Fifty business and agency representatives met to discuss the future of Dungog Shire last Tuesday night.
The forum, held at Dungog High School, was to kick-start the development of a new strategic planning framework which will determine Dungog Shire Council’s direction for the next 10 to 20 years.
Council is developing the plan based upon the vision and aspirations of residents from within the shire and also from the businesses and government agencies that work within or on behalf of the community.
During May council conducted five community meetings with residents of the shire and the information collected from last Tuesday’s forum will be used in the development of the plan.
Once completed the plan will be a roadmap for the future of the shire and an opportunity to build the partnerships necessary to make it happen with the resources available.
The focus of the discussion centred on being positive about the future, big ideas, long term thinking and achievable goals.
Forum facilitator Martin Bass, from the University of Sydney, said we need to work together on a positive future for Dungog in this forum.
“There is a good turnout here tonight and it is very important we capture ideas and thoughts from local businesses and government representatives,” Mr Bass said.
“This area is dependent on businesses and the support and interaction of the different levels of government.
“Local government is very much at the front and centre of the new State Government . . . so this forum was very timely.
“We will put together whole framework of documents where council and other organisations fit within the next 20 years.”
Council’s general manager Craig Deasey said council will sit down and “thrash” through the information presented at the meeting.
The draft Community Strategic Plan was likely to go back to the community in November for comment.
What's to become of Dungog?
One of the youngest attendees at the forum was Curtis Mitchell.
Curtis, 21, completed his HSC at Dungog High School and has been working in the local hospitality industry for the past four years.
However due to a downturn in the industry in the Dungog area, he is moving to Newcastle later in the year.
“I work at the Country Grub and Barrington’s Country Retreat, but the Grub is closing in September when the lease is up,” he said.
“It is really disappointing as I want to live and work in Dungog but at the current rate, small businesses just aren’t able to survive.
“Everything is for sale or closing. There is not enough incentive to keep the doors open.
“Local people need to support local businesses as they can’t just rely on tourism to keep them going.”
Curtis said there is no incentive or work for young people in Dungog after they leave school.
“Personally I don’t want further education, I just want to work and perhaps own my own business one day,” Curtis said.
“The overall opinion of people coming here is there is nothing to do.
“We have a wonderful cinema here but they don’t get enough patrons to stay open longer than they do now.
“I love the town but I hate the direction in which it is going.
“I don’t want to leave but I won’t be able to earn enough money to live on if I stay.”
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