Ravensthorpe, a town of 1000 about 500 kilometers southeast of Perth, was hit hard by the economic crisis. The town has been reeling ever since the shutdown of its local nickel mine last year. This closure has lost the community almost 300 local jobs. It serves as an important sign of a dramatic shift for a community that has relied on mining for close to a century. The nearby lithium mine at Mt Cattlin jumped into care and maintenance just in the last couple of weeks. This ruling only deepens the chaos and uncertainty swirling around its future operation.
The impact of these closures is profound. Ravensthorpe has seen its share of adversity through the years. These have ranged from catastrophic flooding, inhumane raging fires, an international terrific plane crash, and a federal local council scandal. Even with these challenges, the agriculture and tourism industries continue to be major cornerstones of the town’s economy. This includes the recent completion of a cultural precinct in the town center to increase civic pride, social interaction and draw in tourists.
A Resilient Community
Even with the struggle that has been experienced, Ravensthorpe’s people show an undeniable spirit that has weathered storms. Yet, as pictured to the right, Shire President Tom Major was there to underline the community’s resolve in pushing ahead.
“We’ll soldier on. The agricultural industry is going really well, we’re having a reasonable season, and the tourists just keep coming, so that industry is doing well.” – Tom Major
This optimism is reflected in the town’s efforts to promote its unique features through tourism initiatives led by local groups. Sue Leighton, chair of Ravensthorpe’s tourism advisory group, and her team are on a mission. They are rolling out exciting attractions to attract visitors and support tourism-related local business.
Beyond the impressive numbers, the impacts of the mine closures are being felt. Unfortunately, as Major observed, many families have been forced to leave their community, exacerbating a decrease in school enrollment.
“There have been people leave the community and school numbers are down a little bit, so I wouldn’t say we’ve come through unaffected.” – Tom Major
Employment and Economic Shifts
The nine month lead time announced in advance of the initial mine closures provided approximately 110 employees the opportunity to find alternative careers before losing their jobs. Our local knowledge suggests that many have decided to stay in Ravensthorpe thanks to the renaissance in local services, not least high-speed fibre internet provision. Speaking at the release, Major reflected on the benefits these innovations bring.
“We’ve got some of the best fibre-to-the-premise internet you can get.” – Tom Major
The unknown fate of the Mt Cattlin lithium mine threatens the community’s economic future. As of this month, the mine has been mothballed for the second time in just 15 years. As a result, locals have lost their livelihood and economic security as well.
Leigh Slomp, Rio Tinto’s general manager of technical services, expressed pride in the company’s collaborative approach with the community during these transitions. He focused his remarks on the need to keep a good relationship with the public.
“Not only just to gain that social licence to operate, it’s because we’re operating within the community.” – Leigh Slomp
Looking Ahead
Though Ravensthorpe still faces an uncertain immediate future, community leaders are optimistic about what lies ahead. Major expressed a go-along-open-minded disposition to any new mining operations that might jumpstart the area’s long-stagnant workforce.
“The townspeople are very resilient and look if new mine starts up, we’ll welcome all those people to come into town.” – Tom Major
That sentiment is reflected by Slomp, who argues that continued interaction with constituents is critical to maintaining sustainable operations. He thinks what they have done could be a blueprint for other companies that find themselves in the same challenging position.
“I think this exercise that we’ve gone through in this care and maintenance phase with the town of Ravensthorpe should be held up as a model for other companies.” – Leigh Slomp
