Community Investment Story Bank

Here’s a great story: we’ve put +$1.38 million back into local community projects!

Yep, that’s at last count and it’s always growing. Over the last 11 years, we’ve distributed over $1.38 million to local organisations, causes and projects throughout the Buninyong district. We are extremely proud of this and the amazing stories that come about as a result of this support.

We love telling stories of the projects we’ve funded and how they’ve enriched our local area and contributed towards a thriving community. After all, that’s the aim.

Learning about the mount

Our Community Bank supported the publication of the NEW children’s book ‘I Love the Mount’ to ensure local kids have a credible resource for learning about the magnificent mount in our backyard. Having lived on the mount for 27 years, author Glenice Wood Lake had the opportunity to take long walks up and around Mt Buninyong once she had retired from an academic role. She joined numerous U3A classes, wrote and published two local history stories and enrolled in a course in M

For the love of arts

We supported the Ballarat Arts Foundation ‘Made in Ballarat 21st Anniversary Concert’ to help ensure there’s always a platform at the helm assisting emerging home-grown talent. If there was ever an industry that needs some assistance after two years of lockdowns, performance cancellations and audience restrictions, it must be the performing arts. The concert was a fundraising activity for the Foundation’s grant program which supports emerging artists with a connection to

Enabling Higher Learning

In the fifth year of our Federation University Scholarship Program, we were pleased to offer four student scholarships amounting to $10,000. Community Bank Chair Ian Corcoran and Community Investment Director Andrea Mason presented one higher education and three TAFE scholarships for 2022. Emily Kemp 2022 Buninyong Community Bank Scholarship recipient Studying: Bachelor of Environmental and Conservation Science Stephanie Camera 2022 Buninyong Community Bank Scholarship (TAFE

A Show of People Power

Our Community Bank was so thrilled to support the new Mt Clear – Bunny Rail Trail. A project that will better connect the neighbouring areas and share common natural assets. Community Bank Director Andrea Mason presented a cheque for $33,000 to the Friends of Canadian Corridor (FoCC) to build the Mt Clear - Bunny Rail Trail. Cr Ben Taylor celebrated the successful purchase of the land at 55 Recreation Road by the Council to become a Bushland Reserve. The opportunity to conne

Clear Strategy for Club

Community Bank Buninyong is proud to again be supporting the Mt Clear Cricket Club’s junior program. Our three years of support has resulted in membership numbers growing from 50 to 180. The club now fields an impressive and competitive 12 junior teams. Our funds have purchased equipment, invested in coaching programs and purchased female uniforms to support the introduction of two teams into the newly formed Senior Women’s Competition. If your community group or organisa

Spring Success for YAB

We were rapt to help Ballarat’s Youth Advisory Board (YAB) run 'Spring in the Park' which was a free, inclusive and accessible live music and market event. Ironically due to Covid, it was held in Autumn, but regardless demonstrated the exceptional capabilities of our young leaders to plan and deliver a quality event for all. 'Spring in the Park' was all-inclusive and accessible event in a drug and alcohol-free space at Lucas. One of the group's goals was to drive community

A Chair in There...

The Scotsburn Hall recently purchased 50 new comfortable chairs and a mobile chair stacker through the support of our Community Bank. The Committee are pleased knowing every user will experience improved comfort and safety at meetings, get togethers or formal events. The old plastic chairs were becoming a safety issue and affecting their ability to attract events to the space. The Scotsburn Hall is a wonderful community venue just a few minutes drive from Buninyong. Send your

The Only Way is Up!

Over the past three years our Community Bank has supported the Ballarat Upstart Challenge. Our support means the program is heavily subsided for secondary schools across the Ballarat region. The Upstart Challenge is a unique entrepreneurial challenge for secondary students who developed innovative business and community solutions, often influenced by their experiences. They were encouraged to consider how to make a positive impact, whether in their local community or tacklin

Shining the Light for Teens

The Rotary Club of Ballarat invited our Community Bank Chair Ian Corcoran to be part of the 2022 Blue Edge Program. The program is designed for about 24 teens across years 7-10 at Phoenix College with a focus on reducing the risk of contact with juvenile justice and gaining meaningful employment. Ian presented a session on volunteering in the community along with well-known Senior Constable Des Hudson. The program is a series of weekly presentations to the group which includ

