It was great to be invited to witness the first gold pour by Diversified Minerals at the Henty mine last week.
At the managers’ address and welcome I looked around the room and recognised many familiar faces and immediately my thought was they have put together a good team of experienced workers with that “can-do” attitude. The short timeframe to production certainly demonstrates the effort the team are putting in.
The day also gave me the opportunity to catch up with the Premier and Adam Brooks. We had some discussion on the ongoing government funded projects, specifically Horse Tail Falls and the mountain bike hub project and I was assured both projects will be completed. The Council’s move to implement the recommendations of the West Coast Tourism Destination Action Plan adopted last year was also welcomed by the Premier. As the Minister for Tourism he indicated he will to assist where possible and we will be providing him with a briefing paper on the tourism forum we are currently planning, which will include an invitation to attend.
The cancellation of the Lake Burbury King River Australia Day Picnic this year has highlighted the vital role volunteers play in providing services and activities to our communities. Unfortunately when not enough volunteers are available these service cannot be offered. The small number of volunteers involved in running the Picnic have done a tremendous job over many years, however they cannot do it alone. I would encourage everyone to have a go at volunteering, even just a couple of hours a week as it very rewarding and a great way to interact with a variety of people. Nominations are now open for the 2017 Tasmanian Volunteering Awards, with a variety of categories it would be fantastic to see some of our many West Coast volunteers recognised. Nominations close 3 March.
Phil Vickers
MAYOR