Clermont Community Development Fund

The Blair Athol Mine Community Development Fund was established in 2003 to support the local community to build capacity to address development challenges and take advantage of emerging opportunities.

In late 2008, Rio Tinto announced the new Clermont Community Development Fund, which replaces the Blair Athol Mine Community Development Fund and provides significant additional funding to the town and district of Clermont. Rio Tinto Coal Australia has committed $1.5 million for the fund to distribute to eligible projects between January 2009 and December 2011.

The additional funding is part of our contribution to the implementation of the Preferred Future Strategy - a community initiative to identify the long term sustainability of Clermont. See below for more information.

The fund aims to target issues, needs and opportunities which are a priority to the local community and are related to Rio Tinto's core business. Based on this information, the objectives of the Clermont Community Development Fund are to support projects in the following areas.

Economic

Proposals aimed at enhancing the economic base of the region:

Attract and diversify sustainable business and services, including providing support to small business
Strengthen and promote regional attributes, capabilities, skills and cooperation that will add economic value, and
Improve the economic competitiveness of the region.

Social and education

Proposals aimed at increasing community capacity in the region:

Develop community and youth leadership and recognise excellence
Increase access to appropriate academic and vocational education and training
Increase recognition of the benefits of lifelong learning within the community, and
Enhance community participation and access to wellness and safety programmes.

Environmental

Proposals aimed at increasing the quality of the regional environment:

Promote awareness of regional environmental issues, and
Implement community generated regional environmental programmes that will improve the quality of the Clermont and district environment.

With significant interests in Clermont, Rio Tinto was involved in a project in 2007 led by the Belyando Shire Council (now the Isaac Regional Council) to develop a Preferred Future Strategy for the town. The strategy explores the needs and challenges facing Clermont in coming years. As a result, the fund will also seek to support projects which contribute to implementation of the Clermont Preferred Future Strategy. The key themes of the Strategy are:

Business economic development and entrepreneurship
Infrastructure, investment and transport
Leadership and capacity
Liveability and lifestyle
Natural capital and cultural heritage, and
Community health and wellbeing

A copy of the strategy can be obtained from the Isaac Regional Council, Clermont office.