In the era of worker shortages and a loneliness epidemic, new research shows why people who move to new towns often find themselves struggling to fit in. 

“This often means people leave their town” researcher Saleena Ham, a Sociologist with the University of Southern Queensland told the Western Plains App. 

She says her findings show a lack of acceptance of new people “inhibits progress, resilience and acceptance of change in rural communities.”

However councils and volunteer groups across the western plains have made long-standing efforts to welcome and help integrate new residents into local towns.

ABOVE: Image from a town in Rural Queensland involved in the USQ Study. Image: Saleena Ham. 

To some extent, the sense of belonging to a small community experienced by longer term residents can become both a badge of honour and a barrier that makes it harder for new arrivals.

“For people who live small towns for a long time, the identity of the community becomes part of themselves,” she said.  

Ms Ham said locals feel particularly protective of that community, about keeping a particular story about their community.

She told the Western Plains App Newcomers can be intrinsically disruptive to the old and comfortable social norms of small towns. 

“When someone new comes in and wants to change things, it feels personal. The people who have lived there for a long time read it as a personal attack that threatens their values, stories, history, status and privileges. They feel like they have to defend their story of their special community from the outsiders and anything they might want to introduce.” 

“There are ways around this problem,” Ms Ham said “One is when established residents reach out to have genuine friendships with newcomers. Those locals can help induct those people into the local customs and cultures of the community. When newcomers have that support they very quickly became super committed to the cause of the community.” 

It’s one the reason why several towns in our region hold new resident welcome events around this time of year. 

Lightning Ridge will be holding it’s new resident even on March 20 at the Multi-Purpose Centre at Spider Brown Oval while Walgett CWA and Shire Council hosted an event on 1 March.

In Coonamble, a combined service clubs and charities event, the annual Welcome to Coonamble Dinner, marked its 35th year on 25 February.

New arrivals were welcomed to the Coonamble district on Saturday 25 February. PHOTO: Coonamble Times

Bourke Shire Council held their 14th ‘Welcome to Bourke’ event on Wednesday March 15 at the Back O’Bourke Exhibition Centre. 

Melanie Milgate, Economic Development Manager with Bourke Shire Council said the event “was an opportunity for new residents to meet the locals. As well meet representatives from local, sporting, social and other groups”. 

Milgate the Western Plains App that making sure newcomers fill right at home at Bourke was something she felt deeply passionate about. 

“People often struggle with isolation in Bourke. We might be remote but living here you have the opportunity to see some of the most magnificent sunsets and sunrises you will ever see, see all the stars, see the Darling-Baaka river but a chance to meet some truly great people” 

“If you see someone new, it would be rude not to turn around and give them some local history and let them know about Bourke’s history and culture.” 

It’s worth considering the value of social connection for all of us. 

A report late released late last year by KPMG showed Loneliness is currently being experienced by more than one quarter of Australian: 37% of young people say they are lonely. “The impacts of loneliness are equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes or having six alcoholic drinks per day” with lonely person have an increased risk of death. 

Feeling lonely and socially isolated can contribute to behaviors such as getting too little exercise, drinking too much alcohol and smoking. 

Their report also found 54% are of people are lonelier after the COVID-19 pandemic than before. 

In the case of newcomers Ms Ham found that their social connection had real impact on stopping town’s evolving.   

However, she thinks that welcome events are a good start, but warns that initial connections made “Have to be genuine friendships, not just fake or token friendships." 

"It's not just working with one member of the newcomer family, it’s about finding places for all the family in the community.”