Victorian dairy community groups receive grants

Media releases: 4 July 2018

13 July 2018: The Gardiner Dairy Foundation and the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) today announced that 27 Victorian dairy community groups have been awarded funds, as part of the 2018 Working in Dairy Communities Small Grants Program.

The Working in Dairy Communities Small Grants Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for projects that aim to strengthen Victorian dairy communities. This year, community groups across the Gippsland, Northern and South Western dairy regions are sharing in $118,226.

Gardiner Dairy Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Clive Noble, said that the Gardiner Dairy Foundation’s partnership with FRRR plays an integral role in ensuring that Victorian dairy communities have the means to complete local projects that benefit local communities and the overall economy.

“Supporting the Working in Dairy Communities Small Grants Program has been a proud investment for the Gardiner Dairy Foundation for the past 16 years. The grants strengthen grass-roots community projects to deliver lasting benefits and to drive positive change and improvement to regional Victoria,” said Dr Noble.

FRRR CEO, Natalie Egleton, said that the small grants make a large impact to the people residing in rural and regional Australia.

“It can be very difficult for local groups in small communities to attract philanthropic support and so the Gardiner Dairy Foundation is making an important contribution to keeping these small communities vibrant and sustainable and, ultimately, strengthening Australia’s agricultural sector,” said Ms Egleton.

In many cases these kinds of small grants are catalytic. For example, the Foster Art, Music and Drama Association, received a $5,000 grant to go toward the purchase and installation of retractable seating for the local art centre, the only venue of its kind within 40 kilometres. Last week they secured further funding to enable its completion, and said that without this grant, the additional support would not have been possible.

A complete list of the projects supported is available on FRRR’s website, www.frrr.org.au but they include:

Gippsland Dairy Region – Yarram Agricultural Society Inc received $5,000 to strengthen community engagement and participation at the annual Yarram Agricultural Show. Each year, the Show Committee programs a wide range of activities to appeal to a broad demographic reach, while ensuring that the event is affordable. This funding will be allocated to free entertainment including chainsaw carving, reptile encounters, petting zoo, face painting and balloon twisting.
Northern Dairy Region: The Girgarre Community Group Inc received a $4,500 grant to assist with the running costs of their free monthly newsletter, Girgarre Gazette, which is distributed to about 450 households. This newsletter was established in 1984 and is prepared by volunteers, and it has become a necessity for local residents. The grant will offset running costs for the next 12 months, including paper, printing and delivery.
South Western Dairy Region: The Crossley Men’s Shed received $4,500 to fireproof their precinct at Crossley. The funding will assist with repairs to a bore, pump shed and tank stand, and a damaged water tank will be replaced. The Men’s Shed members will supply the labour and the project will enhance the site’s fire ready capacity, as well as create opportunities to extend the scale and range of activities being delivered at the site.

The Gardiner Dairy Foundation’s investment of more than $100,000 is widely distributed across Victoria’s three principal dairying regions. Since the launch of the annual program in 2002, the Gardiner Dairy Foundation has invested more than $1.7 million in this program, having supported a total of 445 community projects.

Learn more about the projects funded in the Gippsland Dairy Region, South West Dairy Region and Northern Dairy Region.

