Community
27 March, 2024
Hub keeps little town together
FORMER and current volunteers, staff, as well as key partners and supporters of the Babinda District Community Association have celebrated 25 years of service to the Babinda district.
Since its incorporation in January 1999, the Babinda Taskforce team has been making a difference in the community, filling a gap, and weaving social fabric by creating a central hub for the district.
Former regional councillor Paul Gregory said that he was extremely proud to be part of the association’s operations.
“Communities that are geographically isolated (like Babinda) have got to have their own internal networks, so that internal concerns can be raised, and so that there is a ‘voice’ to speak to levels of government and other relevant stakeholders,” he said.
Originally forged by Arthur and Carol Stroud, under the leadership of Debra Quabba, Babinda Taskforce received funding through the federal government’s Rural Transaction Centre program.
However, Babinda Taskforce went beyond the role of a Centrelink agent, becoming the community glue that kept the district functioning.
Current Babinda Taskforce manager Tanya Tuttle said the taskforce continued to be a ‘one-stop-shop.’
“Unfortunately, things have gotten harder for the organisation in that time with the increasing costs for insurance, electricity and maintenance,” she said.
“Hopefully some of those struggles will ease, and the taskforce will be able to continue serving our community for another 25 years.”
