General News
11 December, 2024
Community unites with a big voice
The community might be small, but it certainly has a big voice. Natimuk residents gathered en masse recently to show their outrage and dismay at Parks Victoria's decision to close off more than half of the district's main visitor drawcard.
In a scene reminiscent of The Castle but without the slightest trace of Darryl Kerrigan's good-natured larrikin humour, Natimuk spoke up in self-defence.
From a town whose entire population hovers around 600, a big crowd assembled, united against the state government in a community meeting on Wednesday evening.
The rally was just the latest shot in Natimuk's fight-back against the impending closure: the previous week 200 people had gathered in protest outside the National Hotel.
Natimuk's battle with big bureaucracy has exploded in Australia's electronic and print media, earning the tiny town headlines in capital-city newspapers and drawing a crew from Channel 9's A Current Affair to speak to locals during the meeting.
The word has also spread internationally, including to Toronto, Canada, where Gripped magazine posted on its website: "... Climbers around the world are expressing their sadness at the news that several crags at the world-famous Mt Arapiles are closing. Even though most of those upset climbers will never visit Mt Arapiles, they’re voicing their concerns in solidarity with those who do climb there."
But the message from the community of Natimuk is clear and loud: they're going to fight to save their town.