Community & Business
19 September, 2024
Mareeba gambling fund win
From construction projects to bike trails and new medical equipment, the Mareeba Shire and the Cook Electorate featured strongly in the State Government’s Gambling Community Benefit Funding announced last week.
Eight Mareeba groups received grants worth $500,386. They were among 598 community groups and organisations across Queensland awarded a total of $33 million in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the fund.
For the Mareeba Mountain Goats Inc (MMG), the $95,430.00 grant was a welcome boost to its operations at the Davies Creek Mountain Bike Park.
“We are over the moon,” MMG president Steve Soda said. “It is exciting for us to be recipients of this round of funding to assist us in our goal to promote recreational activities within our community.”
The Davies Creek park operates for riders of all age and ability, with a multi-use trail network for bushwalkers, running events and orienteering.
Steve said the funding would help the group work with local stakeholders to develop improved signage, marketing campaigns, trail drainage and realignment to be more sustainable in the wet. Money will also be allocated to build a day-use shade structure with seating to complement the event area.
“As mountain biking has evolved over the years, we now have this opportunity to bring DCMTBP into the current phase of being a “Destination” for people to come and experience,” Steve said.
Over at the FNQ Aviation Museum, $85,000 towards constructing a new exhibition shed had members tickled.
“This was our third attempt at the Queensland Government Gambling Fund Super Round so we were pretty stoked to learn of the news of our grant success,” Museum Director Brendan Kent said.
“This will allow us to create a dedicated museum space which will significantly improve the visitor experience, and our volunteers will be pleased to have their own restoration area where they can work.”
The new building will feature a large mural of the first aircraft to land at Mareeba, a WWII photo gallery and informative displays.
Other groups from the region to benefit included:
• Blue Care Mareeba Gardens Aged Care Facility which received $100,000 to build an accessible amenities block.
• Mulungu Aboriginal Corporation Primary Health Care Service received $100,000 to buy a bus.
• Guides Queensland (Mareeba) received $75,500 to replace its hall roof and refurbish the hall generally.
• Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation – Friends of Mareeba Hospital – received $22,902 to purchase a new cardiac chest compressions medical device.
• The Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (Q) Mareeba received $18,656 to upgrade blinds, mobility chairs and outdoor furniture.
• Atherton Tablelands & District Dressage & Equestrian Association Inc received $2,767 to buy crowd control barriers.
Member for Cook Cynthia Lui said she was extremely pleased with the outcomes.
“Community organisations in our towns contribute so much, and it is wonderful to be able to support them through the Gambling Community Benefit Fund grants,” she said.
“In this latest round, more than $2.8 million has been distributed to 40 organisations and groups in the Cook electorate and I know how much these funds mean to our children, our older people and our clubs and services.
“There were more than a few cheers and tears of happiness when the recipients of this latest super round received phone calls about their grant outcomes.”
Since it was established in 1994, the GCBF has provided more than $1.188 billion directly to communities.
Groups who missed out this time are encouraged to apply for round 122 of the GCBF, the final funding round in 2024, which is now open and offering grants up to $35,000.
For more information on the GCBF and a full list of recipients from Round 121, visit www.justice.qld.gov.au/grants.
