Centre’s big plans for the future

LONG Gully Neighbourhood Centre has been going strong for almost forty years and serves the Long Gully, Maiden Gully, and California Gully areas. 

LGNC coordinator Kerry Parry said the hub started in 1984 when local residents recognised a need to support families living in the area. 

“Basically, it’s community development, being able to have projects that individuals and groups could do together,” she said. 

“Working with people who were perhaps a bit vulnerable or might be experiencing disadvantage, and it’s kind of grown from that into being whole-of-community based, which I think is preferable. 

“It’s our 40th anniversary next June.” 

Ms Parry said the centre provides support both directly and indirectly to people and has a range of groups and regular events like walking, socialising, and learning. 

“What we try to do is be a conduit of information to other places,” she said. 

“We’ve actually been working on a little Long Gully services directory, so that people moving into Long Gully will be able to look at that to know where the nearest chemist is or where the post office is and what services are available in Long Gully itself. 

Among its initiatives, the centre runs Chatty Café on Tuesday mornings where Are-Able comes to make coffees for locals who would like to stop by for a warm drink and a chat. 

The centre also offers community lunches on Wednesday which uses items donated by Foodshare that might otherwise go to waste.  

The hub also often brings in speakers from organisations such as pharmacies, Hearing Australia, and the fire brigade to promote awareness about what’s happening in the community. 

“By having people come along to hear speakers at Chatty Café, it’s a way of them becoming more aware of what’s out there in their local community,” she said. 

But there’s even more on offer at LGNC including playgroups, parenting sessions run by Anglicare, and a fortnightly newsletter emailed to 200 organisations and dropped into letterboxes around the suburb. 

“In some ways, what we try to do is respond to what the local community needs are at the time,” Ms Parry said.