When Barraba won the Bluett Award in1988

History Notes

While flicking through some old local government magazines I have found a headline “Bluett 1988 – Barraba Strikes Back”.

Many ‘long term’ residents will remember the closure of the asbestos mine at Woodsreef and the departure of many of the mine workers and their families as they searched for employment elsewhere.

The asbestos mine had been worked and closed several times from about 1920 until the final closure in the early 1980s.  While the mine was working, Barraba saw a lot of new houses erected particularly at the southern end of town.  There were no empty shops, and the population played sports on improved fields, sent their children to the local schools and took part in local organizations.  In fact, Barraba was booming.

Several country roads were sealed, particularly the road to Woodsreef which had become a dust bowl with all the miners going to work in their own vehicles.  Apart from the mine housing there were more building and shop improvements in town and roads and bridges in the general shire were upgraded.

Then suddenly the mine closes – after all it was asbestos!  Not the sort that causes illness!  But it closed just the same.  A quarter of Barraba’s population left the town to find work.  The schools lost pupils and clubs lost members.  Shopkeepers saw a decrease in both their customers and staff.

The council, under the direction of staff such as Grahame Kellett and Shire President, Rupert Richarson, set to work to save Barraba – setting up the Information Centre and finding other businesses such as a clothing factory to set up in town.

Unfortunately, the Council lost further land rates when parts of the area around the southern Manilla River were removed for the Split Rock Dam.  They were hard years, but Council came out in front and received the Bluett Award in 1988 for re-developing the area after the closure of the asbestos mine.  I wonder where the Bluett Award is now – it should be on display somewhere in Barraba!