Community resource centres and progress associations play an important role in keeping regional towns connected.

The Kondinin Community Resource Centre and Hyden Progress Assoiciation were two recipients of a $1,000 Kleenheat Community Grant, which helped to support the work they do in their community.

Connecting regional communities

Kondinin Community Resource Centre

Kondinin is a small Wheatbelt town, surrounded by a farming community, 280km’s south, south-east of Perth.  

Many members of the community, don’t have access to the regular events, activities and learning experiences that those in larger towns or cities have, so the local Community Resource Centre coordinates a variety of activities to fill this gap and keep the community connected.

Toni Smeed is the Coordinator at Kondinin Community Resource Centre (CRC) and is supported by a team of three staff and a volunteer committee of nine members. The CRC provides IT requirements, secretarial services and training, workshops, and events, both for businesses and the community.

CRC’s are a major part of many regional communities. Although all our communities are different they all require the same type of services and we are the place that offers this to our communities.

The CRC works closely with the external groups as well as the local Shire and local schools, health services, aged-care, police and community and sporting groups, to ensure that all community needs are met.

“Looking after our community is a main focus for us. In all that we offer we aim to keep people connected.”

So far this year, the CRC has scheduled in or run 21 events, including Science in Virtual Reality, an online, learning experience for primary school-aged children and a Family Fun Day, which went ahead with the support of a $1,000 Kleenheat Community Grant.

“The Kleenheat Community Grant was used to run a Family Fun Day on the 11th April 2021. It was a great day for the families with a lot of entertainment for the children, and food and drinks for the adults.”

Learn more about the Kondinin Community Resource Centre by following along on their Instagram @Kondinincrc, or Facebook @KondininCrc, or by visiting their website www.Kondinin.crc.net.au.

Hyden Progress Association

Hyden is a Wheatbelt town and farming community, 350km south east of Perth. Hyden is home to about 400 people and is well known for being home to the iconic Wave Rock, Hippo’s Yawn and Lake Magic.

Tracey Utley, volunteers with the Hyden Progress Association which will coordinate the Hyden 100 commemorative event to be held in October 2022. The main aim of the Progress Association is to both maintain and also grow the local rural community.

“Having grown up in Hyden, it’s really important to keep the community as large as we can with as many services in town as possible.”

The Hyden Progress Association (PA) involves one paid employee, but is otherwise made up of a group of community volunteers and five executive members. In addition, 10-15 volunteers, including Tracey, make up the Hyden 100 Sub-Committee.

Hyden’s Progress Association keeps the community connected, undertaking initiatives to increase business initiatives in Hyden and the surrounding areas, including promoting the area as a tourism and events destination.

In terms of funding, the Progress Association relies on the support of volunteer time, as well as a community crop, that generates income to assist in the ongoing maintenance and development of Hyden.

A community crop is a common way of creating an income for rural community groups, including sporting clubs in regional WA. A local owned or donated paddock is cropped and harvested each year, with the proceeds from the grain sales coming back to the community group of focus. Local businesses, volunteers and farmers cover the expense of cropping each year.

In 2021, The Progress Association received a $1,000 Kleenheat Community Grant for their100 event, which will contribute to the activities and entertainment associated with the Hyden100 event.

The Hyden 100 event is all about celebrating what Hyden is, what it has been and what it will be. With a variety of events planned, past and current residents being called back to celebrate and commemorative projects underway, the local community are looking forward to celebrating together with a full weekend of partying and events.

“It’s really important to keep regional areas connected, we have an unstable population, with smaller farms being sold to bigger farms. We’ve got to celebrate what we’ve got, bringing the community together.”

To follow along with the Hyden 100 event, find them on Instagram @hyden.100, or Facebook @HydenCentenary. To share, or request any information relating to the Hyden 100 event in October 2022, email hyden100@hydenprogress.com.