11 February, 2013 10:10AM ACST

Anxious wait for Gove

Business owners and families in Nhulunbuy are hanging out for a decision from Rio Tinto on the refinery...

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Rachael VerdelGove Aquatic CentreNhulunbuy Christian CollegeEstelle and John CarterSteve VenourAbbey, Millie and PiaJudy and Bernie CartierKellyMurray

As Gove waits for a Rio Tinto decision on the future of the refinery, the anxiety and tension in town is palpable.

Rumours are rife about what the decision will be, and when it will be made.

And the trickle down effects of that uncertainty are being felt across the community: in businesses, real estate, schools and social circles. Counter sales are down, shops are quiet, and there are whispers about people dropping the asking price of properties by up to $100,000.

The questions are many and the answers are thin on the ground.

Judy Carter and her husband Bernie have run the newsagency in Nhulunbuy for 26 years. They brought up their two daughters in Gove, and hold the community very dear to their hearts. When the business was burned down three years ago, they were tempted to leave.

But, says Judy, "Rio convinced us to stay. They'd just signed a new lease, and encouraged us to stay on. We could have taken the insurance pay out. But instead, we invested over $400,000 in the community. We've made a business that is a hub, we bring people together. Now, with all the uncertainty, I've had to lay off two of my senior staff, one of my juniors and cut hours."

"We're trying to stay positive, but at 60, I'd like to retire soon and I'm worried that we won't ever be able to sell the business. I don't understand why such a profitable company can't see out the bad times, like the rest of us have to."

Estelle and John Carter moved back to Nhulunbuy after they heard the bakery had shut down, and decided to open it up again. Now, just 18 months later, they're looking down the barrel of a potential refinery shut down.

"It's been a bit of an anxious time. Along with all the businesses in town, we've seen a downturn. People are being more careful about how they spend their money. And we stand to lose a big part of our client base. We don't want to shut down and we don't want to leave town, but we're realistic enough to say that could be part of our future", says Estelle.

"Our nine year old son is very aware of what's going on, and upset by it. He's expressed an interest in following in his dad's footsteps and becoming a baker, so it's sad to think that maybe the bakery won't be there for him."

Kelly Murray and her husband Jeff run the fishing store in town. Kelly says "it's been very stressful not knowing what's going to happen. My husband works for Rio, and we rely on him for the accommodation, so that's worrying. I know morale is very low on site."

"We have a private lease, so no matter what happens in this town, we've got a legal contract which we have to fulfil to its end. Financially, it's very uncertain."

Rachael Verdel manages the Gove Aquatic Centre, and having been in Nhulunbuy for 14 years and brought her kids up by the side of the pool.

"I don't know what the future of the pool is. People are concerned, and I believe that if it does close down, it will definitely be a big loss for the town. We're just trying to be really positive that everything's going to be OK."

Steve Venour is the Principal of Nhulunbuy Christian College. He says that the school will not close down, even if student numbers drop dramatically, but that a refinery closure would inevitably mean staff cutbacks and a huge loss for the community.

"Most of the families I speak to are desperate to stay. We can talk about the economic cost to the school, and there will be, but at the end of the day, the staff and families aren't just people who work here, or drop off their kids here. They work in the shop, they're involved in sports days, we run into them at netball. What we've built here is a terrific community. If my front office member comes in one day and says, "We've been given the flick and my family has to go", we don't just lose a staff member. We lose a friend, we lose the kids, we lose everything that she and her family do for the school. This stuff tears at the fabric of a community. It's going to be really hard if that happens."

Down the road at Nhulunbuy High School, students Abbey, Pia and Milly are also worried about losing their friends and community.

Both of Pia's parents work at the refinery, which makes her uneasy.

"I'm in Year 11 and it's really hard. None of us know what we're going to do with school if our family has to leave."

Says Milly, "I've lived here all my life and it will be really sad if it closes down. It wouldn't be the same. We wouldn't be Gove anymore."

Abbey agrees. "It will just break us all apart, we're like one big family here."