Carnarvon on right path, says shire president, as crime-struck town avoids major issues during eclipse

Carnarvon successfully welcomed visitors who came to the town for the total solar eclipse, providing a safe, enjoyable time according Shire president Eddie Smith. Crime has been a noticeable issue in Carnarvon, but Cr Smith said the week of the eclipse saw no major offences. “In the last week, we’ve had no incidences whatsoever, so it’s been very, very good. We have had some recent significant issues, but we’ve got on top of those,” he said. There was some concern over whether Carnarvon could safely welcome the large number of visitors coming for the eclipse, but Cr Smith said additional police resources had helped make the situation manageable. About 50,000 people were estimated to have come to the Gascoyne for last Thursday’s eclipse. “There’s been a lot of work by the police and other government agencies in dealing with some of the issues we’ve had, and it’s starting to pay off,” he said. “We do have more police in town, we have more housing for them, and they’re doing a great job, they’re making a difference.” Cr Smith said Carnarvon’s success last week was a sign that the town’s crime issues were being addressed. After Premier Mark McGowan visited the Gascoyne town in February, Cr Smith said he now feels the State Government is listening to Carnarvon locals. “It takes time to develop these relationships, to be confident that you are getting an ear, which we we have. It’s quite clear we didn’t have that before,” he said. Since then the Government has implemented measures including expanding the banned drinkers register to Carnarvon, and appointing local group Ngala Carnarvon to implement the Target 120 youth intervention program. While there are some positive signs, Mr Smith said there was still a long way to go. “It’s gonna take some time, I think everybody’s going to accept it is going to take time to work through these complex issues and make change because something has developed over the last 30, 35 years isn’t going to be fixed in three years,” he said. For now though, Cr Smith said he is happy to see Carnarvon was able to provide a positive experience during the eclipse. “The legacy of the eclipse is the fact that we’ve shown a large number of people just how good Carnarvon is,” he said.