Korumburra businesses call for greater community support
Support for local businesses was one of the strong themes to emerge from a survey conducted by the Korumburra Community Development Association.
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,” said KCDA President Syd Whyte, 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, very few people in Korumburra knew what local community groups there were, or what they did. This lack of awareness extended to the KCDA itself.
The Korumburra Community Development Association was founded to assist and support the Korumburra community by providing a communication link and hub for the local region. KCDA Secretary Gary Brittle said the focus has always been on the people of the Korumburra community.
“We provide a welcome kit through local real estate agents,” said Mr Brittle, noting that while efforts are being made to welcome newcomers, visibility remains 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. More than 70 per cent of respondents said they already knew about the KCDA, but only 30 per cent had actually 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. Just under half of those surveyed (47 per cent) said they were satisfied with local facilities. One of the most pressing concerns raised was the dwindling spirit of volunteer service.
The need for more volunteers in the community was highlighted as a major obstacle.
“Nobody wants to volunteer,” said one local resident during the feedback session. This sentiment was backed by sobering statistics. The town used to boast a 36 per cent volunteer rate, but that figure dropped to just 22 per cent following the pandemic.
The survey noted a silver lining, young people tended 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. Business owners are hoping that by addressing these survey results, the KCDA can help turn Korumburra into a destination that attracts both visitors and consistent local patronage.
A brainstorming exercise was carried out asking the community for their concerns for Korumburra and a current list of priorities was developed so that KCDA could champion and work to move forward on dealing with some of the concerns raised.
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). Traffic and truck concerns were 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 with the right tools to better navigate employment within a trade related occupation.
The apprenticeship and traineeship evening will be fully funded by KCDA in partnership with SGBCLLEN and SGBCTSA who are the region's main links with local schools.
The KCDA apprenticeship and traineeship educational event will be held at Korumburra Community Hub, 15 Little Commercial Street Korumburra on June 4 from 6pm to 8pm.
Interested students should contact their school careers advisor to register for the event.
The KCDA Community Engagement Survey will remain active until the end of August 2026 at www.surveymonkey.com/r/D9R9QTY
