They’ve finally done it. They’ve found a way to make me talk about growing up in Penrith. Usually I keep these cards close to my vest.
I’ll only ever mention being from Penrith if it comes up in conversation, when I bring it up in conversation, about 15 seconds into any conversation. But this week I have been asked a question that gave me pause: what is the pop-cultural impact of Penrith? Unlike Nathan Cleary, Goya was never on the verge of a four-peat. Credit: Getty Images My first instinct was to say that sport is our art.
There is nothing the Prado museum can offer that is not equally matched by our rugby league academy, the Penrith Centre of Excellence. Particularly as Goya was never once on the verge of a four-peat. We are the proud home of the Australian men’s cricket captain and two gold medallists who also happen to be sisters, Jess and Noemie Fox, who have together completely justified why we still have a whitewater rafting facility.
For culinary delights you could experience fine dining from a bevy of Red Roosters, an Outback Steakhouse or a knock-off South African equivalent of Outback Steakhouse that was in the same car park as the original. I washed dishes there for some time and, from what I could tell from the back, the food was about as appealing as a South African accent. Then, what of culture? Well, growing up, that answer was simple.
There’s a performing arts centre named after the great Dame Joan Sutherland, who set foot in Penrith at least once..