Natural Growth MD

[Gugu3]

Very nice!

[vortext]

Congrats on being OSITM! 

Looking forward to what you've got in store! 

[feyss]

Beautiful rural scenes. I like it. And congrats for the OSITM

[M4346]

Dear Friends and fellow SC4Devotees,

Thank you very much for all your congratulations, support and, of course, the OSITM! 

It is indeed a proverbial cherry on the cake after what has been an eventful month! Today marks exactly one month to the day that South Africa went to the polls and returned my party with 89 seats to the National Assembly, one of which I was appointed to occupy.

Although, it didn't stop there, as I was appointed one of two new National Spokespersons for the DA last week.

It's been a roller coaster ride of a month, having also migrated to a new laptop (thankfully Steam makes the SC4 transition very smooth and simple) and being incredibly sick right now as the real winter chill has set in over the South African interior (although it is still nothing compared to the northern hemisphere winters, I know!)

Given all this excitement, I have a fairly small look at Melrose in store for you all today... so, let's go!

Today we're heading further north from Benhurst towards Melrose, which is a small town en route to Tamworth.

Melrose is a quintessential railway town, built at the beginning of the previous century by the provincial government to house the growing number of railway workers needed to keep the trains running safely, on time and on track!

Click for original (1366 x 1203px

The small town of Melrose is also responsible for ensuring that the main freight railway hub is staffed and that the produce and livestock of the region make their way across the country.

Click for original (1366 x 952px

Because of the resolution granting significant tax breaks to produce and livestock used for food, the area surrounding Melrose mirrors the vast tracts of agricultural land in the North Coast District Municipality.

Click for original (1366 x 2108px

Cattle ranches like these also dominate the rural scene in the area:

Click for original (1366 x 768px

This area is unfortunately not untouched by the seemingly omnipresent hand of Congressman Wayne Ross.

Ross Industries have bought a small patch of land around this grain elevator / silo for an experimental project: trying to grow bananas in this temperate region...

Click for original (1366 x 768px

Naturally, this has the local environmental lobby up in arms as allegations have been flying around about genetically modified food and three eyed frogs.

Some farmers have found less innocuous ways of earning more money by experimenting with other exotic foodstuffs, like these mushrooms here:

Click for original (1366 x 2108px

There we also get a little glimpse of Little Italy, but more about that next time! Ciao for now! 

[benedict]

Congratulations on OSITM, and a great update to start off with.

[Bipin]

Your work is especially pleasing to look at. Nice job!

[vortext]

Very pleasing indeed, everything blends just seamlessly. 

[art128]

Congrats on the OSITM award, and on the election as a spokesperson, Marius!

Wonderful update, this railway town is well done.

Looking forward to Little Italy...

[belfastsocrates]

Lovely update and congrats on OSITM!

[kelis]

Fantastic update ! I enjoy a lot looking your pictures becuase I like your clean style, congratulations once again for your excellent job and thanks for share all these pictures.

# Jonathan

[romualdillo]

Congratulations on OSITM and your election!!! I like yor rural areas very much!! Everything looks perfect, the ideal place to live!!

[noahclem]

Congratulations on OSITM and your positions in government    Great pictures 

[benedict]

Well done, your CJ is back at number one on Ben's Top Ten this week.

[APSMS]

Nicely done, and congrats on the OSITM as well. The pictures in this CJ are very fine tuned...something I wish I had the patience and time for in my own cities. Touches like the fences and cows in the pasture are details that make all the difference.

[M4346]

Hi everyone!

I apologise for the lack of updates in this OSITM period. Unfortunately Parliament didn't go into recess as we had hoped, and is plowing through the budget tabled in February (election years *sigh*).

I remain committed to having four updates for the OSITM, which, according to my count, only officially ends this Friday, 4 July...

Thank you very much for all your replies and feedback, it is, as always, greatly appreciated and incredibly encouraging, especially when it leads to a Top Spot on Ben's Top Ten!

