Community Investment

Burnie Community House is helping people to create their own delicious homemade takeaway style meals at a reduced cost and with nutrition front and centre.

The Burnie Community House, which supports individuals and families to create positive futures for themselves and their community, was successful in obtaining funding through TasNetworks’ Community Grants Program. Fortnightly cooking workshops provide an alternative to purchasing expensive takeaway meals.
 

Tracy Edington-Mackay, manager and community mobiliser, said people are finding the current cost-of-living challenging, with many living from week to week,
 
“One of the things when you get your money is that you want to go and have a treat, and you want to buy takeaway, and then it's a killer for your budget. The Fake-away workshops teach families to cook healthier and cheaper meals for themselves.”
 
TasNetworks acknowledges the vital role Burnie Community House plays in strengthening local communities and making a real difference in people's lives.

The City of Burnie Lions Club’s sewing sessions give local community members the skills they need to mend or adapt their own clothes.

The free sewing sessions focus on teaching participants different sewing techniques. Sewing machines and sewing supplies are provided along with capable volunteer home sewers to support learners. The TasNetworks Community Grant has been used to cover the cost of the equipment and supplies.
 

Lions Club member Cheryl Wells said the service has been particularly useful for parents needing to mend school uniforms,
 
“The program can help people make the most of the uniforms they have at hand, especially if they’ve been able to swap with friends or had somebody pass them down, we can look at making them fit right.”
 
The sessions have also given participants an opportunity to socialise with other community members, build ongoing skills, and a chance to develop their creativity and ingenuity.
 
TasNetworks is proud to support this initiative, which assists with cost-of-living pressures by offering ways to recycle, upcycle and repurpose old items of clothing, rather than purchasing new clothes.
 

Royal Life Saving Tasmania has been successful in obtaining funding through TasNetworks’ Community Grants Program to provide vital training for 14 lifeguards who will volunteer their time at the Mole Creek pool.

Due to a critical shortage of trained lifeguards, the pool has been unable to operate for the past two years, depriving the Mole Creek community of a vital recreational resource.
 
A reopening event held on 7 December 2024, just in time for summer, celebrated the hard work by the community, especially the newly trained lifeguards and members of the Mole Creek Progress Association who take care of this cherished community asset that has served the Meander Valley for over 40 years.
 
TasNetworks’ support means Mole Creek’s key recreational facility is accessible for everyone to enjoy.  It will provide practical and long-lasting benefits, including for the local school children and trained lifeguards who have already gained new skills.
 

The coastal waters of north west Tasmania have been made safer just in time for summer thanks to the purchase of new radios for the vessel of Marine Rescue Ulverstone.

Marine Rescue Ulverstone, a volunteer run organisation and significant resource for the community, has been successful in obtaining funding through TasNetworks' Community Grants Program, to purchase and install a set of new VHF radios in their purpose-built rescue vessel.

Marine Rescue Ulverstone provide emergency response on the water including search and rescue, assistance to mariners in non-emergency situations, operational support to a range of community events, and education about boating safety.
 
The new radios will enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the vessel’s communication with reliable, instant and effective communication pivotal in emergency responses. We were pleased to check out the newly installed radios onboard the vessel on display at the Wynyard Tulip Festival recently and to hear firsthand from Marine Rescue Ulverstone’s Commanding Officer Anthony as he explained how important and impactful the radios will be.
 
TasNetworks recognises the critical role that volunteer organisations like Marine Rescue Ulverstone offer to the community and our support aims to build local resilience and prioritise the health and wellbeing of coastal and rural Tasmanian communities.

Kentish House works closely with community members and local service providers to deliver tailored programs and services to meet the needs of the Kentish Community.

TasNetworks has provided community investment funding to support initiatives run by the Kentish House.

Including:

• A weekly playgroup for children aged 0 – 5 years. TasNetworks has provided funding to upgrade some current toys and purchase items/toys for sensory/messy-based play.
• The development of an edible garden to support healthy food cooking classes
• The installation of a garden shed to store garden equipment and outdoor toys
• The promotion of a monthly schedule of health services (place-based and outreach) and emergency services (accommodation, support, advocacy, etc.) in the local Kentish newspaper

TasNetworks proudly supports the vital role that Kentish House plays in supporting its local community.

Parklands High School’s vision for a healthy and sustainable future will come to life via a community garden project.

Successful in obtaining funding through TasNetworks’ Community Grants Program, Parklands High School plan to develop a large community vegetable garden for students and the wider community.
 

The project aims to:

•  provide a range of healthy vegetables, fruits and herbs to families who may not have the financial means to purchase them
• provide opportunities for students to build knowledge and skills on the growing of foods as well as sustainability
• grow produce to support the school’s cooking and catering classes
• identify local edible plants and how best to plant and care for them, in consultation with local Aboriginal organisations
• provide easy access for the community to pick vegetables and contribute to the running of the garden, including working alongside students to grow the vegetables
• build stronger connections between the school and the broader community.

 Once complete, the garden will include six raised garden beds, a greenhouse, herb planter boxes, fruit trees and berries.

Gunns Plains is a rich fertile area in North West Tasmania, dotted with dairy farms, potato growing, poppy growing and beef cattle. The Gunns Plains Community Centre is an important central hub for local events, meetings and activities for the town’s 200 residents.
 

With the help of funding through TasNetworks’ Community Grants Program, the electrical wiring of the community hall will be undergoing an upgrade to allow for the installation of power saving lighting and heating.
 
Upgrades will also support the installation of commercial kitchen appliances so the community can continue to use the hall for events, meetings and functions held throughout the year.