It is strange that something that absorbs us so deeply in February is virtually forgotten
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by July. The imminent threat of amalgamation of our local council with the remote
apparatus at Tamworth or the self - centred, aggressive Armidale Council had us up in
arms a few short months ago but is now a remote and distant event - done and dusted,
perhaps.
Well, not quite. Across the State the fight continues for other less fortunate
communities and our own reprieve is probably not forever in view of past history.
So our best defence is to build on our successes and to strengthen perhaps the weakest
point - the declining population in the council area.
Declining population? Simply looking around the town and district I truly find this a
little hard to believe. The picture I see is the rare one of a small but prosperous area
with everything going for it - how could there be less population?
Past Census figures are.......................
2001 -- - 3102 people in 1577 dwellings
2006 -- - 3187 people in 1542 dwellings (mill closed, yet more people?)
2011 -- - 3021 people in 1564 dwellings
It looks like there is a bit of rubber in some of the people numbers and the dwelling
count doesn’t make sense, either. Anyway , I think we need a two pronged strategy - ,
make sure we get the maximum proper count in the upcoming census on 9th August,
and then work on ideas to build our actual numbers in the years to the next one.
FIRSTLY - MAKE SURE WE ARE ALL COUNTED.
The way it will work is that from 1st August every household will receive a letter with
a special number which is to be used to complete the census either on-line - or if you
wish, with the usual paper form (which you may have to order.)
In the past some households have slipped through the cracks so, firstly, let’s make
sure we all complete the census one way or another.
SECONDLY - the USUAL RESIDENCE is what counts.
If you have a child away at school or university - make sure they put down their
Walcha home address . If you or your family are at Uni, or working away or on
holidays, or only temporarily away from Walcha - make sure you complete the
census and that Walcha is listed as your usual residence.
Hopefully when the numbers are published we will have a reported population result
closer to the way it looks on the ground - and by then we may be actively on the way
to building our population with more new residents. Maybe Walcha’s situation is
not as bad as the old slogan and quot e : populate or perish; - but a modest growth would
certainly help to protect our autonomy and, incidentally, add to available jobs, general
prosperity and local amenities as well, making this an even better place to live.