In the Community - Spring 2025

Mudgee Wombats Ladies Day Raises Funds and Spirits

The Mudgee Wombats Rugby Union Club hosted its much-loved annual Ladies Day on 26th July, celebrating the incredible women who play, support, inspire, and shape the local rugby community.

Held at the Wombats clubhouse, the day was a vibrant tribute to the women behind the scenes and on the field, with a sea of limited-edition hats (proudly supported by Mudgee Bearings Industrial and Safety Equipment Centre – BISEC) adding colour and spirit to the event. Soul Mamas served up a mouthwatering lunch, while Domino’s Pizza kept families well-fed into the evening.

Major sponsor ACEN Australia helped bring the event to life, while In Two Minds Wines supplied the prosecco and a lucky door prize – all generously enjoyed by the enthusiastic crowd.

The community came together in full force to support the event, with local businesses such as Mac and Co, Edited and Co, Cherry Red, Whatever Mudgee, Be-spoke Boutique, Loft Mudgee, Girl With a Pearl, Florence May Intimates and The Cellar by Gilbert’s contributing to a bumper raffle that raised over $300 for the McGrath Foundation.

The Wombats Women’s team took to the field in specially designed jerseys for the occasion, one of which – along with a commemorative hat – was auctioned off in the evening, raising a further $1,200 for the Foundation.

The success of Ladies Day is a testament to the strong community spirit and the incredible contribution of women to the Wombats club – both on and off the field. It’s truly one of the most memorable days on the local rugby calendar.

CUC Registers 200th Student

Around the Mudgee Region, at kitchen benches, home offices, and café tables, students have been diligently working towards university degrees and TAFE certifications online with institutions from around the country. Now, these local students have a free facility made for study in the Country Universities Centre Mudgee Region (CUC), which registered its 200th student in July. A remarkable milestone after just 18 months of opening.

A bright new building, purpose-built for students, the CUC provides a peaceful and welcoming space that makes it easy to stay calm and focused. The Centre is free to use and is well equipped with ultra-fast internet, computers, private study rooms, a printer, a coffee machine – everything students need to succeed in their studies. Students can access the building from 3am to midnight every day to get away from the distractions of home and to fit study around their schedule, whether that means hitting the books before work, after putting the kids to bed, or on a Sunday afternoon.

CUC opened in March 2024, after a long campaign by Council and the community to give tertiary students a place to work. More than 50 students had registered with the Centre before it even held its official opening, demonstrating the high demand for a local study centre.

Students are studying fields that range from rocket science to Auslan, with Education and Health standing out as the two most popular areas of study.

Now, as CUC welcomes its 200th student, Sandra Stroud (pictured), locals are no longer facing university alone and can celebrate each other’s successes and sympathise as they tackle exam stress and university’s challenges together. The Centre’s grand goal is to help build skills and expertise in the Mudgee Region, benefiting the local community and economy by allowing people to stay in the region while they study.

CUC is located at 70 Court Street in the grounds of Mudgee’s former TAFE site, which is now a hub of learning and arts used by many community groups. To register as a student user, head to cucmudgeeregion.org.au or visit the Centre.

A Lifeline for Mudgee - and Beyond

$60,000 grant powers mental health training and support across the region

At Lifeline Central West, supporting people through their darkest moments is at the heart of everything they do. From drought-stricken paddocks to quiet 2am phone calls, their commitment to walking beside those in crisis has spanned over 45 years. Now, thanks to a generous $60,000 donation from ACEN Australia, that support is growing stronger in the Mid-Western Region.

This funding will directly train five new local Crisis Supporters and deliver five Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) courses across Mudgee, Dunedoo, Coolah, Gulgong and Wellington. It’s a powerful investment in community resilience — one that embeds knowledge where it matters most and equips locals with the skills to respond in life-saving ways.

Stephanie Robinson, CEO of Lifeline Central West, says this kind of action reflects the best of what partnerships can achieve. “ACEN didn’t just hand over a cheque - they listened, they engaged, and they backed our region with real, meaningful support.”

Listening, Then Acting
Lifeline’s relationship with Mudgee isn’t new. They’ve delivered financial and gambling counselling, suicide prevention training, DV Alert sessions, and mental health workshops in the region for years. But when the community made it clear they wanted more than occasional workshops and fly-in services, Lifeline responded.

With support from Mid-Western Regional Council, the Lifeline Central West Mudgee Hub was born - a local base run by locals, for locals, housed within the town’s Cultural Centre. It’s still early days, but the vision is bold: to create a sustainable, connected hub of care and crisis support for the entire region.

Why This Matters Now
The need is urgent. As the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, calls to Lifeline from regional NSW have surged. At the same time, the volunteer base is ageing and distance remains a real barrier - with some Mudgee-based trainees previously needing to travel over 200km for practical supervision. This funding changes that, removing barriers and building a local pipeline of care from training through to frontline support.

By mid-2026, it’s expected that around 100 people across the Mid-Western, Warrumbungle and Western Plains shires will have completed MHFA training. Those skills don’t just sit in a certificate - they show up in workplaces, sporting clubs, schools and households, often in quiet, crucial moments when someone just needs to be heard.

A Day of Connection - for a Cause
To help fund the future of the Mudgee Hub, Lifeline will host its first-ever Mudgee Charity Golf Day on 10 October 2025. Local businesses, community groups and individuals are invited to join the fun - with all proceeds going directly to support the hub’s ongoing operations.

“It’ll be a day of connection, laughter, and purpose - and yes, a bit of friendly rivalry on the greens,” says Steph. “Every swing supports someone’s second chance.”

More Than a Donation - A Lifeline
This partnership with ACEN Australia reflects the true power of local investment. It shows what’s possible when large organisations listen deeply and act with heart. As Steph puts it: “You haven’t just given a grant. You’ve made sure someone is there to answer the phone at 2am. You’ve made it possible for a mate in Dunedoo or Gulgong to say, ‘I’ve got you.’ And that’s everything.”

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To learn more or get involved:
[email protected]
1300 798 258
lifelinecentralwest.org.au