Gippsland Dairy Region
Organisation	Project	Location	Grant
Fish Creek Community Garden	Wicking Bed and Composting Bay Construction Improve food security and the health and wellbeing of the community through an upgrade of infrastructure at the local community garden.	Fish Creek	$5,000
Foster Art, Music and Drama Association Inc	Retractable Seating Strengthen community engagement and participation in arts and cultural activities, through the purchase and installation of a fit for purpose seating bank for the local art centre.	Foster	$5,000
Foster Primary School	Undercover Outdoor Learning/Gathering Space Strengthen educational and social outcomes for students and the wider community by improving the amenity of an outdoor playground area at Foster Primary School.	Foster	$5,000
Manna Gum Community House Inc	Manna Gum Backyard Makeover Upgrade the rear grounds of the Manna Gum Community House, improving amenity of the facility and increasing its capacity to engage the community in meaningful programs and activities.	Foster	$4,540
Hallston Mechanics Institute Inc	Hallston Hall Community Signage Increase community participation and inclusion by installing a changeable sign at the Hall to advertise upcoming local events.	Hallston	$3,190
Upper Maffra Mechanics Institute Inc	Meeting Room Development Upgrade the amenity of the local hall to provide groups and organisations with a comfortable and fit for purpose meeting room, strengthening engagement and participation in community activities.	Newry/Upper Maffra	$5,000
The Noojee and District Historical Society Inc	Noojee Heritage Centre – Platform Sealing Project Strengthen community access and inclusion through an upgrade of the entrance pathways to a well-used community facility.	Noojee	$5,000
Manna Gum Community House Inc – Toora Community Action Team	Our Main Street Strengthen community cohesion and engagement through the development and delivery of a community-based street beautification project.	Toora	$4,200
Trafalgar Holden Museum Inc	Upgrade to Trafalgar Holden Museum’s Bathroom Facilities Strengthen community and economic development through an upgrade of toilet facilities at a local tourist attraction.	Trafalgar	$5,000
Wonthaggi Theatrical Group Inc	Booms and Beams from the Box Strengthen community engagement with arts and culture, through the addition of a sound and lighting box in a community owned performance space.	Wonthaggi	$5,000
Wonthaggi Woodcrafters Inc	Health and Safety Upgrade of Dust Extraction for the Woodturning Workshop Improve the health and well-being of community participants, by upgrading the air filtration system in the wood working workshop.	Wonthaggi	$3,000
Yarram Agricultural Society Inc	Yarram Agricultural Show Strengthen community engagement and participation by delivering an accessible event that celebrates and supports local community groups and industries.	Yarram	$5,000
Northern Dairy Region
Echuca and Moama and District Agricultural and Pastoral Society Inc	Improvement of Cattle Yards for Safety of Exhibitors and the Cattle Strengthen community engagement and connectivity with the local agricultural industry through an upgrade of infrastructure at the showgrounds.	Echuca	$3,828
Girgarre Community Group Inc	Girgarre Gazette Strengthen community connectedness and engagement through the development and distribution of a monthly community newsletter, sharing locally relevant information which is otherwise difficult to access.	Girgarre	$4,500
Girgarre Primary School	Girgarre Primary School Play Ground Upgrade Enhance the educational experience and development of children at the Girgarre Primary School through an upgrade of playground equipment.	Girgarre	$5,000
Gannawarra Shire Council – The Murrabit Hall Committee	Projecting Murrabit into the Future Strengthen community connectedness and engagement through the upgrade of equipment at the local public hall, ensuring it provides a meeting place that meets contemporary needs and expectations.	Murrabit	$4,488
Rochester Community House Inc	Kitchen Kapers Enhance the organisational resilience and capacity of the Rochester Community House to respond to community needs through an upgrade of the kitchen facilities at the Town Hall.	Rochester	$5,000
Tatura Civic Halls Committee Inc	Lighting Upgrade to Victory Hall Strengthen community engagement and connectivity through a lighting upgrade at a local hall ensuring it is fit for a range of community activities.	Tatura	$2,500
Tragowel Progress Association Inc	Tragowel Hall Maintenance Strengthen community connectedness and engagement through an upgrade of facilities at the local hall ensuring it continues to function as a hub for community gatherings.	Tragowel	$4,400
South Western Dairy Region
Warrnambool and District Historical Vehicle Club	Club Room Kitchen and Toilet Block Fitout Strengthen community connections and well-being by converting a disused building into a fit for purpose meeting room with appropriate kitchen and toilet facilities.	Allansford	$5,000
Camperdown and District Community House Inc	Camperdown Community Garden Infrastructure Improvement, Accessibility and Engagement Increase community capacity and engagement with health and well-being and food security, through an upgrade of infrastructure at the community garden.	Camperdown	$2,927
Colac Otway Residents Action Group Inc	Learning and Supporting Development of our Youngest Families Enhancing early childhood development and learning and support for disadvantaged families, through the provision of additional resources for the local toy library.	Colac	$5,000
Friends of St Brigid’s Association Inc – Crossley Men’s Shed	Fireproofing our Precinct at Crossley Improve community preparedness, resilience and engagement through an upgrade of the available water supply at the St Brigid’s precinct.	Crossley	$4,500
Friends of St Brigid’s Association Inc – Crossley Men’s Shed	Fencing in our Shed Improve the security and safety of buildings and users by upgrading perimeter fencing at a well-used community precinct.	Crossley	$4,975
Kawarren Recreation Reserve	Kawarren Family Nature Play Space Strengthen community connectivity and enhance educational and social opportunities for children and their families through the construction of a nature play facility at the local recreation reserve.	Kawarren	$5,000
Nirranda and District Community Facility Inc	Grass Busters Improve volunteer support and the upkeep of community infrastructure through the purchase of appropriate gardening equipment.	Nirranda	$1,978
Woolsthorpe Primary School	Wood Fire Pizza Oven Strengthen the health and well-being of the school community through the construction of an outdoor cooking area that will enable an expansion of the successful kitchen garden program.	Woolsthorpe	$4,200

Victorian dairy community groups receive grants

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