o Tottenham’s Ben Nicholls, NSW Governor Marie Bashir and Member for Barwon, Kevin Humphries at the Tottenham Airstrip Renovation Opening.
Size and remoteness are no cause for concern for the Tottenham community, with Member for Barwon, Kevin Humphries applauding the community on its “can do” attitude.
“This small, Central Western community continues to go from strength to strength thanks to dedicated and passionate residents and a positive attitude,” Mr Humphries said.
While many similar and larger size towns struggle to recruit medical staff, Tottenham has a strong health workforce, including a new doctor.
“Part of the ease in Tottenham’s ability to recruit a new doctor comes down to the fact that the town works in well with the system and takes a personal, positive approach.”
It also recently unveiled a renovated air strip.
“This community driven renovation is just one example of the Tottenham spirit at its finest,” Mr Humphries said. “The strip was completely upgraded following an outstanding effort by the local community led by Ben Nicholls and the Tottenham Lions Club.
“Forced to travel to Nyngan by road following a heart attack a number of years ago, Mr Nicholls was inspired to take on the project of upgrading the strip.
“Much of the funding and manpower was through generous local volunteers and today Tottenham has an upgraded strip allowing the Royal Flying Doctors to fly in with a heavy model of plane.”
And Mr Humphries believes it is no co-incidence that the NSW Woman of the Year, Fran Rowe, is from the Tottenham district.
“Fran has been recognised for her work supporting the community through the drought, by setting up a volunteer rural counseling service,” he said.
“This initiative has since formed the model for the national Rural Financial Counselling Service which today employs 50 counsellors across the nation to better serve Australian farmers.”
Mr Humphries said no challenge seemed too daunting for the Tottenham community, and that it was their positive way of selling their town and lifestyle which he believed contributed to their success.
“If you’re trying to attract new recruits and visitors to your town Google is one of the strongest tools available, and on the web Tottenham sells itself extremely well,” he said.
Mr Humphries said Tottenham was an inspiration for other communities in the electorate and was a delight to represent.
“If there is something they need, everyone pitches in for the good of the community. There are no factions, everyone’s interest is to better the community and I am officially giving the town my ‘Kevin Humphries Can Do Community Award for 2012’.”
