Goldfields Voluntary Regional Organisation of Councils develops local programs | Farm Weekly

SIGNED, sealed and delivered and ready for the project application phase.

That’s how fast Goldfields Voluntary Regional Organisation of Councils (GVROC) for Regional Climate Alliance (RCA) co-ordinator Niki Curtis moves after only two months in her new role.

Last year the GVROC won funding as part of the Regional Climate Alliance Program, a government-funded project, to help the regions take steps towards climate change, energy and sustainability.

Two climate alliances were chosen for the program, GVROC and the South Coast Alliance.

Both of these organisations will share in the $420,000 to employ a RCA co-ordinator and fund the climate adaptation and mitigation projects.

Inspired by the challenge Ms Curtis was drawn to the role.

“I am really passionate about regional development and sustainability so when I saw the job advertised I thought ‘oh that’s actually a fantastic next step for coming back to the region’,” Ms Curtis said.

With nine shires, including the Shire of Coolgardie, Shire of Dundas, Shire of Esperance, City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Shire of Laverton, Shire of Leonora, Shire of Menzies, Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku and the Shire of Wiluna, it’s not a role for the faint of heart.

“It’s been great, they are really embracing it, it’s such a massive area and so diverse,” she said.

“They all have really good governance, which was in place since GVROC started and a good understanding that sometimes the focus isn’t going to suit all of them, but they can still learn something from it.

“So it’s been surprisingly easy to work with all nine, it’s a bit difficult however to get to visit all of them.”

The GVROC takes up one third of the State and has between 55,000 to 60,000 people who call these shires home.

The large and diverse land presents a unique set of challenges when it comes to providing solutions.

So to start, three projects were put forward for the GVROC’s approval, which have now all been signed off on, and the application process begins.

The first project is a baseline study to measure carbon emission reductions.

“We will do an audit of where the local governments are at with their emissions and then provide a strategy of how they can reduce those,” Ms Curtis said.

“We will also do it at a regional level, looking at industry and community.”.

Ms Curtis said the first project would set up the following two by providing a starting level of measurement as they move forward.

A renewable energy audit has also been submitted and approved.

The audit will aim to understand how the current energy needs are being met, in order to assess what opportunities could be available for renewable energy projects across the region.

Finally the last project is a water strategy, which according to Ms Curtis, has not been looked at in the Goldfields-Esperance region since 2002.

As the region continues to grow, GVROC expects demand for resources, in particular good quality water, to grow.

This region however is increasingly feeling the pinch from climate change and as a result water security will be of great importance.

“Water security is a huge issue, from the agriculture region all the way up to the northern Goldfields and that’s not only going to slow down economic growth, but also community resilience,” she said.

While she is busy working on all of these projects, Ms Curtis hopes to visit the diverse communities GVROC represents.

“I am desperate to get up to the Aboriginal lands and visit those communities,” she said

“There are 19 Aboriginal communities in our area, along with massive mining enterprises who want to invest in the region and then agriculture, which is just booming.”

The position is funded for two years.

• More information: Go to gvroc.com

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