Is Mt Gambier City Council Trying To Destroy Tourism Here?

Howdy dear availees...can't believe it's been another month since our last post, but whatevs, we're here now, so let's go...(if I may?-Ed)...sure, fire away...(well we've still been busy, least-ways you have, over at TMGI Facebook page and with that other rather humongous issue looming over the horizon-Ed)...yes indeed, that is true, and we will eventually get to that, but that's literally The End Of The Line for that particular freight-train...(yeahhh, leaving the actual issue to one side for a moment, what's at the end of the line?-Ed)...dunno', for all I know we're The End of the Line...(oh really? I thought we were the freight-train?-Ed)...we well coould be, I just couldn't say really...(so that's the teaser then?-Ed)..."the teaser"?...(yeah, the teaser, the partial reveal, the intrigue-laced carrot you're dangling before dear availees of this 'ere blog to entice them further forward, further down the rabbit hole, as it were, the teaser is that something might happen soon about that thing-Ed)...well 3 things, firstly, dear availees are neither donkeys nor bunnies, and secondly, nobodies gettin' lured nowhere they don't wanna' go, and thirdly, yeah, it remains to be seen just exactly who's playin' what roles in this particular theatre of the absurd...

Disclaimer, sort of, because yet again I literally have Skin in the Game...(in the Cave in this instance-Ed)...indeed, 'cos more than once did I scrape my knuckles on various locks, rocks, and gravels in The Pit...(aha, nice one, 'Lock, Stock and Barrels', nice-Ed)...well spotted sir, but yeah, when I first moved to Mt Gambier in the late 1990s, a parking ticket eventually caught-up with me in the form of a Summons/Warrant/thingy...basically, I was offered the choice of several days in gaol or doing 1 day less time via Community Service...(aaand?-Ed)...aaand, thusly, I ended-up at the Lifeline warehouse, and after continuing-on as a volunteer, I was soon approached and asked if I would consider volunteering as a guide at Engelbrecht Cave...(ah yeah, 'cos Lifeline were running it aways back then, weren't they?-Ed)...indeed, and so yea and verily did it come to pass that I became a volunteer cave guide at Engelbrecht Cave nearly a quarter century ago...

(And if I may say so, you were a most excellent guide-Ed)...indeed, thanks...(hey, remember that time that couple hung-back after a tour and the lady pssst pssst to the gentleman and then he reached into his pocket, stepped forward and offered his hand shake, only to drop $20 into ya' hand?-Ed)...oh yeah...(and when you said 'thanks, there's the donations tin', he said, "no mate, that's for you, for doing what you're doing"-Ed)...yeah, it was very uplifting/affirming...(and what did you do with that $20?-Ed)...well, not to disrespect that generous couple, but when they left I dropped it in the donations tin...(and why?-Ed)...'cos that's why I was there, not for me as such, but to help fund-raise for Lifeline...(and 'cos that's just how you are-Ed)...guess so, whatevs, we digress...

At that time, a day volunteering (always solo) started by fetching the keys and cash box from Andami across the highway there at 0800-0900hrs, doing a quick 'round the external perimeter check, then down The Pit to open various padlocks/doors, check for any lighting faults/rock-falls/etc, then back-up to open and greet visitors, then do 6-8 tours a day, one an hour, including a brief movie at the end, politely encourage 'donations for Lifeline', then do the next tour...(then move your brothers' coat to a lower peg, Monty Python-style-Ed)...pretty much...including the opening/closing, it was up and down 8-10 times whilst constantly talking to groups of people, etc...(it's getting it to shut-up that's the trick-Ed)...ahaha, nice Shreck reference...I make this point specifically to illustrate 1) who I was capable of being then...I sortta' remember that person but not sure I can be that person now...(or indeed, ever again-Ed)...indeed, or ever again...also 2) that when I cut-crook about this specific issue/incident, yet again it is from a foundation of extensive knowledge gained through a lived experience, and in response to, and as seen through, the intense trauma/anger I witnessed last week...

So, in their infinite wisdom Mt Gambier City Council have decided to shut-down yet another thriving Mt Gambier Tourism Operation (MGTO), the very popular Engelbrecht Cave Tours & Cafe (ECTC)...("infinite wisdom"? I thought you said that it was one of the most moronic and basely corrupt pieces of bureaucratic bastardry you'd ever seen?-Ed)...orrr yeah, I did say that...(you went on to say, and I quote, "and that's from a pack a' moronic, base, corrupt, bureaucratic bastards who specialise in this sort of egregious bastardry"-Ed)...yeah, but "specialise" is probably the wrong word, 'cos their rancidly corrupt and community-destructive conduct is really more about the fact that they just can't do any better, MGCC are just low, selfish dullards who simply are not capable of doing any better...

