Cossack Candidate Plans To Revive Historic ‘Ghost’ Town

NGARLUMA and Yindjibarndi man Clinton Walker says the McGowan Government’s rejection of plans to reactivate Cossack could set back tourism development at the historic site for up to two years.

“I will be putting pressure on fast tracking the process,” the candidate for Wickham/Point Samson/Roebourne/Cossack/Pastoral told StreetWise.

Clinton has lived in Karratha for 21 years and holds strong family ties to Roebourne.

“They (his family and friends) often express how they feel left out a bit,” he said. “I want to give a voice to indigenous people on council.”

An award-winning advocate for local tourism, Clinton says the future of Cossack was a big priority or him, having developed a business plan designed to attract hundreds of people to the picturesque site 1500km north of Perth.

“I am trying to develop some commercial activity out there. At the moment it has a lot of potential but nothing is happy there,” he said. “I want Cossack to grow.”

Some of his ideas including inviting artists to stay there on a permanent basis and holding an annual fair.

“Amendment 44 would have allowed it,” he said, referring to the City’s proposed town planning scheme change rejected by the WAPC and Planning Minister Rita Saffioti.

“If we can create business opportunities within that space and encourage people to come out there, run more tours, we can put a foot in the door to make it look like a living working community.”