Shire to decide on closing Fitzroy Crossing Visitor Centre amid break-ins

The Shire of Derby-West Kimberley has deferred its decision on whether to close the Fitzroy Crossing Visitor’s Centre after several violent incidents, with new government regulation forcing the vote to be postponed to later this month. Shire of Derby-West Kimberley councillors were due, on November 11, to examine a proposal to close the Fitzroy Crossing Visitor Centre after several incidents, including one in which a staff member was hit in the face with a rock. “It appears the staff member was struck by a rock to her face by a person who was part of a group of juveniles causing a disturbance at the Fitzroy Crossing Administration and Visitors Centre, after asking to utilise its toilet facilities,” the agenda for the meeting stated. “The staff member attended the Fitzroy Crossing Hospital as a precautionary measure and to have the injury treated and recorded. The matter has also been reported to police. “Fortunately, there is unlikely to be a requirement for ongoing active medical treatment but the situation could have very easily been much worse for the employee.” The move to potentially close the centre is one Shire president Geoff Haerewa said was “absolutely disappointing and frustrating” but worth examining because of the cost to the community. “They were smashing computers, smashing anything that was electronic and putting massive holes in the walls. It was just sheer senseless vandalism,” he said. “We put a lot of time and effort into our facilities to try and deliver a service the town and the region deserve. These people don’t realise just how much of an impact these things have on the staff, on the organisation and the town itself.” The Shire agenda stated action “must be taken” to enable employees to safely return to their duties and allow customers to safely visit the centre. The agenda also criticised the policing resources available in the region. “Whilst every level of government and every relevant agency is already contributing to the endeavour of maintaining Fitzroy Crossing as a functional community, the fact that the Shire has staff in danger of being seriously injured indicates, at the very least, that more needs to be done,” the document stated. It comes as the Kimberley deals with an unprecedented wave of youth crime, with WA Police launching Operation Regional Shield to tackle the problem in April this year. The decision is now expected to be made at the November 24 ordinary council meeting.