‘The Hub’ at heart of Graytown action
Community connection is at the heart of activities for Graytown Community Action Group – and it all happens at the town’s only building.
Graytown Community Centre, known locally as The Hub, is the venue for the group’s meetings and community functions, meaning the building is also a main feature in the action group’s Community Plan.
“Graytown is a small remote community and so we are only a small [action] group currently with 16 members, with five of those on the committee,” secretary/treasurer Julie Sims said.
“We are all volunteers and we all work well together.”
The group, which formed in 2009, usually meets on the third Saturday of the month with a pancake breakfast or morning tea (pending COVID-19 restrictions).
“We have other very popular functions during the year, including Australia Day and ANZAC Day and every year host a morning tea to raise funds for Cancer Council,” Mrs Sims said.
“We have working bees to do maintenance and in the past, have had presentations from CFA to be bushfire ready.”
Mrs Sims said The Hub’s wood-fired pizza oven was popular at community gatherings, such as Melbourne Cup Day.
“If we didn’t have The Hub there would be nowhere else to meet,” she said.
“It’s good to catch up with our neighbours and share any news. Having a regular meeting date means that everyone knows when things are on.”
The noticeboard outside The Hub shows dates of events and other important information, and everyone is welcome to attend any meetings or events.
For years, The Hub was powered by a generator – which was noisy and a 30-minute drive from the closest petrol in Nagambie – so the installation of solar panels in May, 2021 was an exciting achievement for the action group.
The group received $23,000 in Strathbogie Shire Council’s 2019/20 Budget for the installation of the solar panels and is now looking to achieving future projects on its Community Plan.
“We rely on grants from Council to run The Hub and our projects,” Mrs Sims said.
“The projects are based on our Community Plan, which is done every five years. The latest plan was done in May, 2021.”
Mrs Sims said projects planned for the next few years included a new fridge; a free-standing pergola to shade the outdoor seating area; new flooring inside The Hub; and more storage inside The Hub and the shed.
“Council is also planning a new toilet as we currently have only a portaloo. We are self-sufficient with rainwater tanks,” she said.
Mrs Sims thanked all volunteers for their contribution to the action group’s work and activities.
“Without the volunteers there wouldn’t be a community group or a community centre,” she said.
