Korumburra businesses call for greater community support

A COMMON theme in responses to a wide-ranging survey conducted by the Korumburra Community Development Association (KCDA) has been the urgent need for more support for local business.

The findings have sparked a conversation about how the town can better sustain its commercial heart while navigating a shifting post-pandemic landscape.

“We want to engage with the local community and hear what everybody wants to say,” KCDA president Syd Whyte said, emphasising that the survey was a first step in bridging the gap between resident expectations and local commerce.

The KCDA survey revealed a significant communication hurdle, with few people in
Korumburra knowing what local community groups there were or what they did, and that lack of awareness extended to the KCDA itself.

KCDA secretary Gary Brittle said the focus had always been on the people of the Korumburra community.

“We provide a welcome kit through local real estate agents,” Mr Brittle said, noting that while efforts were being made to welcome newcomers, visibility remained a challenge.

The KCDA is instrumental in organising Australia Day at Coleman Park and produces the Burra Flyer in conjunction with students at the Korumburra Secondary College.

Despite these initiatives, the survey results showed a disconnect, with more than 70 per cent of respondents saying they already knew about the KCDA, but only 30 per cent had accessed the KCDA web page.

A large proportion were unaware or confused about what the KCDA specifically does, suggesting that the communication hub was still struggling to transmit its message effectively.

The three most important priorities identified in the survey were increased opportunities and support for business, opportunities for young people, and support for older and disabled residents.

According to the respondents, the best way of boosting business and volunteering was through community events, as well as a revitalised focus on shopping, entertainment and sport.

Satisfaction with the status quo was lukewarm, with just under half of those surveyed (47 per cent) saying they were satisfied with local facilities.

One of the most pressing concerns raised was the dwindling spirit of volunteer service, with the need for more volunteers highlighted as a major obstacle.

“Nobody wants to volunteer,” one local resident said during the feedback session.

This sentiment was backed by sobering statistics, with the town having boasted a 36 per cent volunteer rate that dropped to 22 per cent after the pandemic.

The survey noted a silver lining, with young people tending to volunteer more for specific, short-term projects rather than traditional, long-term organisations.

Other issues listed for urgent discussion included dwindling support for the Korumburra Market and a lack of weekend tourists spending money in the main street.

The highest priority (10) was given to maintaining Korumburra’s outdoor swimming pool, the Korumburra railway station (10) and additional quality accommodation (10).

Also given a high priority were the Coal Creek market (8), caravan park upgrade (7), new supermarket development for Korumburra (7), increased tourism (5) and lack of business (5), with traffic and truck concerns rated low to medium priority (2).

A new initiative was promoted for a fully funded KCDA apprenticeship and traineeship event to bring together the region’s schools to educate young people on what an apprenticeship or traineeship may involve and how to undertake this career pathway.

The evening will be fully funded by KCDA in partnership with SGBCLLEN and SGBCTSA who are the region’s main links with local schools.

It will be held at Korumburra Community Hub, 15 Little Commercial Street, Korumburra on Thursday, June 4 from 6pm to 8pm.

Interested students should contact their school careers advisor to register.
The KCDA Community Engagement Survey will remain active until the end of August 2026 at www.surveymonkey.com/r/D9R9QTY