Photo Caption: Member for Parkes Mark Coulton with Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation team members in Broken Hill. (Please note: This photo was taken earlier this year, prior to implementation of physical distancing measures)
The Coalition Government’s Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF) Round 4 has delivered an enormous $18.8 million in grant funding for the electorate of Parkes, local Federal Member Mark Coulton has announced today.
Of the total funding, the Far West stands to benefit from more than $2.4 million for projects in Broken Hill, Wilcannia and Ivanhoe.
Mr Coulton said the most significant grant for the region is worth an impressive $1.6 million and has gone to Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation for the WINGS ‘Our Youth, Our Future’ redevelopment, to demolish an aged building and construct a new purpose-built facility.
This $207 million round of the BBRF is dedicated to helping communities hardest hit by the drought.
“Today’s announcement is about unlocking the outstanding economic potential we have right here in the Parkes electorate,” Mr Coulton said.
“BBRF is all about strengthening the local economy, and delivering lasting benefits to our local communities which we know are suffering the flow-on impacts of drought.
“I am thrilled we have secured more than $18.8 million for local projects in the Parkes electorate, which will make an enormous difference to these communities.
“Congratulations to Maari Ma Health, St Vincent De Paul Society in Broken Hill, and Central Darling Shire Council – this is an outstanding success for our region and I’m very excited to see all of the projects come to fruition.”
Mr Coulton said communities in his electorate have had great success in previous rounds of BBRF.
“Our region has already benefited from $9.5 million for the Australian Opal Centre at Lightning Ridge, $2.6 million for the Curlewis Pipeline, $371,000 for the YMCA at Broken Hill, and many others – all funded under the BBRF,” he said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said this funding injection to support 163 new infrastructure and community projects across drought-affected regional Australia came at a critical time for communities.
“Regional Australians have endured the devastating effects of a prolonged drought which has affected communities across the country for many years,” Mr McCormack said.
“In addition, regional Australia has withstood one of the most devastating bushfire seasons, floods and now a global pandemic – to say they’ve been hit hard in recent times, is an understatement.
“Their resilience will lead Australia’s recovery through grass-roots projects – creating jobs, boosting local economies and growing confidence in regional communities as a great place to live, work and invest.
“BBRF projects strengthen our local economies and drive much-needed local procurement, with thousands of jobs expected to be supported throughout regional Australia – delivering career pathways and enabling people to stay in the very communities they grew up in.”
For a full list of successful projects, please visit www.business.gov.au/bbrf
Parkes electorate recipients – BBRF Round 4
Recipient | Location | Grant Amount | Project Details |
Toy Libraries Australia Inc | Gunnedah | $19,935 | Messy Play Days at Toy Libraries
The project will deliver seven Messy Play Days in regional New South Wales and Victoria. |
Dubbo Regional Council | Dubbo | $42,500 | Regional Event Research Strategy
The project will deliver the Dubbo Regional Events Research Paper to provide a strategy for future events in the region. |
Orana Haven Aboriginal Corporation | Gongolgon | $148,500 | Upgrade transitional accommodation & gym area, construct vegetable garden.
The project will upgrade an existing transition house, construct a fitness and cultural hub and cultivate a community garden at the Orana Haven Aboriginal Corporation Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre. |
Warrumbungle Shire Council | Dunedoo | $1,284,954 | Robertson Oval Sport and Recreation Building
The project will replace the existing outdated sports building with a modern facility which includes toilets and change room facilities. |
Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation | Wilcannia | $1,656,150 | WINGS ‘Our Youth, Our Future’ Redevelopment
The project will demolish the aged corrugated iron building and construct a new purpose-built facility. |
Dubbo Dirt Bike Club Inc | Dubbo | $242,385 | Upgrades at Dubbo Dirt Bike Club to host the NSW Motocross Championships
The project will upgrade the motocross facility by installing a new amenities block and spectator viewing as well as upgrading the race track and start gates. |
Warren Museum and Gallery Association Inc | Warren | $3,541,665 | Warren District Heritage Museum and Art Gallery
The project will restore an architecturally significant and historic building on the main street of Warren and fit it out as a museum, art gallery and artist-in-residence space. |
Cobar Shire Council | Cobar | $6,732,075 | Ward Oval Community Hub including Building and Early Learning Precinct
The project will create a multipurpose community building and upgrade facilities at Ward Oval and construct an Early Learning Centre in the vicinity of Ward Oval Precinct. |
Cobar Shire Council | Cobar | $67,324 | Cobar Economic Resiliency Strategy
The project will develop a Cobar Economic Resilience Strategy. |
Condobolin Pre School Kindergarten Inc | Condobolin | $200,000 | From Little Things Big Things Grow
The project will expand facilities at the Condobolin Preschool to provide 31 additional placements for children. |
Lachlan Shire Council | Condobolin | $450,000 | Condobolin Tourism Precinct – stage 3
The project will deliver stage 3 of the Condobolin Tourism Precinct. |
Central Darling Shire Council | Ivanhoe | $450,000 | Ivanhoe Multi Service Outlet (MSO) Development
The project will develop a new building to relocate the Multi-Service Outlet (MSO) from the existing non-compliant rented facility. |
Lachlan Shire Council | Lake Cargelligo | $825,000 | Lake Cargelligo Swimming Pool Amenities Upgrade
The project will replace the existing dilapidated 1970s amenities building with a modern, low-maintenance facility.
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Gilgandra Shire Council | Gilgandra | $1,479,772 | Gilgandra Shire Library and Community Hub: ‘the GIL’
The project will expand the current Gilgandra Library and create a new Community Hub to allow new services to be created, which will complement existing services. |
Bogan Shire Council | Nyngan | $350,218 | Extension of Bogan Shire Medical Centre
The project will extend the Bogan Shire Medical Centre as part of stage two of a larger project. The extension will include additional consulting rooms, nurses’ room, pathology room, waiting area, toilet and paved walkways. |
Narromine Shire Council | Narromine | $1,000,000 | Narromine Over 55’s Retirement Village and Residential Estate
The project will construct a retirement village comprising 45 one- and two-bedroom units for local residents aged over 55 years, and the development of 31 residential allotments, together with necessary roadworks, stormwater, sewer, water and electricity infrastructure. |
St Vincent De Paul Society NSW | Broken Hill | $336,465 | The refurbishment and extension of the Bishop Fox Meal facility
The project will expand the Bishop Fox Meal facility into a multi-purpose community space in Broken Hill. |