JABIRU IS ALMOST OUT OF TIME
JACKEY Davis has lived in Jabiru for 18 years and seen a lot of changes.
However none will be more important than the proposed masterplan intended to reinvigorate Jabiru.
“If it doesn’t happen I reckon this place is dead,” Jackey said.
“The masterplan has to happen. It is the only thing that can save Jabiru.
“And it won’t just be good for Jabiru, it will be good for Kakadu as well.
“Once the mine is gone, and that will be soon, the town has to turn to tourism to survive.
“If the Prime Minister puts in money to save the town that will be great.
“Whatever they can do to make this place stay and look after it.”
Jackey is not looking forward to the mine closing because her husband works there and without more work on the horizon she is faced with the prospects of having to say farewell.
“I’m not looking forward to it, but we will have to go where the work is,” she said.
“It is a good place. I have family come up regularly to visit and they just love Jabiru and Kakadu.
“They go fishing and there is lots of areas they can go and see.
“You can’t beat the fishing up here. “The people here are awesome. It has been sad to see so many leave over the years and the businesses that have gone because of it.
“If they can lift tourism it may bring more people back to live here and bring new businesses and jobs for locals.
“We used to have a bakery, a clothing shop, a car yard, a cafe, a hair salon … I have to go to Darwin to get my hair done.”
Peter Keepence has also warned that without new tourism, he fears Jabiru will die.
“If the town isn’t looked after it is just going to close down,” he said.
“If the town closes bugger all people will be coming to Kakadu. There will be no where for them to stay.
“The petrol station most likely will not have the amount of traffic it needs to keep going. The local supermarket could well be in the same boat.
“You’ll be lucky to even have enough to keep the school going.”
Peter said the Federal Government has do its part and help keep the town going.
“If it does its bit hopefully we can get the investors to come in and finish the rest,” he said.
“The design they have for the town in terms of the resorts around the lake, they will need investors for that.”
Andy Garndrrahj is from nearby Oenpelli, now often referred to as Gunbalanya.
He says the Kakadu indigenous people want jobs in tourism.
“We want to show our culture and want to share it with everyone,” Andy said.
“People can take our messages to the world.
“Saving the town is important, not just for the people living in it, but for everyone in Kakadu who depends on it.
“The government needs to support it and to make sure we keep our police, schools, health people and housing.”
î The Sunday Territorian and the NT News have launched a campaign to secure funding for Kakadu