coincident global downturn in agricultural markets. Many farmers sold up, and much of the most aesthetically pleasing land was subdivided and sold. The demographic change had a profound impact on the town's industry, replacing demand for farm services with demand for services in the tourism and recreation sectors. However, the dramatic increase in infrastructure such as housing, roads and power reticulation detracted from the rural aesthetic that attracted the influx in the first place. Present day Bridgetown is the seat of the Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes and the centre of a productive agricultural district. Many buildings in the town centre are over a century old. The town has a Jigsaw Gallery and Museum, which claims to host the only jigsaw collection of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, and also a primary school (1870) and high school (1962), district hospital, telecentre, shire offices, roadhouse, agricultural showground, shopping facilities, accommodation for travellers (hotel/motel, B&Bs, caravan park) and numerous picnic spots along the Blackwood River. The rural residential area of Kangaroo Gully to the town's east has grown since the 1990s. Each year, Bridgetown hosts many events, including: May: Festival of Country Gardens (autumn) June to August: Bridgetown in the Winter Festival. Shops are adorned with blue lights, many events and workshops. October: Blackwood Marathon October: Blackwood Valley Wine Show November: Bridgetown Garden Festival November: Blues at Bridgetown music festival November: Agricultural show (which traces its roots to the 1920s) November: Festival of Country Gardens (spring) The town became the first place in Australia to ban the sale of energy drinks to persons under 18 in February 2023 for four months. Geography Climate Bridgetown experiences a hot Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csa). Notable people Emily Barker, singer-songwriter Jon Doust, author and comedian Robyn McSweeney, politician Tom O'Dwyer, cricketer David Reid, politician Deborah Robertson, novelist and poet Fred Riebeling, politician Len Pascoe, cricketer Bruce Maslin, botanist Gallery References External links Bridgetown Historical Society Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes Bridgetown-Greenbushes Visitor Centre Blues at Bridgetown Bridgetown's climate statistics Towns in Western Australia Blackwood River