ON THE way into South Kempsey there sits a symbol of some of our most significant recent history, a monument to a great man, and a tribute to the work of those around him.
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The Slim Dusty Centre is a passion project of a dedicated group of individuals who over the course of a decade brought to life the centre that houses a permanent exhibition dedicated to Australia's greatest country musician, and which fulfilled Slim's hope that he could give something back to the place of his birth.
The Slim Dusty Centre is an important modern landmark in the shire and a vital link to our heritage, that came about through more than a decade of fundraising.
Since it opened in 2015, the centre has had a huge number of visitors, thanks to the dedicated work of the Slim Dusty Foundation and the Kirkpatrick family who have also contributed significant funds to keep it operating.
Then 2020 arrived and brought us coronavirus and now the centre has been closed for more than six months due to the global pandemic.
I am so proud that council resolved at our meeting last week to work with the Slim Dusty Foundation and Slim Dusty's family to re-open the centre by Christmas, and to pursue the path to a permanent transfer of ownership of the centre to council to operate as a civic and cultural facility, while retaining the permanent Slim Dusty exhibition.
This $10 million centre, built through State and Federal funding, presents an extraordinary opportunity for council to explore opportunities in arts, culture and events that were otherwise beyond our means with a purpose built facility that already has ample parking and high visibility.
I'm so excited by the potential that this fantastic facility holds for the entire community. The family and current team will continue to focus on bringing new exhibits to life while trusting council's expertise to improve the operational management and marketing to allow the centre to reach its full commercial potential.
It is an honour to be a part of the future of this valued institution.
I look forward to re-opening the museum and I hope to see you there.