Muswellbrook Shire residents have a love-hate relationship with the mines, according to results of a community survey released this week.
Muswellbrook Shire Council hired an independent research company to conduct a random telephone survey and online poll of residents’ vision for the shire’s future.
The sample of 400 telephone and 186 online respondents listed “ugly and dusty” mines as their main dislike about living in the Muswellbrook Shire.
Lack of recreational facilities and infrastructure deficiencies also rated highly among dislikes.
When asked what they valued or enjoyed most about living in Muswellbrook Shire, the two main responses were the rural atmosphere and sense of community.
Good amenities and infrastructure and the central location also ranked well in the online surveys.
When asked what additions to infrastructure were needed, residents said a cinema or bowling alley, improvements to roads and more basic health facilities and GPs.
Online respondents said a bypass and cleaner town were high priorities.
Residents asked for more parks and open spaces, for the town to be clean and tidy and for a reduction in noise and dust from mining.
Mayor Martin Rush said the council shared many of the community concerns reflected in the survey.
"[These issues were] principally the need for a bypass, impact of coal mining, need for a performance space, greater service provision for youth and roads,” Cr Rush said.
“I was surprised that the attractiveness of the town rated as high as it did – although that is a matter that I’m personally very concerned about and for that reason the council is beautifying the main street and planting out passive areas with crepe myrtle and ground covers.”
Cr Rush said the town’s new entry signs had been installed and banners were soon to be put up in the main street.
The second stage of the CBD redevelopment will start in a fortnight.
“The real value of the feedback is that it adds objective weight to what the council has been advocating for,” Cr Rush said.
Cr Rush said he emailed shire’s state and federal representatives when it was revealed that the bypass and the impact of mining were issues of major concern.
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