Hundreds to gather in Leigh Creek for final Christmas Pageant following closure of Alinta coal mine
IN an ironic postscript to Tuesday’s closure of the Leigh Creek coal mine, the population of the Outback town is set to explode this weekend when up to 1000 people gather on Saturday for the town’s last ever Christmas pageant.
- Job losses at Whyalla and Leigh Creek leave towns in shock
- Leigh Creek workers face an uncertain future
- Steelmaker Arrium to cut 250 jobs in Whyalla
IN an ironic postscript to Tuesday’s closure of the Leigh Creek coal mine, the population of the Outback town is set to explode this weekend when up to 1000 people gather on Saturday for the town’s last ever Christmas pageant.
As workers shared the pain of the closure with a quiet drink, their thoughts were already turning to memories and a way forward.
“I’m not sad, but it’s a strange feeling,” said boilermaker Allan Dableh who worked at the mine for 31 years.
“I’ve met some great people in my time here and we’ll be friends for life - I wouldn’t change a thing.
“It’s been my whole life for more than 30 years and I’ve loved every minute of it.”
The pageant — a mainstay for more than two decades and attracting around 200 people in recent years — comes at an opportune time, acting as both a reunion and a celebration of the town’s long history.
From Hawker in the south to Lyndhurst in the north, there’s not a spare room available with local communities and one-time residents set to descend on the town.
Given the 253 jobs lost due to the Alinta mine’s closure, the mood around town is one of disappointment and uncertainty.
Thus, any opportunity to celebrate — such as the festivities that followed the final shift at the mine — is being met enthusiastically by locals.
Attending the pageant with his young family will be Shannan Ford, an Alinta employee for more than 15 years.
He and his wife, Susie, a pageant organiser, have decided to stay in Leigh Creek for at least another 12 months.
During this time Mr Ford will seek work in the mining sector, preferably in SA.
“Nowhere can rival the lifestyle we have here,” Mr Ford said.
“We want the kids to have some stability at school next year, even if that means me only spending half my time here, if I find work.
“Alinta’s redundancy package is good, but we’re not going to be able to live off it forever.”
Yesterday’s mine closure coincided with a ramping up of political finger pointing.
Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation Kyam Maher, who oversees the State Government’s Upper Spencer Gulf and Outback response team, slammed Opposition Leader Steven Marshall.
Mr Maher said he’s had “good discussions” with local Liberal MP Dan van Holst Pellekaan on the future of Leigh Creek, but Mr Marshall had offered nothing but “deafening silence” and “glib criticism”.
Mr van Holst Pellekaan said the Government was playing a divisive strategy by comparing his efforts with that of his leader, and that it should instead stop wasting taxpayers’ money on a drawn out consultation process.
“The fact is that the Government is delaying the announcement of its intentions for Leigh Creek,” he said.
A further 185 workers will lose their job in the first half of next year when Alinta closes its Port Augusta power stations.