ANZ supports Australia’s rural communities with more than $250,000 in Seeds of Renewal grants

Media Releases, 17 January 2018

Bendigo, 18 January 2018: ANZ has announced the recipients of its 2017 Seeds of Renewal program, with 26 community organisations from across regional Australia set to share in more than $250,000 in funding.

Celebrating its 15th year, the Seeds of Renewal Program funded by ANZ, administered by the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) and supported by Lenovo, aims to encourage initiatives that help to build vibrant and sustainable rural communities.

Since 2003, Seeds of Renewal has provided over $4.5 million in grants to more than 800 community projects from across regional Australia. 

Commenting on the participating organisations, ANZ General Manager Business Banking, Isaac Rankin, said, “This year’s recipients demonstrated the entrepreneurial spirit, passion and strong community collaboration that exist in regional Australia, and we’re proud to play a role in helping to ensure these communities continue to thrive.”

FRRR CEO Natalie Egleton said, “The innovative approaches to supporting the growth and the sustainability of rural and regional communities were extremely impressive, with applicants addressing issues as wide-ranging as pollution, community participation, tourism and infrastructure.”

Alice Springs based Waltja Tjutangku Palyapayi Aboriginal Corporation will receive a $15,000 grant to support its work in capturing and documenting culturally significant information for future generations in video and audio form.

Commenting on the importance of its work, Waltja Tjutangku Palyapayi Aboriginal Corporation Community Engagement Coordinator, Cynthia Paton, said, “Across Central Australia there is a growing concern that Elders with strong cultural and complex language knowledge are not passing it down to younger generations.

“The grant will help ensure Indigenous youth have access to important cultural information, strengthening Indigenous community vibrancy and sustainability, as well as increasing wider community knowledge, understanding and respect for local Indigenous culture.”

The full list of recipients is below, or jump to state lists: NSW|NT|QLD|SA|TAS|VIC|WA

Organisation

Project

Location

Amount Awarded

NSW

Dungog Information and Neighbourhood Centre

Bee Rapt Dungog
Help Dungog become plastic free through the purchase of sewing equipment to produce reusable fabric shopping bags and beeswax food wraps.

Dungog

$3,588

Steppin’ Out 4 Youth Inc

Empowering Youth to Grow!
Build employability amongst disengaged youth, and facilitate connections with business owners, in Leeton via an employment program.

Leeton

$8,000

Southern Tablelands Arts (STARTS) Inc

Southern Tablelands Tech Hub
Improve access to training for micro arts businesses in the Southern Tablelands through the purchase of laptops and internet for a mobile tech hub.

Binalong, Harden, Braidwood

$15,000

Uarbry Hall Association Inc

Rebuild Uarbry Hall
Contribute to the replacement of the community hall lost in the St Ivan bushfire, enabling the community to have a public meeting space for community events and social gatherings.

Uarbry

$13,000

NT

Waltja Tjutangku Palyapayi Aboriginal Corporation

Bush Tucker Stories
Enable local youth to record and share Elders’ stories, capturing vital culture and strengthening and sustaining community life in an extremely remote town.

Laramba

$15,000

QLD

Canvas Coworking Inc

AIM – Accelerating Innovative Mumpreneurs Regional and Rural Business Boot Camps
Start, grow and scale microenterprises through the delivery of business boot-camps for women across regional and remote areas of the Western Downs Regional Council. 

Dalby

$13,200

Cooloola Coast Medical Transport Inc

Care from Door to Door
Help to meet the demand for affordable medical transport assistance across the Cooloola Coast with the addition of another vehicle.

Tin Can Bay

$15,000

Startup Gladstone Inc

Mount Larcom District’s Hi-Tech Early-preneur
Equip primary students with entrepreneurial and new technologies skills through a business building skills program at Ambrose State School.

Mt Larcom

$7,100

Thallon Progress Assoc

Thallon Embracing Tourism
Improve visitor experiences in Thallon through the purchase of signage, new landscaping at the campground and an audit of social media activity.

Thallon

$10,000

SA

Andamooka Progress & Opal Miners Assoc

From History to New Beginnings – Arts Re-Energising Andamooka
Create a range of opportunities for community participation in arts-based activitie, to establish cottage industries and enrich the local tourism experience.

Andamooka

$14,950

Australian Migrant Resource Centre

Licenced to Drive
Support newly resettled migrants to participate in the local economy and community through a volunteer-run driver education and road safety program.

Border Town

$3,080

Foodbank of South Australia Inc

Fruit Handling Equipment for Berri Warehouse
Enable efficient sorting and distribution of donated fruit and vegetables to welfare agencies and families in need through the purchase and installation of a fruit bin-tipper and conveyor belt.

Berri

$6,500

Tumby Bay Progress Assoc Inc

Colour Tumby – Esplanade Free Public Wi-Fi project
Strengthen social connections and stimulate tourism through the purchase and installation of infrastructure to deliver free public Wi-Fi on the Tumby Bay esplanade.

Tumby Bay

$15,000

TAS

The Unconformity Inc

Development of a Community Arts Hub in Queenstown
Stimulate the local arts sector and economy through an inclusive arts space for exhibitions, performances, workshops and meetings.

Queenstown

$9,760

VIC

Corryong Neighbourhood House Inc

Nuts and Bolts
Enhance future employment opportunities and the ability to remain living locally by delivering a vocational training program to young people in Walwa via a rural services social enterprise.

