Deputy Mayor of the South Burnett Regional Council, Cr Kathy Duff has been awarded the prestigious Butch Lenton Memorial Bush Council Innovation Award at this year's Local Government Association Conference held in Cairns.
The award that honours the memory of former Mayor of the Winton Shire, Butch Lenton, recognises innovation in bush Councils.
Cr Duff said that she was delighted to have received the award because it recognises the pragmatic approach of people in the bush.
"The award pays tribute to the people of Proston who came together as a community with the goal to revitalize the town by buying the shops in the towns centre," Cr Duff said.
South Burnett Regional Councillor, Cr Ros Heit said that Cr Kathy Duff was an obvious choice for the award and I was proud to nominate her.
"Cr Duff was the driving force behind the Proston Community Revival Project," Cr Heit said.
"The story of Proston is like so many small country towns who face the daily struggle to survive.
"The South Burnett town which was founded in 1910 Proston as the terminus of the railway line was prosperous for many years.
However, it was after the closure of the railway line and butterfactory in the 1970s, the area's town centre saw a slow decline.
"The once busy main street changed to one of closed and boarded up shops," Cr Heit said.
"The seven shops that form the core of Proston have been on the market for many years with little hope of resurrecting them.
"In 2018, Cr Duff and the Proston Round Table discussion group explored the idea of buying and refurbishing the building to attract new businesses and community shops to the town.
"A few months later - after calling for community interest to examine the proposal, several local residents incorporated a new entity called Proston Queensland Ltd, a not-for-profit company with the purpose of refurbishing the town centre.
"While they found it was a feasible idea and the building was capable of being refurbished to more contemporary standards, they were unable to raise the necessary cash to buy the property.
"However, things changed when Deputy Mayor Kathy Duff received an inheritance from her friend and former Southern Downs Regional Councillor, the late Cr Jamie Mackenzie.
"Cr Mackenzie died unexpectedly in February 2016 and his Will included a bequest to Cr Kathy Duff.
"Cr Duff, who spent her childhood in Proston district wanted to continue Jamie's legacy in some way and this was an ideal way for this to happen.
She donated the money to the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR), a national grants body, on condition that FRRR assess the proposal and pass the money to Proston Queensland Ltd if they found it was a worthwhile project.
"FRRR passed on the grant and contracts for the sale of the building were exchanged on July 29. Proston Queensland is now the building's landlord and over time, through donations and grants, the groups hopes to renovate the entire building so that modern retail businesses can set up shop.
"This is a great story of bush innovation and a community joining together to keep a their town alive."
Cr Duff, on receiving the award spoke about Proston and her late friend Cr Jamie Mackenzie and the sadness of rural suicides received a standing ovation at the conference.
Many in the audience who knew Kathy and Jamie struggled to keep back the tears. It touched many hearts and Jamies legacy will live on in Proston. "
"There is still a lot of water to flow under the bridge in Proston, but the initiative by Cr Kathy Duff and the community, together with the legacy of Cr Jamie Mackenzie gives the town a fighting chance."
About the Butch Lenton Memorial Bush Council Innovation Award:
Butch Lenton, who passed away on 1 October 2017, spent more than 20 years - first as a Councillor, then as Mayor of Winton - pursuing his unique vision for the region in which he was born and raised. That vision extended far beyond driving the traditional agricultural and grazing industries existing in the area. It included developing tourism, renewable energy and telecommunications as key features of a thriving local economy.