General News
24 July, 2026
Project to support rural potential ongoing
Maryborough volunteers, community leaders and other stakeholders are continuing their crusade for a strong not-for-profit (NFP) sector and vitality as a rural community.
Groups like Goldfields Reservoir Action Group, Friends of Maryborough Town Hall and Maryborough Riding for the Disabled have participated at some stage so far, with more than 40 community groups contributing overall.
It’s an initiative supported by the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal’s (FRRR) Investing in Rural Community Futures (IRCF) Victoria program, which is designed to strengthen local grassroots NFP groups so they can respond to Maryborough’s priorities with greater impact.
Since the program launched last year, ideas and goals have been outlined in the form of a ‘roadmap’, depicting a ‘journey’ local community groups have been following toward shared goals they have created.
Growing volunteerism, local leadership and youth engagement are some of the strategies identified to strengthen the NFP sector.
An upcoming workshop will outline the next steps to help them shape that type future over the next year.
IRCF community facilitator, Alistair Shaw, has worked alongside these groups to develop projects responding to these goals.
He said it’s impressive to see what’s been possible in a short period of time.
“Maryborough groups have worked collaboratively around shared goals, focusing on place-based community development,” he said.
“Having a roadmap that was developed together means that groups are already on the same page about priorities and, thanks to the support of FRRR and the other funders behind the program, there’s funding to turn ideas into action.”
This work so far has included conducting a feasibility study to explore a Community Hub for the region, support for Castlemaine Maryborough Rail Trail to boost their fundraising capacity, and enhancing digital connectivity and skills within the community through funding for Mill House to install new IT equipment and infrastructure.
“At the last meeting we had to confirm the roadmap, 80 people went from more than 30 community groups. But we know there are others that have come on board since then, so we want to make sure that the roadmap is what they need,” Dr Shaw said.
“This time, we will observe the roadmap we developed a year ago, and we will talk about the projects and how far they go toward achieving what the community wanted from that plan, and we will do some exercises where we get people to evaluate where they think the community is, not just in terms of the roadmap, but there are some models of community development that establish a base line of what they are ready to do.”
There is a five year deadline on the IRCF project, so volunteers, NFPs and community members will reassess goals and progress, share their suggestions, and encourage other groups to participate.
“In a nutshell, what we are going to be asking is ‘are we working with respect to the roadmap we have developed?’ and ‘are there some gaps in it we are not addressing because of the nature of the project?’, so we ask groups to come up with their own initiatives,” Dr Shaw said.
“I think we have achieved a lot.
“If somebody has not been aware of the process at all, then there will be an opportunity for them to contribute, it’s not just for people who have already been involved, it’s for the future, as well as making sure they are on track.
“I hope to see as many representatives from local community groups there as possible. We’d love to see some new faces too.”
Developed by FRRR, the IRCF Victoria program is co-funded by the Bertalli Family Foundation, The Jack Brockhoff Foundation, Helen MacPherson Smith Trust, The Ross Trust and The William Buckland Foundation.
The workshop will be held on Thursday, 30 July from 9.30 am to
2 pm, at the Community Hub, at 48 Burns Street, Maryborough.
Community representatives and NFPs wanting to attend should register at: https://events.humanitix.com/maryborough-workshop-ircf-victoria-community-roadmapreview.