One of the first road signs to greet visitors to Maleny |
For some time now my town - the town I cite when folks ask me where I'm from - Maleny, has been tormented by an ongoing saga concerning the proposed building of a new retail complex. In fact Maleny has hit the national headlines over the plans to build a Woolworths supermarket.
A huge amount of time and energy seems to have been invested in this campaign and yet, when I search the internet I am unable to find any web pages which offer much in the way of a local point of view. I have heard rumors of websites devoted to the evolving struggle to "Retain Maleny's Character" but, to me, they remain just that - mere rumors.
So here's my thoughts on the subject, after all, someone, somewhere in Maleny should have something to say about it.
Background on Maleny
But first, the traditional disclaimer:
- I make no claims about being well-informed on the history or evolution of this saga.
- I have lived "in" Maleny for over 12 years and have been operating this website (maleny.net.au) since 1996.
- I am not aligned with any body, group, organisation, sect or cult either pro- or anti- this or any other development in or around Maleny.
- I have no problems with expanding Maleny's retail infrastructure, in fact I think it is inevitable, necessary and advantageous.
- I don't think the proposed site on the banks of the Obi Obi would do anyone, including Woolworths, Maleny folk and the platypus, any favours.
- I have published this material in the interests of public awareness.
- The opinions expressed on this page are mine and I have no wish to persuade others that these are in any way superior to theirs.
In the Beginning
For me the story started well before I came to Maleny when the self-confessed hippies started arriving and staying. I imagine their arrival made quite an impact on the character of the quiet rural village of Maleny at that time. Those were the days of the Bjelke Peterson Government which was notable for anti-social legislation such as banning 3 or more people from gathering on a street. One might imagine that paranoia was a healthy condition for many. An atmosphere of fear and loathing was growing and many felt that confrontation and conflict were the only means of preserving their way of life.
A common goal for people coming to Maleny, then and now, whether hippy, retiree, urban escapee, idealist or entrepreneur - whatever - is to pursue a lifestyle where peace, harmony, hope and happiness are significantly greater than wherever we came from.
The newcomers to Maleny began forming co-operatives which created alternative banking, schooling, shopping, spending and eating facilities for those who felt the existing Maleny infrastructure was inadequate for their needs. Today Maleny boasts that it hosts the second-largest number of co-operatives of any community in the world. It has become, purportedly, an expert on co-operation.
I doubt that much thought was given to the impact these co-operatives were having on Maleny's character when they were being formed. Nor whether they were protecting local businesses of the time. Looking back, one could say that these have assumed the appearance of the thin end of a wedge.
Another major feature of Maleny's landscape was the annual Folk Festival - now the largest folk music event in the southern hemisphere. The festival did much to polarize the Maleny community into “for” and “against” and, for one month of the year, radically altered Maleny's village character. When the festival had outgrown the showgrounds venue and was looking for an parcel of land to create a permanent site of their own, shopkeepers who expressed support for a local site were boycotted by those opposed. Much to the disgust of the pro-faction. Despite the $7,000,000 the festival injected into the local economy the opposition to it continuing to call Maleny home seemed so determined that it moved to Woodford in the mid-nineties. Maleny's alternative community was - I guess its fair to say - grief stricken and was in mourning for several years - for some the mourning period may continue to this day. The effect was to deepen the divide, widen the gap or, it could be said, drive that wedge further into the Maleny community.
However life went on and new faces continued arriving - with new ideas and hopes. Forums began to convene on sustainable futures, social responsibility and other topics relating to community health, wellbeing, sustainability and vitality. Surveys on social assets were conducted. Major housing developments were approved and the population of Maleny began to grow at an ever-increasing rate. A new shopping centre - The Riverside Centre - was built by a local developer on the banks of the Obi Obi. Opposite the now-controversial Cornerstone properties site - not a voice was heard in protest - and the platypus happily survived the upheaval.
Whatever happened to the Maleny Welcome?
Like so many communities around the world, Maleny supported greeting signs on most of her approaches which expressed a welcome to visitors. In fact, if you travel around the Sunshine Coast and Hinterland you will find most communities offer visitors a cheerful welcome.
Vintage Maleny Welcome signs - now things of the past
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When it finally became time to refurbish or replace these signs - and they were indeed due for some kind of maintenance - the community of Maleny was blessed with these signs - now adorning the approaches.
Maleny - discover the magic
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The main feature for me is the absence of a welcome - the signs read more like a challenge than a greeting. Maleny's sunny, welcoming image deteriorated - without much comment as I remember. Or perhaps it was a sign of some developing disorder characterised by growing feelings of isolation and other anti-social tendencies?
The Woolworths Saga
Sometime late 2003 rumors of a supermarket coming to Maleny began circulating and before long a vitriolic backlash arose which vociferously condemned large corporations in general and Woolworths in particular. At this point the proposed site was in the centre of Maleny and would, in my opinion, have made a coherent expansion of the business/shopping centre of Maleny.
However such was the fierceness of the opposition that the site was abandoned and another site was selected. Land was purchased, approval was granted, protests were mounted and the saga got under way. The development was fought in the Land and Environment court who not only ratified the development but also gave approval for the removal of trees within the site.
The protests increased in volume, the main reasons for objection being cited as:
- protecting "Maleny's Character"
- protecting local businesses
- protecting the platypus
- protecting the trees
- preventing increased traffic congestion
One morning early risers in Maleny were startled to find a huge force of Police in town - some counted 74, including rumors of a SWAT team lurking behind the police station. No-one seems to know how or why they came to be there or why the Police Force believed they needed such numbers and force in such a quiet rural village that morning. Earthmoving and tree-removing equipment arrived and commenced work and, despite the growing protests, soon had the site largely flattened.
