Rural restructuring and social sustainability: some reflections on the Western Australian wheatbelt

Over the past three decades the Western Australian wheatbelt has undergone dramatic economic, environmental and social changes precipitated, primarily, by the process of rural restructuring. Farm amalgamation, environmental degradation, labour market adjustments and severe population decline have been consistently noted trends throughout much of the wheatbelt. The ongoing and integrated nature of these problems has led to increasing calls for a more holistic approach to sustainable rural development. This paper argues that while considerable efforts are being made to find solutions to the economic and environmental problems faced in the wheatbelt, these endeavours do not address many important problems faced by rural communities. It therefore advocates the inclusion of a social dimension in any attempt to achieve an overall goal of rural sustainability.