Anyway, let's have a look at Little Italy... avanti!



Roselle, affectionately known as "Little Italy", is a taste of foreign in the heart of the breadbasket of the North Coast District Municipality, located on the southern outskirts of Tamworth and west of Melrose.

The North Coast District Municipality is truly a breadbasket of the region, as the table below shows.

A significant 155.9ha is under cultivation, of which most is dedicated to vegetables, grains and fruit - no small part due to the heavy taxation on non-food produce.

The very little viticulture and alcohol production that does take place is located, mainly, in Little Italy.

In a bid to encourage tourism in the area, the hamlet of Roselle and surrounds has escaped the heavy tax burden.

Little Italy is an experimental venture by distant immigrant relatives of the Frescobaldi family, notable Tuscan winemakers.

The end result is Roselle, a (faux) Tuscan tourist trap known for its local wines, a fresh produce market, and a favourite wedding destination.

Click for the massive 8.5MB Original (2968 x 2028px). Do it...

Viticulture is aided by both the cool coastal air from the east and the proximity to the river in the south.

Click for Original (1366 x 768px)

The Roselle Market, next to the Chapel of Roselle, is frequented by locals from Tamworth and tourists alike, showcasing and selling the best fresh produce from the area.

Click for Original (1366 x 1073px)

Even at night the market attracts, albeit much younger, crowds sampling the local wine and rum (more about that later)...

Click for Original (1366 x 1134px)

The above-mentioned relatives of the Frescobaldi family reside in Villa Ottavia, an unmistakable landmark in an otherwise rural setting... an even more recent intrusion makes the home hard to miss...

Not one to miss out on a business opportunity, Wayne Ross Industries struck a deal with the Frescobaldis and bought a sizeable stretch of land within the boundaries of Roselle.

Milking the area's attractiveness to tourists - and handsome tax breaks - Congressman Ross funded a permanent fair ground for the farmers in the North Coast District Municipality.

Click for Original (1366 x 1041px)

Wayne Ross Industries also set up a sugar mill and rum distillery - under the guise of a type of theme park development, known as Blackbeard's Den.

This unsavoury pocket of Little Italy has earned it the nickname Covo di Peccatori, which we non-Italian speakers assume means "Den of Sinners".

Click for Original (1366 x 768px)

Click for Original (1366 x 768px)

Click for Original (1366 x 768px)

Beyond Roselle, farming continues much like it does in most parts of the world.

Click for Original (2135 x 1262px)

And to the east of the town, a commercial area has developed where farmers in the region can purchase all sorts of agricultural equipment, products, vehicles and machinery. A vet has also set up shop for the growing livestock industry.

Click for Original (1366 x 768px)

The vast rural stretch of the North Coast District Municipality makes way for the outskirts of Tamworth to the north...

Click for Original (1366 x 2452px)

But more about that next time.

For now, we head back to Roselle and the Villa Bastide, well known not just for its blue shutters, but its welcome owners, good wine, and comfortable beds!

Click for Original (1366 x 984px)

Goodnight friends! 

[art128]

Little Italy looks great!

I love the market place, really well done.

[Dantes]

Amazing work! Look fantastic

[rajwarrior]

Okay, gotta say pretty freaking awesome work here.  Lots of cool things going on. In fact, I went through the insane procedure to get an account on this forum (as well as post on it!) just to ask you a few questions.

What is the lot/bat for the boardwalk you're using? (pic in reply #5)

Where can I get or how did you get the sidewalk with fences, etc on the beach area? (pic in reply #20)

How the heck did you make your lakes?  Looks like PPond, but you have an edge around yours that I have never seen using PPond.

Finally, like the looks of several of your low density housing? Is that SimCougar stuff?

[c.p.]

The small towns in your last two updates look great.
I love all the farms in Little Italy, and the Poplars bordering the river.

[jmsepe]

Lovely. The authenticity of the Italian aroma is soothing in this update. Well done.