FEDERAL FUNDING SAFEGUARDS THE NOOSA MUSEUM COLLECTION

The Cooroora Historical Society will safeguard the Noosa Museum’s extensive collection of photographs, documents and artifacts, thanks to a
$3,700 grant from Round 8 of the Stronger Communities Program, Federal Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien announced today.

Accompanied by the Hon David Littleproud MP, Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Leader of the Nationals, Mr O’Brien visited the Museum at
Pomona today to congratulate the Historical Society on their project, which will pave the way to opening the museum’s database for public access.

“We are very grateful for this funding which will support the Noosa Museum to enhance the Wi-Fi coverage in the museum building and upgrade our network security,” Cooroora Historical Society President Anne Coombs said.

“This is first stage of a project that will enable the protection of all data stored at the museum and ensure that this valuable collection is available to future researchers and the wider public.”

Mr O’Brien said “the former Coalition Government introduced the Stronger Communities Programme, which provided grants of between $2,500 and $20,000 to community organisations and local governments for small capital projects that deliver social benefits for local communities.”

“Small grants can make a big difference in small communities and they can often mean the difference between a project going ahead sooner or waiting longer for additional fundraising efforts.

 “I look forward to the help this grant will provide to the Cooroora Historical Society, its members and visitors,” Mr O’Brien said.

 The Stronger Communities Program was discontinued in the Labor Government’s May 2023 Budget and replaced by the Growing Regions Program.

 The Growing Regions Program has grants available from $500,000 up to $15 million, but a 50 per cent co-contribution is required by the applicant.

 “But with the Growing Regions Program’s minimum grant threshold set so high at $500,000, many local and community organisations will be ineligible to apply for this funding,” Mr Littleproud said. 

Mr Littleproud also said the Liberal and National Coalition is calling on the Government to deliver a regional development program that can help local community, sporting, and ex-service organisations to deliver small scale projects and provide more opportunities in their local communities.