The Eurobodalla will receive a boost following news that two important projects have secured co-funding agreements through the Coalition Government’s Building Better Regions Fund, Ann Sudmalis Federal Member for Gilmore announced today. Mrs Sudmalis said the Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre redevelopment project would receive $460,000 in funding, and SAGE will receive $46,800 for their base site. They will put path ways in so more people can visit to see there eco sensitive solutions. "It's so great to see projects that create jobs and improve social and economic outcomes delivered in Gilmore,” she said. "I congratulate both SAGE and the Council, and look forward to working with them to deliver these benefits to the community,” said Mrs Sudmalis.
The $920,000 Batemans Bay, Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Gardens project includes:
Purpose built facility for 13,500 plant specimens in the heritage listed Wallace Herbarium in the ERBG's plant science precinct
A new cafe with 100 seat capacity; a multi-purpose community space able to accommodate 100 people for workshops, functions, exhibitions and meetings & a large retail space
Create seven jobs, and promote nature tourism in the pristine Eurobodalla
Eurobodalla Shire Council Mayor Liz Innes welcomed the funding. “We’re so fortunate to have wonderful groups like SAGE and Friends of the Botanic Gardens fundraising and working tirelessly to bring exciting new opportunities to our community. We’re incredibly grateful for Ann’s support in obtaining this funding, which means these two important projects can now forge ahead. “Visitors to our Botanic Gardens have more than doubled in the last five years and numbers are expected to reach over 100,000 annually by 2020. The redeveloped visitors centre and new herbarium building will set up the Gardens for an even brighter future. It’s very exciting.” Mrs Innes said. The $98,400 SAGE home site accessibility and consolidation project in Moruya will:
Upgrade the existing shed to develop the prototype SAGE inCUBEator, a commitment to farming partnerships with landholders
Enhance access by hard paving paths and demonstrate the effectiveness of a waterless toilet on an environmentally sensitive site, while increasing accessibility and functionality of the site
SAGE representative Alison Walsh said the organisation was delighted that they had been successful in their application for support through the federally funded Building Better Regions grant programme.
“This funding will allow us to improve and consolidate infrastructure at the SAGE home site, enhancing our capacity to deliver high quality education and events. The prototype inCUBEator on site will be a stepping stone to develop this concept further to support growth in the local food production economy.” Minister for Regional Development Fiona Nash said she created the Building Better Regions Fund to help build strong communities for decades to come. "I aim to help build the kinds of regional communities our children and grandchildren either want to stay in or come back to, and projects like this one do exactly that," Minister Nash said. Minister Nash said she expected to open another round of BBRF before the end of the year. More information about the Building Better Regions Fund is available at: www.business.gov.au/bbrf Media Release
