Mingoola Hall on the NSW-Queensland border is set for one of its first upgrades in two decades following a recent grant from the Australian Government. 

Member for New England Barnaby Joyce said the hall’s management committee was the recipient of a $13,000 grant under Round 6 of the Government’s Stronger Communities Program.

“Refurbishment plans include internal painting and upgrade of the existing flooring, both of which haven’t been done for 20 years, as well cleaning of the exterior of the building,” Mr Joyce said.

“This upgrade is going to make a big difference for people of Mingoola who use the hall for not only community functions and workshops but also as a central meeting place in times of emergency.”

Mingoola Hall Management Committee Secretary Julia Harpham offered her thanks for the Government funding support. 

“The Committee is extremely grateful to Barnaby Joyce for the assistance in being successful in a submission to upgrade our Hall - sanding the floor and painting the interior. We look forward to enjoying the Hall for years to come,” Mrs Harpham said.

For this special funding round, grants will be up to 100 per cent of eligible project costs as a special provision to support Australia’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, except for local governing bodies where grant funding will be up to 50 per cent of eligible project costs. 

An additional $28.2 million was also provided in the 2021-22 Budget to extend the Stronger Communities Programme, which provides grants of between $2,500 and $20,000 across the country to community organisations and local governments for small capital projects that deliver social benefits for local communities.

“It is important that we fund not only the big infrastructure projects but the smaller ones too because facilities like this at Mingoola are vital to the fabric of our local communities here in the New England,” Mr Joyce said.

The Committee anticipated the hall upgrade would be completed by October.

(ENDS)