Big wins as community grants flow across the region

From new pickleball courts and playground murals to heritage upgrades, the Mid-Western region is benefitting from ACEREZ grants funding, strengthening venues, services and community groups at the heart of regional life. 

In total, 46 projects from 11 towns across the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone are sharing more than $2.1 million through Round 1 of the grants program, supporting initiatives across public amenity, health, education, agriculture, sport and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

For Mudgee, Gulgong and nearby communities, the successful projects reflect the things that matter locally: places to gather, opportunities to play sport, support for people doing it tough, investment in heritage and the arts and upgrades that help groups serve their communities for years to come.

“These grants are about backing the people and places that make regional communities strong,” ACEREZ CEO Steve Masters said.

“These projects will make a real difference in people’s daily lives and help local towns throughout the Mid-Western region continue to thrive for years to come.”

Can Assist, which provides financial and practical support to cancer patients and their families in Mudgee and nearby towns, was awarded a grant to help patients travel to treatment.

“We are so grateful to receive this grant,” Can Assist Secretary Louise Schmidt said. “It will allow us to provide more fuel vouchers for longer to our clients. The rising fuel costs has significantly impacted our clients’ ability to travel to their cancer treatment.”

Beyond Mudgee and Gulgong, the grants will also support important projects across the region. ACEREZ is partnering with Marathon Health to deliver a new community health hub in Dunedoo, helping locals access care closer to home.

“We’re excited to be partnering with ACEREZ, Warrumbungle Shire Council, the Dunedoo Medical Centre, the Western NSW Local Health District and with locals to design a health hub that provides access to health services in the community that they live in,” Marathon Health CEO Megan Callinan said.

In Coolah, a grant to upgrade drainage at Bowen Oval will help keep the ground open when wet weather would otherwise force closures. Rebecca Cavanagh of the Coolah Roos Rugby Club said the grant will be a game-changer.

“This ground is the sporting hub of our community. It’s so great we’ve got this grant because we will be able to fix that for all our sporting events,” she said.

Local Mid-Western projects being funded include:

• Mudgee District Tennis Club – Refurbishment of Hardcourt to Pickleball Courts
• Can Assist Mudgee and Districts Branch – Can Assist Mudgee Fuel Vouchers
• Mudgee Basketball Association Inc – Electronic Scoreboard
• Mudgee District Junior Cricket Association Inc – New Training and Playing Equipment
• Mudgee District U3A Inc – Supporting Volunteers and Increasing Organisational Capacity
• Mudgee Historical Society Inc – Installation of Solar Panels and Battery
• Mudgee Marlins Swim Club Inc – Custom Shade Tents
• Mudgee Playgroup – Carpark Reseal and Improvement
• Mudgee Pony Club Inc – Community Facility Upgrade
• Gulgong Amateur Musical and Dramatic Society Inc – Installation of Theatre Systems and Promotional Video
• Gulgong Heritage Harness Association – Competition Equipment
• Gulgong Holtermann Museum Inc – Lighting Upgrade
• Gulgong Pre-school Inc – Playground Mural
• Gulgong RSL Club – Community Resilience & Safe Haven Upgrade
• Gulgong Showground Land Manager – Gulgong Showground Rehabilitation

A Community Advisory Group made up of four community representatives from across the region reviewed the applications and provided recommendations to ACEREZ. There are two categories of funding: significant grants from $50,000 up to $1 million and small grants from $3,000 up to $50,000.

The second round of ACEREZ community grants is under way with successful applicants to be notified later this year.

For more information, visit www.acerez.com.au/community

New maintenance facility to support long-term REZ operations

Construction has begun on ACEREZ’s Mudgee Maintenance Facility, a new local base that will support the long-term operation of the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone transmission project.

The facility will provide about 50 long-term jobs, including apprentice and graduate programs to support local skills development and economic benefits for the broader region.

With space for equipment storage, workshops, training, laydown areas, vehicle parking and offices, the site is on the corner of Marsh Avenue and Hill End Road and within an existing industrial zone about five kilometres from the centre of Mudgee.

Construction began in August and the facility is expected to be completed in 2028.

Work activities will include site investigations, utility relocations, fencing, site offices, deliveries, earthworks, hardstand formation, utility connections, concreting, office and warehouse construction, pavement works, kerbing, footpaths, line marking, signage and landscaping.

Construction traffic will access the site from the Castlereagh Highway via Hill End Road and Marsh Avenue.

Although it is being developed and mobilised during the construction phase, it will be solely for the use of operations and maintenance teams.

Key dates

18 September: Applications close for Round 2 of ACEREZ’s Community Grants Program
22 September: Business Briefing in Mudgee
26 September: Flavours of Mudgee – Our Community Information Centre will be open for the evening at 32 Church St, Mudgee
1–31 October: Pink Up Mudgee, supported by ACEREZ
13–14 November: Tunes on the Turf in Dunedoo, supported by ACEREZ