A tourist in my own town

Jackie Gill

Research Fellow, CUCRH

A tourist in my own town

Jackie will be one of the speakers at the Hypothetical 2029 and Beyond event in Geraldton today, Friday, 17 September, hosted by the ABC’s Verity James. The event is part of the City of Geraldton Greenough’s Big Sky Big Ideas Festival.

Just recently I have decided to be a tourist in my own town – to try to look at Geraldton through a visitor’s eyes.  And what I see gives me hope.

In 1994 when a small group of us (three!) got together and started a lobby and ideas group called Foreshore Visions, our mission was to turn the city onto the Sea. Now it’s happening.

We three held a great vision of the city being a destination of choice, offering a range of experiences for visitors and residents alike. We’ve still got a way to go, but with vision, commitment and a lot of dreaming, we’ll get there.

So where is it that we’re getting to? The city is facing huge changes – I don’t think many people really understand the extent of dynamic that the resources industry will thrust upon us – and by 2029 we will be reaping the rewards.

A city of pride, of culture (meaning a celebration of the way we live, not necessarily high arts) and achievement. A city where we celebrate our heritage, our multiculturalism and our commitment to the environment; where every person is actively involved in making the city a better place to be.

Background

While studying by correspondence from the family farm, Jackie founded a community newspaper (which is still going more than 35 years later), organised community events and obtained a qualification in wool classing.

She left the farm to become a journalist, working for The West Australian and the ABC among others.

Jackie was invited to do a post graduate in Future Studies at Curtin University, and has since had a research fellowship at CUCRH, undertaking further research into community social networks. Jackie was a City of Geraldton councillor for six years, is a Life Member of the Arts and Cultural Development Council (ACDC) and founded the group Foreshore Visions which influenced current infrastructure development in the City of Geraldton.