Communities Begin with a Dream

A series of posts reflecting on community, based on a recent trip through the north eastern Goldfields and Murchison.

In 1976 I stood on a sand dune in bushland near Leinster Downs Stations, 368km north of Kalgoorlie. I was writing a series of exclusive articles about the development of the Agnew Nickel Mine, and on this day, as the mine manager and I surveyed the sand dune and the surrounding bushland, we dreamed about the company's intention to build the township of Leinster as a domicile for the nearby nickel mine.

Last week, 36 years later I visited Leinster for the first time since then and enjoyed a cappucino in what has turned into an oasis in a fairly harsh environment. The original dream for a town that would service a mine site, has resulted in the establishment of a vibrant community.

Most of the towns in Western Australia have started because of industry; primarily farming, mining, timber and railways, and what developed was not simply a town where people would do business, but a community where relationships would develop. Apart from the birth of towns, many other communities have commenced as a the result of a dream.  Educational communities, health care communities, religious communities, and more, have come into being as people have imagined a future and have organised themselves.

Reminding ourselves of the dream that led to the birth of the communities with which we are associated is a valuable exercise. Sometimes it is about reminding us of the reason for their existence and to celebrate their achievements; sometimes it is about prompting us to re-assess the purpose of the community; and sometimes it is about calling us to return to the mission that came out of that original dream.