Community Garden Blooming

Phoenix College spent the best part of 2021 developing their Community Garden Project. It certainly had its challenges considering the limited amount of on-site learning days due to Covid lockdowns. Stage 2 includes the planning and installation of an irrigation system which our Community Bank is supporting. With the garden 90% complete the irrigation system will be matched to the requirements of the area to ensure the garden is regularly watered. The school has already unde

Mysteries of the Region

Our Community Bank is supporting the filming of a unique television series in the Golden Plains Shire: The Chronicles X. The series travels across the Shire uncovering fascinating historical facts, hearing emotional stories of heroic deeds and sacrifice, cringing at disturbing acts of infamy and murder, and being mystified by unsolved mysteries, urban legends, Dreamtime tales, and stories of mythological creatures of the region. The cast and crew are made up of local independ

Easing Covid Pain

Community Investment can take many forms and both last year and this year we’ve helped the Buninyong Community Facility with their insurance expenses. Covid restrictions have meant virtually no income through hire for over 18 months, but yet expenses for items like insurance have remained the same. The Community Facility’s application was to assist in Covid relief through our Community Investment Program, which we did. If your community group or organisation may be interested

Cemetery Goes Hi-Tech

Our Community Bank was keen to support the Buninyong Cemetery Trust with a proposal to develop an online database of cemetery plots and sites. The project will result in much easier access to cemetery records and information which will be useful for both day-to-day management as well as family and other research being conducted. The Cemetery Trust Committee will engage a third-party contractor who will undertake detailed mapping and digital-recording exercises of all the plot

Ever Wondered About Wildflowers?

Our Community Bank is proud to have been the supporting partner behind a new wildflower brochure which has been produced as part of the self-guided Woorookarung Wildflower Walk. The flyer details more than 120 indigenous flora which can be spotted along the walk and in wider Southern Ballarat. The brochures can be collected at the start of the trail which starts at the Dementia Friendly Forest and Sensory Trail on Katy Ryans Road. The collaborative project involved the Leigh

We're Up for Upstart

Our Community Bank is 100% on board again for the UpStart Challenge. We love this means the program is heavily subsided for secondary schools across the Ballarat region. The Upstart Challenge is a unique entrepreneurial challenge for teens, taking students on a journey from ideas to creation, working with industry mentors and pitching their ideas to win cash prizes. It’s a bit like Shark Tank for teens and it all start with the question “What’s your idea to positively cha

Juniors Receive Equipment

Our Community Bank this year supported the Buninyong Football Netball Club (@BFNClub) by funding the purchase of new uniforms and safety equipment for the junior teams. Club Football Manager Wayne Morgan said the new resources have also boosted morale and well-being in another season effected by Covid. "We aim to continually improve our junior programs by increasing our numbers and providing up-to-date programs and resources, including a future project of the developmen

BRI Facility Accredited

Our Community Bank proudly co-funded the upgrade of Ballarat Regional Industries (BRI @ballaratregionalindustries) food packing and handling facilities in Sebastopol. The completion timing in with the announcement the facility has just received their international food handling accreditation which is a brilliant outcome. Since the not-for-profit charitable organisation, commenced packaging a range of hot chocolate and chai products for Grounded Pleasures 2 years ago, the part

Band About Town

The Ballarat City Brass Band is now a little more mobile with our Community Bank funding the purchase of a new trailer to transport their equipment from gig to gig. The trailer ensures the band are mobile, with all their equipment safe and securely in the one place. If your community group or organisation may be interested in applying for Community Investment project funding, ask in Branch for more information, eligibility criteria and/or apply online at www.communitygrowshe

Support on the Ball

Our Community Bank continues to support the Buninyong & District Tennis Association (Buninyong & District Tennis Association).

Event in Full Focus

Our Community Bank assisted the Lal Lal Photo Group Inc with funding to enable their members to enter this year’s Ballarat International Foto Biennale. The very same event that will be presenting Linda McCartney: Retrospective as this year’s headline collection. The group applied for Community Investment funding to contribute towards entry fees, purchasing frames and mats for display and a suitable hanging system. The group stating that it’s with a great sense of pride that

Helping to build a thriving, resilient and inclusive community.

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