Last week’s Collie Mail contained a veritable smorgasbord of articles and reports containing mixed-messages about Collie’s future.
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In one article we were told that a '20 megawatt photovoltaic solar farm is about to be built in the "industrial" area and be operating by early next year' and that said farm will contain a 'data centre' that will enable 'crypto and Bitcoin mining. Huh?
We thought Collie Council had recently put the kibosh on "solar" because it sent the wrong message about Collie being a Coal-town. This we assume was the same message that saw the powers that be knock back an offer from Dampier-Bunbury gas project to connect Collie for free to cheap and efficient natural gas. Both proposals would have apparently saved Collie residents and businesses a sh#t-load and offered potential for new industry but as Collie Council and Mick Murray have said, 'would send the wrong message".
Another article informed us that 'some of Collies' and the South West's "brightest minds" were brought together' recently to celebrate National Science Week and how best "science" can benefit the town' i.e. Collie.
Suggestions ranged from redressing the 'thrashing' that has decimated over 70 per cent of the 'biodiverse hotspot' that surrounds Collie and that wildflowers both as a tourist attraction and for export as well the growing of eucalyptus to extract chemicals from could be used to apparently manufacture electronics. Huh?
Another idea put forward was for tax money to be put towards 'protected cropping' i.e. growing plants in greenhouses and hydroponically. Wink wink, nudge nudge.
Another suggestion was to use science to 'approach problems creatively' and 'create art'. Huh?
Another article was about an upcoming event to discuss ways to keep visitors in town for longer. WT!
We can imagine some of the hilarious suggestions including the mention of Wolf Creek several times. This discussion apparently followed on from a previous session which was aimed at updating local businesses on what our government was doing to help the business sector 'to prepare for the future'. Not sure what the government is doing but according to one speaker, we are heading into 'an exciting future'. Huh!
Think we like the hydroponic cropping idea the best. Wink wink!
Don Hyland, Mumballup