Hello Members,
Some news and diary dates below and attached:
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Potoroo Palace Working Bee TOMORROW Sat 13 September 9.30-11.30 followed by morning tea.
Meet at reception to continue working on the pathways.
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Samaritan Op Shop Meeting
#####Wednesday 17 Sept at 5 at CWA Rooms Pambula ——- please let’s try to see how far we go please with a revitalised Samaritan op shop ?
All welcome
Decision time !
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What is possible when there is a Will
Cheers MB
Subject: Great example of when councils work WITH communities
A tiny house with a big mission
BY BRENDAN REES SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 NO COMMENTS 3 MINS READ
ROTARY members Greg Fitzgerald and Charles Ross with Dromana Association president Simon Brooks as they work to build a tiny house. Picture: Yanni
ROTARY members Greg Fitzgerald and Charles Ross with Dromana Association president Simon Brooks. Picture: Yanni
MORNINGTON Peninsula’s first tiny house on wheels for crisis accommodation is nearly complete thanks to an incredible community effort. The unique project, the first of its kind on the peninsula, is being hailed as a significant step towards providing immediate, dignified shelter for individuals or a small family in urgent need.
The fully mobile home is being built by former shire mayor Simon Brooks, along with a few other tradespeople, who have volunteered hours of their time to bring the vision to life. Supported by the Dromana Association and Rotary Club of Dromana, the project has been entirely community-funded, with $75,000 raised through fundraisers and donations.
Once finished, the tiny house will run as a pilot to trial and test various aspects of providing short-term emergency accommodation. It will ultimately be aimed at offering short-term accommodation, including for women and children fleeing family violence, people at risk of experiencing homelessness, or to help people get back on their feet.
The tiny house features a small kitchen including a sink, oven, cooktop, and bench space, a bathroom, and a bedroom area that includes a queen-size bed, pull-out storage, and a single bed for a child that also pulls out from under the main bed. The build is expected to be completed in the next few weeks before it is transported to the Salvation Army Homelessness Services in Rosebud, with plans underway to identify the first residents.
The prototype unit has been designed to operate as either a tiny house on wheels or as a small class 1a dwelling (ground-mounted). Brooks, the president of the Dromana Association and a builder of 35 years, has spent the past three months building the tiny house, which he hopes will garner continued support for similar projects in the future.
“Given that we now officially have the highest number of people experiencing homelessness from a municipal level, it has never been more critical to have emergency accommodation options,” he said. “We don’t have crisis accommodation of any real sort other than what the community support centres have done with The Ranch. This is aimed at that market.
“I have constructed it using materials that are light, strong, serviceable, and also fire-safe rated as I’m aware of the fact that this house could go into different locations.”
The peninsula is facing a crisis in emergency accommodation, with data showing that, as of 30 June, there were 110 people recorded as homeless on the peninsula, with about 75 percent sleeping rough in tents, cars, and on foreshore reserves (Peninsula records state’s highest homelessness numbers, The News 12/08/25).
Brooks said Rotary and the Dromana Association were proud to support solutions that brought an immediate impact. Maw Civil, a civil construction and earth-moving company in Dromana, kindly offered their workshop for the construction process, while local businesses and community groups have provided financial support and plenty of encouragement.
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Thanks from us all to Bill Foxwell, who sourced the shed, and mark smith both for the dismantling and re construction of this shed in its now heightened format.
A home for Annie ( the van ! ) and workshop with bench and tools donated to SJA by the Jenkins.
Wow ! What’s next folks ??
Cheers – it’s bloody cold back here !!
Mb
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Below is another important meeting to listen to the council’s analysis of where we are with housing.
Again, be good to have blue shirts please
I will send another doc for distribution that is relevant to this whole discussion.
Cheers
Mb
Good afternoon AHIG members,
As mentioned at the AHIG meeting on Monday, the updated draft Affordable Housing Contributions Policy is being reported to Council at next week’s Council meeting (17 September 2025).
A number of changes were made to the methodology post exhibition, as discussed at the meeting.
The agenda is now available on the Council website, with the relevant report at Item 8.2: http://begavalley.infocouncil.biz/
There is also a public forum at 12pm on the day. Information on how to register to speak at the public forum is available on our website: Public Forums and Presentations – Bega Valley Shire Council
Kind regards,
Emily
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Emily Harrison |
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Bega Valley Shire Council acknowledges and pays our respects to the traditional custodians of the lands, waterways and airspace of the shire.
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Hi folks
This is so prevalent, some may wish to participate and or share with a friend
Cheers by
Mb
Subject: Fwd: Free online suicide prevention training available across the region
The Illawarra Shoalhaven Suicide Prevention Collaborative, Bega Eurobodalla Suicide Prevention Collaborative and the Goulburn and Region Suicide Prevention Network have partnered with COORDINARE to promote free suicide prevention training.
COORDINARE is ensuring individuals, living or working in the South Eastern NSW, can access a Recognise and Respond suicide prevention training licence free of charge.
Recognise and Respond is an online course, developed by the Black Dog Institute, for anyone who’d like to learn how to recognise and respond to a friend, family member or colleague who may be at risk of suicide.
This free, interactive, 1-hour self-paced training course looks at how to recognise changes in someone’s behaviour, how to engage in a conversation with that person and where to find further support.
Recognise and Respond is designed for the general population, workers or members of the public who are likely to encounter individuals at risk and may be influential in their decision to access care. It provides tools and confidence needed to have a life-saving conversation, not formal training in suicide crisis response and management.
We’d love your help to get the word out
Jointly branded social tiles are attached to this email and suggested newsletter content is included below.
As Collaborative / Network members, you are welcome to use these resources.
Suggested newsletter content
COORDINARE is subsidising online suicide prevention training for community members.
Recognise and Respond has been developed by the Black Dog Institute, for anyone who’d like to learn how to recognise and respond to someone who may be at risk of suicide.
The interactive, one-hour self-paced training course looks at how to recognise changes in someone’s behaviour, how to engage in a conversation with that person and where to find further support. It provides you with the tools and confidence you need to have a life-saving conversation.
To enrol, visit LearnToReachIn.info
And remember, the full suite of Where to go for Support resources is available here.
Warm regards,
Clare
Clare Leslie She/Her/Hers
Project Manager, Suicide Prevention
COORDINARE – South Eastern NSW PHN
77 Plunkett Street, Nowra, NSW 2541
www.suicidepreventioncollaborative.org.au
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Suicide Prevention Collaborative acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands across which we live and work. We pay respects to Elders, past, present and emerging, and acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' continuing connection – both physical and spiritual – to land, sea and sky.
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***********************************************************************************" Are there any radio buffs out there ? Would anybody who might be interested to host / share host a half hour per week Social Justice Advocates radio show on community radio Sapphire fm please contact Pete ( Chair ) at chair@sjasc.org.au. ?
View towards keeping a wider audience in touch with what the SJA are up to. Endless possibilities re format, content, guests etc."
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Regards,
Russell Jennings
Email: secretary@sjasc.org.au
Postal: PO Box 352 Pambula NSW 2549
https://www.facebook.com/sapphirecoastsja
https://www.instagram.com/socialjusticeadvocates/
The Social Justice Advocates of the Sapphire Coast acknowledge the Yuin People as the Traditional Owners of the land on which we live and work. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging.
ABN 19 708 992 414