Complex sentence: The industrial revolution bypassed the town as it had little to offer in the way of natural resources, and thus has grown into more a commuter settlement, however it is still the main service centre for the surrounding area of Avondale.
Split into simpler sentences: The industrial revolution bypassed the town as it had little to offer in the way of natural resources, and thus has grown into more a commuter settlement. However, it is still the main service centre for the surrounding area of Avondale.