And I'll leave it to Joe Average MGCC employee to evaluate themselves and where it is exactly they sit in this pantheon of self-interest and incompetence, 'cos, as per usual, it's always the relatively decent people, peeps just tryin' to do their jobs as best they can, etc, who get caught-up in the self-serving corruption of MGCC Councillors and Senior Staff...and so it is in that exact context...(you mean with your usual intense focus on not draggin' others into the quagmire of Institutionalised Corruption-Protecting Retribution as defined by your actual experience/life?-Ed)...yeah, all that...(and as done with your usual genuine politeness 'cos that's just how you are-Ed)...sure sure, whatevs... 

So I did what I had wanted to avoid, had tried to avoid, and I went to the Final Day at Engelbrecht, and oh boy...(pretty full-on?-Ed)...let's just put it this way, the abject hatred towards MGCC was not just palatable, it was widely, loudly audible...(yeah, we know what you think/say, but what were other peeps sayin'?-Ed)...very amusing I'm sure, but of course I'm talking about the other peeps who were there, the raw emotion and the discussions, etc, were entirely unavoidable...(yeah, I don't think 'Trauma' is too strong a word-Ed)...yeah, perfect, the Collective Trauma of Ms Coleman, her (now former) employees, and the many, many well-wishers was quite overwhelming...and amongst all of that, Ms Coleman and her staff were still running tours...(I doffs me hat to 'em all-Ed)...indeed, and a measure of the gaping chasm between decent people just tryin' to do there level best for the broader community, and what MGCC does...

Nobody asked me to go there, nobody asked me to be involved, the few people I approached/spoke to were politely co-operative, but the vast majority of what I know about this comes from discreetly pseudo-eavesdropping multiple conversations...("pseudo-eavesdropping"?-Ed)...yeah, well, not strictly intended or orchestrated, but more sortta' what happens when one tries to stay the shreck outta' the way but it's in a very small space and these conversations are just goin'-off around ya'...(dude, ya' just can't do things the easy way can ya'?-Ed)...yes, well, being intensely aware of and concerned with how my actions affect others, yeah, there is seldom a simple way...(fair dues-Ed)...and so it came to pass that I'd long heard everything I needed to hear to confirm my thoughts/beliefs before I had a brief chance to offer Ms Coleman my condolences, etc...

But back to the pseudo-eavesdropping...peeps just kept askin' Ms Coleman the same questions...'But why are you now closing?...'But I thought you were staying open?'...'Why isn't Council renewing your lease now?'...and various iterations there-abouts...and it was the undisguised distress/trauma in Ms Coleman's voice/demeanour, especially about the impending unemployment of her staff, and that same sense from everyone around her, it was clearly not her decision to shut-down her business...just for the record, here's what I've already posted on TMGI Facebook...(oh, and a bittuva' Language Warning for laters in this post, just so ya's know-Ed)...***

One might be forgiven for thinking that Mt Gambier City Council was acting to shutdown Tourism in Mt Gambier.

Having done their level best to destroy the world-renowned Aquifer Tours, now they've royally shafted the operators of Engelbrecht Cave, which, as of Monday (1st July 2024) is now closed to the public, with no identified re-opening date.

And MGCC's vacuous rhetoric and aligned half-arsed reportage of the issue would have y'all believe that the closure is directly related to the retirement of the operator.

From my extensive researching, it is clearly yet another case of MGCC manipulating/deceiving/gaslighting Ratepayers as nobly supported by the sycophantic courtiers that are the Mt Gambier media.

MGCC definably wanted that site closed and used the Lease Renewal or rather their refusal to renew the Lease as their convenient excuse.

At first I thought it was just another rancidly corrupt attempt to hand a thriving business to one of their family/friends, like they tried with the Golf Club, but I'm afraid the actual reality may be far, far worse.

And yes, it does directly relate to the Farcical Aquatic Recreation Centre (Wulanda) debasco (debacle/fiasco) as indeed will every other MGCC/Ratepayer related issue for the next century.

Soon (October 2024?) MGCC is also going to 'close' the Tourism Kiosk at the Umpherston Cave, same 'excuse', the Lease runs out.

I'll do a long-form explanation on TMGI The Blog, just give me a coupla' days.

***That was posted several days ago, and actually refers to this 'ere post, but then, on Friday 5th July 2024) MGCC strapped a shark to some waterskis and jumped it over Henry Winkler...which I Facebook-ed thusly...***

Just reported on ABC SE Radio, Mt Gambier City Council is 'half-closing' the Lady Nelson Visitor Centre, and instead is going to run their main Tourism Information site outta' the Main Corner/Riddoch Art Gallery/whatevs.

