The Ulladulla and Districts Community Resource Centre is the local neighbourhood Centre, and was established in its current building in 1983. It has 3 staff, 35 volunteers and a 8 member management committee. The Centre offers free community services to anyone in need that contacts the centre. It receives funding from the NSW Government, Family and Community Services (FACS) and delivers services in line with FACS Strategic Plan that is designed to ensure “Aboriginal children, families and communities thrive; all children are safe at home with their families; people are in charge of their own lives and feel a real sense of choice and control and more people have a safe and stable place to live – and their family lives, jobs, wellbeing and dignity make this possible.”

IRCF FUNDED Projects

Lake Conjola is a small community that was devastated by both bushfires and floods in 2019-2020. When local group Ulladulla Community Resources stepped in to help with the rebuilding process, they recognised that that the community’s spirit and sense of place had been dramatically altered.

In response, Ulladulla CRC turned to FRRR, and applied for an ICRF grant to employ a project worker for the Lake Conjola community. The workers main role would be to explore what the community needed and develop a project that would reconnect the people with their sense of place. Ulladulla CRC coordinator, Maria Mitchell reveals what came from the initial work,

“So we had some consultations and some surveys and the results from that showed that one, they’d like to do an event, like they’ve had years and years ago, the Raft Race…”

The community made several suggestions, but the idea of the Raft race kept coming up again and again.

The race used to be an annual fixture of the Conjola community but after insurance hikes and other roadblocks, the race disappeared into the pages of Conjola’s history.  After the event was highlighted as something many in the community wanted to bring back, the Ulladulla CRC knew that they had a great project to reconnect the community. ICRF funding ensured that the event could go ahead, and the Ulladulla CRC worked with the local community to make it happen.

The event was more successful than workers could have hoped Maria said,

“I think when people were there it was like the isolation – that barrier was broken and the families were out mixing with people because we’re just over covid as well. So they were starting to mix with people and they were out for a fun day. There was probably about 350 people there.”

“I think when people were there it was like the isolation – that barrier was broken and the families were out mixing with people because we’re just over Covid as well. So they were starting to mix with people and they were out for a fun day. There was probably about 350 people there.”

With a population of just over 400, this was no small feat.

People came together and did something fun, in a way that connected them with Conjola’s past and its personality. It had such an impact that the community decided to resurrect it as an annual event, and many local businesses have opted to sponsor the event to keep it going for years to come.

The Centre reflected on the value of the event in bringing the community together and creating a sense of pride for the Centre:

“We have had numerous positive comments on how great it was. The atmosphere on the day was great, everyone so happy and relaxed, it seemed to put a positive cap on the disasters over the past two years – bringing everyone together and having fun.”

Supported with $3,481 to prepare the Raft Race Committee for the future with succession planning and marketing support.