A stop work notice was issued and work halted, people climbed the trees they felt they needed to protect, people fell out of the trees, breaking branches and bones as they did. A tent was erected on the footpath, known locally as the platypus embassy and was manned around the clock.
Much talk ensued, pledges of money to purchase the site from the developers were sought and obtained. The developers deadline passed with no purchase and it looks like they will resume the development in the future.
Meanwhile any publicly-voiced sentiments which differed from the protestors' have been vilified, ridiculed or otherwise treated with fear and loathing. All this in a town whose character, some say, is worth retaining.
The Icebox - gateway to Maleny - is being thoroughly savaged |
At the same time another Maleny icon, the Icebox, is being thoroughly savaged - thousands of trees are being removed to facilitate widening and upgrading Maleny's main access road. So far there has been little or no objection to this development which will substantially improve vehicular access to this quiet, rural village and will no doubt produce a lasting and major change to Maleny's character.
Shopping in Maleny
Maleny has some outstanding businesses - in terms of business awards - the local supermarket and newsagent amongst them. Their proprietors are popular and well-liked and they support many local community activities. These businesses would surely be amongst the biggest losers from the local competition that a Woolworths would bring.
However they are already "suffering" from local competition - many of Maleny's residents don't do their major shopping in Maleny. The main reason is that there is insufficient parking space in the CBD and it is near-impossible to get a park in Maple Street most of the time. Informal surveys have revealed that, although most would much prefer to patronize local business it is simply too inconvenient, difficult or time-consuming. So much of Maleny's prosperity is being diverted to other places in the Sunshine Coast.
Recently an email was widely circulated in town - part of which is paraphrased below:-
May I add on this subject that there can be many ways of boycott..... I would like you all to know that Maleny Newsagent owners ........ did sign Aldous' nomination form when he stood for re-election as well Clayton's one. [they] are part of the....... section of Maleny that is fiercely opposed to all our efforts and undermine us every step of the way because their definition of progress differs from ours. I have never yet accomplished to have a constructive conversation with any of them. I have chosen to do no business with anyone who is openly against us and there are other such business people in town like that too.......I have had a gutfull of these bastards and their arrogant attitudes, and I think you all have a right to know these essential facts.
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Fortunately the Newsagent is a popular business and the proprietors seemed to regard this with humour and tolerance - as one might hope in a town world-famous for co-operation. Many of their customers, however, didn't and the local letters to the editor columns was filled with shock and outrage.
Once again, it seems, the wedge is being driven deeper into the Maleny Community psyche.
However many other businesses could easily be driven to the wall if subjected to such treatment and so their proprietors remain part of Maleny's silent majority who watch with growing unease. And once again fear and loathing stalk the streets of Maleny.
The price of freedom (eternal vigilance?) |
Some Questions
There are some outstanding paradoxes in the situation at present which, I suppose might almost be in the realm of irrationality. Here are some that have caught my attention:
- protecting "Maleny's Character"
- Why is it so important to protect or "retain" a character which has already been permanently altered - especially to those who have contributed so significantly to the change?
- protecting local businesses
- Why is this so important when most of the co-operatives compete directly with existing local businesses?
- Why promote boycotting local business if they are worthy of support aka protection from Woolworths?
- Maleny once enjoyed a superlative local business - Nagy's - open from 6:00 am to late - often around midnight - when the last customers left. Home of the magnificent Nagy-burger, kids play area, video hire, petrol, basic foodstuffs etc etc - a modest but dedicated near 24-hour, local business catering to and for everyone main needs. Nagy's is no more. once IGA extended its opening hours to 9pm Saturday and all day Sunday the competition was too much and Nagy's closed. Again not a voice was heard in protest at the predatory policy of a supermarket pushing valuable local business to the wall. (in 2006 IGA stopped late-night opening on weekends and so Maleny has nowhere to but basic items after 5:00pm on the weekend). Everyone has lost except the supermarket.
- protecting the platypus
- Why would a Woolworths damage the environment any more than the Riverside Centre on the other side of the creek?
- Or for that matter a Cattle Saleyard?
- protecting the trees
- Are the relatively few trees on the site any more important than the thousands which have been removed without protest from the Icebox?
- If the trees are so worthy of protection and respect - why have they been left festooned with blue tarps like some aerial slum tenement? ( this "leaky tree house" has been unoccupied for nearly a year or so)
- preventing increased traffic congestion
- The Icebox upgrading and currently-developing subdivisions are obviously going to increase traffic congestion in Maleny - why is that not worth a mention?
So it seems to me that the protests are aimed the symptoms rather than the causes. If that is the case then nothing constructive is likely be achieved - other than the gradual growth of a siege mentality. Woolworths aren't the problem - in my opinion - it is the expansion of Maleny. This will inevitably encourage and require a corresponding growth of the infrastructure needed to support the community. Which will attract developers and investors.
Which will, if things continue as they are at present, drive that wedge further into the community of Maleny.
How can this be happening in a community that claims to be the second most co-operative in the world? A town where much is spoken of the win-win situation, of Sustainable Futures, Community Forums and similar communication-oriented endeavours?
Could it be possible that the Maleny Community is developing a split-personality?
Could it be something worse?
I believe the term used when a human psyche is split or divided by a mental wedge is "schizophrenia", is this term applicable to a community too?
The Oxford Dictionary says of schizophrenia: "a mental disorder of a type involving a breakdown in the relation between thought, emotion and behaviour, leading to faulty perception, inappropriate actions and feelings and withdrawal from reality into fantasy and delusion." - well it seems apt to me.
Fergus Reilly
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