Communities across the Goldfields-Esperance region are working strategically to leverage significant investment from mining companies to benefit local people and attract more tourists.
Mining contributes $27 billion in economic output for the Goldfields-Esperance region – more than half the region’s total economic output.
Communities are future-proofing by striking major deals with mining companies, allowing them to develop community infrastructure to weather the boom and bust cycles of the sector.
In 2009, BHP bequeathed $5 million to the community as part of a closure plan for its Ravensthorpe Nickel Operation in 2009.
The Ravensthorpe Hopetoun Future Fund was established to deliver the funds. A independent, place-based charity, the fund recently purchased the Ravensthorpe IGA, after the town’s only supermarket suddenly closed its doors last year.
Hopetoun and Ravensthorpe community members have worked collaboratively to plan for a resilient and economically diverse future beyond mining. PIC: Jarvis Smallman.
RHFF Chair Caroline Robinson said it was more than a property purchase – it was a commitment to the communities and businesses across the shire.
“We’re being strategic so the bequest builds community and economic resilience – backing community-led projects and investments beyond the mining cycle,” Ms Robinson said.
Mining currently contributes almost 73 per cent of economic output in the Ravensthorpe area, and the local community and business sector is keen to ensure the benefits flow to their members.
Ravensthorpe Shire President Rachel Gibson said the community worked closely with new companies, encouraging local employment and ensuring operations positively impacted Ravensthorpe and Hopetoun as much as possible.
“Mining and agriculture continue to be very important in the region, providing jobs, stimulating local business, upgrading infrastructure and generating export revenue,” she said.
“We are focussed on a growing community – thriving and resilient – and sharing our natural wonderland with the world,” Cr Gibson said.
As the gateway to the Fitzgerald Biosphere, a UNESCO globally-recognised ecological treasure, the Shire of Ravensthorpe and the local Fitzgerald Business Network are working on strategies to support tourism diversification and ever-increasing visitors.
Tourism is now worth $17m to the region, up from $7m almost a decade ago – a significant contribution to an area with a population of just 2000.
Meanwhile, in the Northern Goldfields, the Leonora community is celebrating securing $5m over five years from Genesis Minerals. Genesis – headed by Raleigh Finlayson who grew up on a local sheep station – will be reopening an old gold mine on the edge of town. The funding is a significant boon for the town, given the region is a huge economic powerhouse for Australia’s mining sector.
In the Shire of Leonora, mining contributes a huge $4.176b of economic output and employs more than two-thirds of the population. But tourism is also growing – a decade ago the tourism industry was worth less than $10m. Today it’s estimated at almost $18m. Leonora Shire President Peter Craig said it was great to be getting money pumped into the town. It was envisaged the community would eventually build a multi-purpose recreation hub, incorporating a relocated golf course and racecourse.
The Shire has also been awarded $300,000 in State Government funding, which is earmarked for a new permanent drive-in and seated outdoor theatre. It would be the first new drive-in built in WA in decades.
“What we’re doing now is changing the face of Leonora for the next 30 to 50 years,” Councillor Craig said.
A bypass road needs to be built before the hub could proceed but once it was all in place, it would benefit locals, mine workers and tourists accessing the Outback Way through the heart of Australia.
“The travelling public – be it industrial or trucks or people with caravans – are going to come through our communities and we want to make sure that we’re going to be able to pull them up and make sure they stop and spend some money in our communities.”
He said the shire had a good rapport with mining companies in the area.
“They’re very supportive of all the things we do,” Cr Craig said.
“Those little things that are community-based that we may push forward with the project and ask for help then, there’s never been a problem. It just happens.”
Cr Craig said after about 13 years as Shire president, he thought his time was up, but then this project came along.
“When it does all come together it’s certainly going to be a feather in our cap for sure,” he said.
Shire of Leonora CEO Ty Matson, Minister for Mines and Petroleum the Hon David Michael MLA, member for Kalgoorlie Ali Kent MLA, Genesis Minerals Limited Executive Chair Raleigh Finlayson, Leonora Shire President Peter Craig and Genesis Minerals Executive Tony Kiernan (AM) at the signing of the Community Development Agreement between Genesis Minerals Limited and the Shire of Leonora.