And always the wholly complicit MGCC-mouthpiece, the ABC's deliberate gaslighting deceit of Mt Gambier's long-suffering Ratepayers continues unabated.

The 3 other sites mentioned, Blue Lake (Aquifer Tours), Engelbrecht & Umpherston are now apparently going to be 'Tourism Info Sites, to be referred to as "spokes".

MGCC is supposedly in the process & getting TIS staff for Engelbrecht by mid-July and October at Umpherston but I don't know where any of these jobs have been advertised.

And in the interview just played, MGCC's Barbara Cernovskis straight-out lied about MGCC's actions, completely gaslighting Ratepayers about MGCC's appalling treatment of the Engelbrecht Cave operators/employees.

"...we found ourselves in a position where Jan gave us notice."

And that's a bare-faced, straight-out lie that goes completely unchallenged.

MGCC didn't 'find' themselves anywhere, they deliberately manipulated and forced this outcome.

Barbara knows it's a lie and the ABC know it's a lie 'cos they've spoken to at least some of the same people I have.

'Engelbrecht Cave' was 100% set to continue as a thriving business and it was MGCC that ended the Lease, despite lengthy 'negotiations', and with only weeks actual notice to Jan.

And not one red cent in compensation for having her thriving business ripped away from her and destroyed.

Apologies that I haven't got to the long-form post on TMGI The Blog yet, been down with a cold/flu thingy, but now it's gunna' be extra brutal.

I'm sick and tired of being lied to.

Cheers, Nick.

***And almost like they're reacting to the furious public backlash MGCC have suddenly announced this 'Hub and Spokes' bollocks, and garnished that nonsense with blatant lies...(I don't recall this 'Hub-Spokes' thingy being mentioned a coupla' weeks back when this closure was first announced-Ed)...indeed, if it was even mentioned, it was done very quietly 'cos I didn't hear it either...and Barbara Cernovskis straight-out lied about that Engelbrecht Lease being "Jan gave us notice" and the Lease/site was 'handed back to Council' as opposed to the damning reality...(the reality that Ms Coleman, despite her extensive efforts to keep the site/business operational after her departure, instead had her hard-earned profitable business employing 4 people ripped-out from under her by a rancidly corrupt MGCC? that reality?-Ed)...yeah, that reality...here's MGCC's wholly deceitful official statement from their website...***

New visitor servicing model for Mount Gambier
04 July 2024

City of Mount Gambier Strategic Development & Visitor Economy Coordinator Amanda Stevens at Engelbrecht Cave.

City of Mount Gambier will begin to implement a ‘hub and spoke’ visitor servicing model from mid July 2024. The concept involves a Visitor Centre Hub to be located at the main corner entrance of the Riddoch building on Commercial Street, with spoke sites at Engelbrecht Cave, Umpherston Sinkhole/Balumbul, the Blue Lake Welcome Centre and the Lady Nelson.

Council acknowledges that tourism has changed significantly since the Lady Nelson Visitor and Discovery Centre opened on Jubilee Highway East in 1986, and has endorsed a position to grow the city’s visitor economy by changing the way travellers experience and contribute to Mount Gambier.

“Mount Gambier’s destination appeal is strong, and the time is right to consider the long term direction for visitor servicing in our city,” General Manager City Infrastructure Barbara Cernovskis said.

This model represents a paradigm shift in the way we grow our visitor economy, one that prioritises traveller engagement with our visitor servicing team, industry connection and environmental stewardship.

“When current Engelbrecht Cave licensee Jan Coleman gave us notice that she was handing back the keys at the conclusion of her lease at the end of June, Council decided to activate this site - one of our highest visited tourism sites - as the first ‘spoke’."

The spoke site will be the first transition site of the hub and spoke model and provide cohesive storytelling, digital and physical visitor information and will be accessible to travellers seven days a week.

“Council will provide visitor servicing, tour guide experiences, Mount Gambier branded merchandise and light refreshments.”

“A business development and implementation plan will guide the roll out and we will take a phased approach to the changes at the site. This will enable us to closely measure how things are going with the new model to inform our decision making and ensure best practice,” Ms Cernovskis said.

Under the new visitor servicing plan, the Blue Lake Welcome Centre and Umpherston Sinkhole/Balumbul will follow as spoke sites.

“Umpherston Sinkhole/Balumbul Kiosk operator Julie Holdsworth will retire at the end of her lease in October, and Umpherston Sinkhole/Balumbul will then be included as a spoke visitor servicing site.”

“Our priority is to ensure presence of visitor servicing at Engelbrecht Cave and Umpherston Sinkhole/Balumbul to facilitate a smooth transition back to Council’s care and control. The Blue Lake Welcome Centre will remain a spoke site and continue to operate in its current capacity for now, with consideration to future increased activation at this site aligned with higher visitation periods.”

