By Dominique Tassell
Two local projects have received funding through Foundation for Rural Regional Renewal (FRRR)’s Strengthening Rural Communities program.
Happy Chat Peer Support for Mental Health in Stanthorpe received $6,400.
They aim to strengthen mental health peer to peer support group by engaging with therapeutic services to support community bushfire recovery.
Killarney Show and Rodeo Society Inc. received $10,000 to purchase a new lawnmower.
This will increase volunteer safety and bushfire preparedness.
Southern Downs Regional Council (SDRC) discussed a request for assistance maintaining the Killarney Rec Club facilities at a Connecting with Council meeting in Leyburn last year.
SDRC received a request from the club in October last year, with the club stating they needed help maintaining around 35 acres of land.
At the time, SDRC Chief Executive said they did not “have an appetite” to help the club maintain this using SDRC maintenance staff.
Councillor Ross Bartley stated at the meeting that the club normally maintains its own facilities but due to Covid-19 had not had the income needed to facilitate maintaining their machinery for this purpose.
SDRC later stated they may help the club apply for a grant. It is unclear if the club did receive this help, and if it contributed to them receiving the FRRR grant.
One hundred and seventeen projects in total have received funding through the FRRR Strengthening Rural Communities program, with these community-driven initiatives sharing in $1,382,453 in grants.
Funded through FRRR’s Strengthening Rural Communities program these grants support projects led by local people in small communities throughout the country.
In this round of funding, 59 Black Summer bushfire recovery initiatives are sharing $894,313 in grants for recovery and preparedness projects. This includes expanding the iconic Horsepower Highway tourist trail to kickstart Gnowangerup’s local economy in WA by adding two new installations and installing a kitchen at the Big Swamp Community Centre in Coomunga, SA to support the community during future bushfire events.
There are also 58 projects spread across Australia sharing in $488,140 in this round of grants through the Small & Vital stream. These grants range from $1,595 to improve internet access for the local museum and its volunteers in Chiltern, VIC, to a $10,000 grant for filmmaking workshops in Wilcannia, NSW.
Jill Karena, Place Portfolio Lead at FRRR, said that as Covid lockdown restrictions have eased and communities adapt to a new Covid normal, people are eager to connect, engage, celebrate and recover, but they are also keen to ensure that their community is stronger and more resilient for what may come.
“Our Heartbeat of Rural Australia study last year highlighted that among the biggest challenges for people was not being able to connect, so it was no surprise that many of the applications we saw in this round of (Strengthening Rural Communities) were about bringing people together. This ranges from making facilities more comfortable and welcoming, such as air conditioners or new furniture, to better IT equipment, internet connections or communication tools to engage with their communities. We have also seen some wonderful arts-based projects, which again bring people together, especially for those who were affected by the Black Summer bushfires.
“Underlying most of the requests however is a desire to be stronger in the future – to be more resilient. Sadly, some of those communities that are receiving grants, have felt the effects of another disaster. For those who have to put their projects on hold because of the floods, we understand. FRRR will be here to work with you, and if there is now a higher priority for your community, do get in touch as we are keen to assist,” Ms Karena said.
