Fed-up locals get hands dirty to restore pride in Tablelands town

Fed-up locals in Atherton, a town in Queensland's Far North, are rolling up their sleeves to restore pride in their community by tackling the degradation of their main street. Once a picturesque postcard location, Atherton's central business district has become an eyesore for residents, marred by graffiti, overflowing bins, and widespread litter.

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Walk down the main street and there's graffiti on the walls, the garbage bins were dirty, there are cigarette butts [everywhere].

"Walk down the main street and there's graffiti on the walls, the garbage bins were dirty, there are cigarette butts [everywhere]," said resident Cathy Duck, who has lived in Atherton for over 30 years. She described the town center as "untidy" and "uninviting," feeling it had lost the welcoming country charm it once possessed. Duck, a member of the newly formed Atherton Enhancement Group (AEG), emphasized the shift from complaining to taking action: "Everybody can have a whinge but [we decided to] put our effort into what can we do to make it better."

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That's no blame on the council … it's very difficult to constantly maintain things.

The AEG has organized monthly working bees, attracting over 60 volunteers in just two sessions. These efforts focus on practical improvements such as removing graffiti, conducting litter patrols, and maintaining garden beds. The group aims to emulate the town's past success, having been named Queensland's tidiest town in 2004. "It would give people a sense of pride and a sense of worth, if we're able to do that again, it would be really important for our small country town," Duck stated.

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Everybody can have a whinge but [we decided to] put our effort into what can we do to make it better, what can we do to improve it and what can we do to be proud of Atherton again.

Local business owners are hopeful that these beautification efforts will translate into economic benefits. Ben Stratton, a third-generation business owner, argued that an untidy CBD deters customers. "The difficulty in retail is how to get people walking in the door and they're not walking in your door if they're not walking your main street," he said. Stratton believes a cleaner Atherton could encourage Tablelands residents to shop locally instead of traveling to Cairns and could also entice tourists, including "grey nomads," to extend their stays in the region.

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The attitude was, 'Let's do something.'