Decide
There are competing issues around the abandoned block. Roll over the hotspots on the map to find out more and decide what matters to you the most.
So there are competing interests to consider and some obstacles to overcome before anything can be done with the neglected block. GOOD LUCK!
Housing, employment and recreation
This is a pretty poor area — run-down housing, high unemployment, a particularly high rate of youth unemployment and few recreation options for students. So people in this area see huge possibilities for the abandoned block.
Transport
The block is in the middle of a transit area. There has been talk of putting a train line or road through to link the town with an industrial estate, about 80 km away. Without employment and the chance to learn new skills, young people living in this region face an uncertain future. Many of their parents are also struggling to find work.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage site
The local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have lived here for tens of thousands of years. There are places nearby that were used for important meetings and ceremonies. More recently, it has been named a site of historical significance, as a meeting place for the influential Aboriginal Advancement League, the oldest civil rights group in Australia.
Historic pub remains
Early settlers built the pub, the first council meetings were held there and Prime Minister John Curtin visited during the war years. Much of it was burnt down and forgotten until a recent archaeological dig unearthed parts of the building. It revealed how people lived years ago – the food they ate, their pastimes and work. There’s also an old cemetery site nearby.
Creek and trees
This is the site of a proposed environmental Action Plan to measure water quality. The plan also proposes to collect bird feathers identifying species that migrate to the creek during different seasons, and count the number of endangered Leadbeater possums still in the area.
Hobbies
People growing up in the local area often say there is not much to do after school. There are only a few places to get part-time jobs, so not many young people are employed. Many finish school, can’t find work and aren’t sure if, or what, they want to study at TAFE or university. Without much to do, a couple of young people are drag racing, which is unfairly giving other young people a poor reputation. Many accidents have occurred involving teenagers playing on roads near the block. People growing up here need more recreational activities to use and grow their sporting, creative and social skills.