Fed up with people ridiculing its name, Bland Shire in Australia
wants to cash in on it by hooking up with Dull in Scotland and the
American town of Boring.
Long considered a dreary destination due to its name, Bland's
tourism committee is exploring promoting the area by establishing
sister relationships with other towns with odd names.
The village of Dull, in Perthshire, and Boring, in Oregon, have
already joined forces to draw in tourists and forge closer links
between their communities.
"I think over the years we've had our share of fun poked at us,"
Bland Shire councillor Tony Lord told the Australian Broadcasting
Corporation, adding that having a joke about the name could bring
benefits.
"Wherever there's a deemed threat or a deemed negative, there's
always an opportunity.
"I think that's where we need to think positively and look ahead at
all the opportunities that may occur or that we can generate."
Bland Shire, in central New South Wales state, is home to more than
6,000 people. Its name honours William Bland, founder of the
Australian Medical Association.
