No doubt many residents were shocked to learn this week that Wagga's seemingly inextricable links to the crow have been based on a lie.

Well, perhaps lie is too strong a word.

A misunderstanding. Or a misinterpretation. Or a misconception.

Anyway, however you want to describe it, Wagga Wagga doesn't mean what most of us thought it meant.

Rather than the "place of many crows", as it has been defined for so very long, it turns out that Wagga Wagga means something very different.

The closest translation is now officially the "place of many dances and celebrations".

How cool is that?

Of course, the crow is ubiquitous around Wagga.

It is present on Wagga City Council's official logo and businesses, festivals and sporting teams have adopted it with gusto.

As far as birds go, crows are fine, but they don't exactly have the size of a condor, the solemnity of an owl or the comedic value of an emu.

So what an opportunity this is to re-brand and promote Wagga to the world!

What tourist wouldn't want to travel to the "place of many dances and celebrations"?

It certainly sounds like a fun and friendly place.

Much more appealing than being surrounded by crows.

With Wagga having welcomed people from countless countries all over the world in recent years, at any given time in our community there is a group celebrating a date important to their culture or religion.

Add to that the traditional dances that accompany so many of these celebrations and suddenly it is all starting to make sense.

Rural and regional centres are forever competing with each other - not to mention the capital cities - for the all important tourism dollar.

Has Wagga found what will truly set it apart?

There is a wonderful opportunity here for a clever community to make the most of this change and extract both social and economy benefits.

All the best for the week ahead, Ross.