Changes to the service model means that the current visitor centre at the Lady Nelson site will be repurposed, aligned with the Community Land Management Plan. Council is currently preparing a call out for Expressions of Interest (EOI) to seek community activation of the site, with a view to house the city’s creative industries and/or historic collections.

View the Visitor Servicing Model FAQs.

***And that's a straight-out lie, a bare-faced...base...lie...and Barbara Cernovskis knows it...in fact, it's not one single lie, it's a series of lies, each needed to try to justify/excuse/gaslight-explain why the other lies aren't lies, if that makes sense...(yeah yeah, lies to justify/explain further lies, etc-Ed)...“When current Engelbrecht Cave licensee Jan Coleman gave us notice that she was handing back the keys at the conclusion of her lease at the end of June, Council decided to activate this site - one of our highest visited tourism sites - as the first ‘spoke’."

As I understand it and as I'd be more than prepared to defend in any forum, preferably a very public one, the fact is that Mt Gambier City Council deceived and manipulated Ms Coleman and her employees right-up until refusing to renew the Lease and dumping Ms Coleman, her 'replacement', and those 4 employees only weeks before they were set to continue with the new operator.

There was a clearly defined and organised plan in place that ensured seamless transition from Ms Coleman to the new operator/s, ensured continuing employment, etc, and MGCC knew/know that, and deliberately stalled/rooted-about and lied and deceived until suddenly ripping-away that Lease.

In every conceivable context, if every single person I have spoken too and/or heard, if every single one of them was lying about every single thing that I have heard, then and only then does Barbaras'/MGCCs' blatant lie become the truth. 

(And yet another graphic illustration of just how pro-MGCC complicit the Mt Gambier 'media' are, this half-arsed reporting that carefully doesn't explain the exact situation, the actual facts, but disingenuously gaslights MGCC Ratepayers on behalf of MGCC-Ed)...exactly, and it's really just so far beyond sloppy, incompetent journalism, because it's deliberate...but I knew before I spoke to Ms Coleman, from the way her voice kept breaking when interviewed by the ABC and the sense of upset and guilt about making her employees suddenly un-employed, all of that...from that moment, before I had spoken to anyone, I knew that she had not made the decision to close the business, I knew already that Ms Coleman had been evicted/shutdown/whatevs by MGCC, I knew that this clearly disastrous bastardry was yet another act of treacherous fuckery by a wholly corrupt Mt Gambier City Council...

And nobody I have spoken too and/or overheard, nothing I've read, nothing that I thought I knew and indeed now know to be true, not one single grain of truth has washed-back against the unrelenting tide of facts that make MGCCs' actions anything other than deceitful, treacherous bastardry.

I believe that Mt Gambier City Council should compensate Ms Coleman for destroying her business, compensate the incoming operator, and compensate those four employees they dumped...and I'm gunna' pull stumps here but immediately set into a second post that covers this more thoroughly...

Tomorrow: MGCC Lie To Ratepayers Like It's Their Job

Oh, and if MGCC think they're gunna' quietly try and slide one of their family/mates in there...(that was my first thought-Ed)...oowee, they will have a shrecking riot on their hands...and I can say that 'cos it ain't got nought to do with me if it does, 'cos, as we've described above, that was one angry hornets nest of anti-MGCC resentment and open, loud, frequent criticism of MGCC...

And just for the record, that vitriolic abuse about MGCC didn't come from any of the peeps I've spoken too, they were extraordinarily polite and reserved about it, clearly traumatised, etc, but still polite, I'm talkin' about the thronging crowds of predominantly li'l ol' lady-types...(yeah, it's always hilarious to hear Granny Scroggins carpet-bombing the F-word-Ed)...so much anger and distress and trauma...well done MGCC for bringing that into so many peoples' lives, again...

(Just before we go-Ed)...yeah?...(I was thinkin' it might be time to change the name of this 'ere blog, I mean it's been TMGI for over a decade, maybe a refreshing re-badging just to change things-up a bit?-Ed)...fair enough, any ideas?...(well I was thinking something like 'Mr Bastard Fucks Mt Gambier City Council With His Angry Words'*-Ed)...okay, I'm not hating it, but, ummm...('Fucks Council Really Hard'?-Ed)...okay, look, keep workin' on it and, ummm, we'll see, okay?...(I'll get back to ya'-Ed)...I'll be counting the moments...

(*and just for the record, that's a joke, a very angry joke sure, but a joke none-the-less...(yeah, it's the F-Bombing Nannas MGCC needs to worry about-Ed)...indeed, all we've done there is channel the energy of that closing day...*)

I am Nick Fletcher and this is my blog...cheers and laters...