Loading ...Originally written by BILL MELDRUM
THE Dartmoor community will urge Carter Holt Harvey to release the mill site for use by other industrial users once the mill closes later this year and its assets are stripped.
The mill site was identified as a key asset for the community in retaining jobs within Dartmoor at Monday night’s public meeting attended by more than 100 people.It followed last month’s shock announcement by CHH that it would close the mill, which employs 130 people by October 31.CHH has refused to comment on any aspect of the mill’s closure to the media, but has told Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union national organiser Brad Coates that it would not sell the site.There was a strong belief by many people at the meeting the site could be used by service industries to the blue gum industry, including transport and engineering firms, as part of a potential industrial estate.The meeting was told there would be companies eyeing the site because it was in a good location, had a good reliable water supply and three-phase power, along with a ready made and available skilled workforce.It was deemed essential the Dartmoor and District Progress Association and the CFMEU keep lines of communication open with CHH.The public meeting was co-ordinated by the progress association, the Glenelg Shire Council and the CFMEU.Regional Development Victoria regional manager Richard Milne and the Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney also attended the meeting, while Bessiebelle-based consultant David Miller acted as the facilitator for the session.Earlier in the day, the same parties along with several service providers gave workers an opportunity to gain information on issues such as retraining opportunities and small business start-ups.Shire mayor Geoff White said the decision to close the mill was a body blow for Dartmoor but not a knockout blow.He said the shire had been in contact with the operator of the proposed Myamyn woodchip mill South West Fibre, and plantation company Great Southern exploring job opportunities for skilled workers from Dartmoor.Cr White also referred to the shire delegation to Albany earlier this year, which had shown the potential for business development associated with the blue gum harvest.While there was still an underlying anger against CHH for closing the mill, there was also a realisation at the meeting there would still be workers living in the town working at other CHH sites in Mount Gambier and Nangwarry after the mill closed.Mr Milne told the meeting the broader regional development position in the south-west was good with $5 billion of planned investment within 90 minutes of Dartmoor.He referred to two large gas-fired power station projects, several wind farm projects, the pending blue gum harvest, and the construction jobs associated with the Myamyn woodchip mill.During the session, people were asked to identify the strengths of Dartmoor as part of a brainstorming exercise to explore future opportunities.Those strengths and opportunities included, in part:• Friendly values through several generations because potential residents needed to know Dartmoor was a safe community for families;• A country lifestyle close to major centres such as Portland and Mount Gambier;• The potential for a recycling facility;• The potential to capitalise on developing a bottled water market from the town’s springs;• Low cost residential housing;• Re-opening the disused railway line and jobs associated with line construction; and• Tourism, including a possible caravan park.
ATTENTIVE … concerned residents listen to what the future may hold for their community at the public meeting.Picture: BILL MELDRUM 080826bm02
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