THE WHITSUNDAY Neighbourhood Centre has operated from the Hazelwood Crescent site, in Cannonvale, for 24 years.
Yet there are people in the community who do not know where they are located!
On a mission to highlight the Neighbourhood Centre’s location, executive officer Rebecca Woods approached the Department of Transport and Main Roads for approval of proposed new directional signs, on Shute Harbour Road.
The new blue ‘Neighbourhood Centre’ signs were erected at the end of last year, at the Shute Harbour Road/Island Drive intersection, in Cannonvale.
“The town has had so many newcomers that are unaware that we are a part of the community,” Mrs Woods said.
“We are a hidden gem, with an Op Shop and Scallywags Child Care centre operating from the site too – we want everyone in town to know where we are.”
The new signs have been installed under the existing Island Drive directional signs at the north and south-bound traffic island.
The process took more than nine months to approve and install, with Whitsunday Regional Council assisting with the installation.
Meanwhile, the Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre is also proud to announce the increase in community value provided, in 2024.
The centre is funded by the Queensland Government Department of Treaty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Communities and the Arts, to provide support to individuals and families with complex needs and provide community inclusion and development.
Measuring the volume of programs and projects delivered by the centre against the amount of funding received, the centre can demonstrate an increase in value to the community in 2024, compared to 2023.
The community value equates to $6.67 for every $1 of Queensland Government Neighbourhood Centre funding, an increase on the $1 for every $5.67 provided in 2023.
Overall, the centre provided $1,697,518 worth of projects and programs, in 2024, an increase on the $1,366,057 provided in 2023.
“The needs of our community continue to change and we are committed to adapting to that change in support of our community,” Mrs Woods said.
“By responding to the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis, we have provided more value to the community that isn’t government funded.”
The centre offers a range of services to support the health and wellbeing of families and individuals, hosts specialist outreach services based outside of the region, and holds special interest and social activities.
In 2024, the centre was recognised as a certified social enterprise, guaranteeing that the money it raises from the Op Shop and Scallywags Child Care are invested back into community.
“We couldn’t achieve what we do without the support of our community, keeping it local and knowing that we will invest in our people and our region,” Mrs Woods added.
Fact box:
2024
Total value: $1,697,518
Equals $6.67 for every funded $1
2023
Total Value: $1,366,057
Equals $5.67 for every funded $1.
