Ever-changing face of mining communities
(Stock image)
A population explosion in Gladstone in Queensland has brought with it the positives of employment and greater economic stability for workers. But it’s also brought extreme family pressures thanks to long working hours, housing shortages, rental increases and homelessness, according to The Salvation Army Gladstone Corps Officer Captain Jeffrey Bush.
Already Queensland’s largest regional port, the area boasts the largest cement plant in Australi, an aluminum smelter, and a new 530 kilometre liquefied natural gas pipeline that is set to employ over 5,000 people.
Jeff says this industry has brought with it an “explosion of new subdivisions and families to the area”, as well as attracting thousands of new “fly-in-fly-out” workers.
Mining and other companies work actively in the community to put on events that help build social cohesion and alleviate loneliness, and they offer some financial help to those who are struggling with the high costs. But Jeff says he and wife and fellow corps officer Captain Sharilyn Bush still see significant signs of loneliness and stress in many of the transient workers.
“While they will be doing well economically, there can be isolated from family. The coping mechanisms of drugs and alcohol are the downside,” Jeff says.
Many locals are also feeling the pressure. Rents in the area have risen to become also among the highest in Queensland. Landlords are receiving between $600 and $900 a week for a basic three-bedroom house.
Working with other agencies in town, the two corps officers do what they can to help alleviate potential homelessness. However, Jeff says at one stage so many people were arriving in town and expecting to find work, that they exhausted all emergency accommodation options and had to help growing numbers of homeless with swags.
Jeff says the corps runs a number of programs including “Mainly Music” which attracts around 160 mothers and children each week, many who are new to the area.
The Salvation Army in Gladstone is also in charge of family day care in the area, so they are able to keep in touch with many young families. Jeff says he also visits pubs on Friday nights to talk to locals and transient workers about their lives and needs.
At Emerald, just outside of Gladstone, Salvation Army Captain Gaye Day says the area is facing many of the same issues, with rents and homelessness skyrocketing.
She says: “Coal mining in the area … got bigger and bigger, but we seem to be on a downward slope at the moment. A number of our open cut mines have ceased operation.
“Before the slump it was impossible to get accommodation in the town and the rents were extremely high and we saw houses rented for $1200 a week. This was largely due to mining, but the flood in 2011 didn’t help.”
Gaye says many of the current welfare clients originally came to the area hopeful of finding work, but then found there were not as many jobs they thought. At one stage there were up to 50 people each night sleeping under the local bridge.
While rentals and caravan parks are now accessible, the slump has created other problems. Gaye says: “They do say it will pick up again, but are now quite a few businesses closing. I think I heard today between 200 shops and buildings are available for rent.”
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