Corryong

$15,000

Inverloch Jazz Festival Inc

25th Anniversary – Sharing Great Jazz
Enhance the quality of audience experience at the Inverloch Jazz Festival by hiring professional sound equipment.

Inverloch

$6,946

The Reach Foundation

Changing Perceptions workshop in Robinvale
Improve students’ potential to succeed by delivering a series of workshops designed to build positive connections and mutual respect between Indigenous and non-Indigenous cohorts.

Robinvale

$15,000

WA

ABC Foundation

Don’t Let Your Crop Rot
Develop a social enterprise to increase local fresh food availability, local employment, and reduce food waste, through the purchase of a trailer and display / storage equipment.

Carnavon

$15,000

Broome Aboriginal Media Assoc Aboriginal Corp

Bring our Radio Station into the 21st Century
Strengthen capacity of Indigenous and disabled volunteers, and media students, to broadcast culturally relevant local news, current affairs and music across the Kimberley region, via the upgrade of community radio station infrastructure.

Broome

$12,876

Great Southern Centre for Outdoor Recreation Excellence Inc

Turning Good Ideas into Extraordinary Experiences
Strengthen regional economic growth and small tourism business capacity through a 12-week mentoring and skills development program, and a series of general tourism workshops. 

Denmark, Mt Barker, Kojonup, Bremer Bay

$10,000

Hidden Treasures of the Great Southern (Shire of Broomehill – Tambellup)

Unearthing the Capability – Blooming in our Communities!
Develop skills, knowledge and capacity of local volunteer groups to successfully deliver local tourism events and attractions.

Various locations in SW WA

$13,000

Pingrup Community Resource Centre

Pingrup Silo Trail
Create a cultural program that will stimulate local tourism and strengthen local community identity through murals, workshops and public events.

Pingrup

$13,000

Share
Back to News
Follow Us
Support the future of remote, rural and regional communities
Giving
Grantseeker resources: I am looking for information about…
Explore
X

Amy Crawford

Amy Crawford has an extensive career in complex public policy and its intersection across government and communities.

Amy is the Chief Executive Officer at the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), representing 537 councils across the nation. Amy holds over 20 years’ experience in the Australian Public Service. She has a deep understanding of federal government policies and structures, with over 10 years’ service in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and has worked for the federal Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories. Amy has shaped a wide range of policies and programs including regional development, telecommunications, immigration, emergency management, social policy and pandemic preparation.

Amy is a Board Director of Austroads and represents ALGA on the Public Skills Australia Industry Advisory Group, and the Australia-New Zealand Emergency Management Committee. She is also a Board Director for the Canberra Youth Theatre which provides voice for Canberra’s youth through intelligent and challenging theatre.

Amy holds a Bachelor of Laws (honours) and Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications) from the University of Queensland, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an alumnus of the Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership. Amy was appointed to the FRRR Board in January 2025.

X

Kylie Hansen

Kylie brings leadership and management experience from across academic, corporate, not-for-profit, social enterprise and impact investment sectors, having deep dived into a myriad of specialisations and systems. Her six tertiary qualifications are equally as diverse and complimentary, covering commerce, politics, international development, community development, project management and law. Her breadth and depth of experience enables her to draw on a number of disciplines and innovative ways of working and thinking, and she is well recognised as consistently delivering work and services of a high quality.

Kylie uses her strong background in sustainability, governance and impact measurement to support collaborative initiatives across sectors oriented at improving social outcomes, and to support socially conscientious businesses to articulate their social impact. As founder and director at Impact Seed she has been instrumental in developing the impact measurement, evaluation, learning and ESG practice which advises numerous corporates, and is passionate about supporting First Nations empowerment particularly in the context of regional economic development.

Kylie is also a Director of the WA Social Enterprise Council, a member of the B Council (B Lab Australia and New Zealand), and a Governor of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

X

Hon. John Anderson AC

The Hon. John Anderson AC is a sixth-generation farmer and grazier from NSW, who served in the Australian Parliament from 1989 to 2008.

He was a senior Cabinet minister in the government led by John Howard (1996 to 2005), including six years as Leader of the National Party and Deputy Prime Minister.

In the latter role, Mr Anderson played in important role in FRRR’s history, working closely with Baillieu Myer AC and others on a proposal to establish a philanthropic organisation to benefit rural Australia. The concept was discussed at the National Regional Summit in 1999 and FRRR was established shortly thereafter.

Mr Anderson currently hosts a regular podcast, where he is in conversation with thought-leaders from around the world, and is a regular media commentator.

X

Regina Cruickshank

Partnerships Specialist (WA)

Regina supports FRRR as the WA Partnerships Specialist. With over two decades of experience in partnerships and marketing, she has a deep understanding of Western Australia’s social impact landscape. She brings a strong passion for leveraging purpose-built networks to create positive change.

Regina previously worked with Playgroup WA and founded a Health Promotion Charity dedicated to supporting Social Emotional wellbeing for underserved communities. She’s excited about the opportunity to connect with partners and explore ways to make a meaningful difference in WA.

She lives in Perth with her family and enjoys mindful moments of connection to Country, whether on horseback, on foot or underwater.

X

Anna Palmer

People and Culture Manager

Based in Central Victoria, Anna is a senior Human Resources, Organisation Development and Industrial Relations professional, with significant private and public sector experience across every facet of people and culture leadership.

Her most recent roles have been with Don KR in Castlemaine and Mount Alexander Shire Council. She has also held senior HR roles with Victoria Legal Aid and the TAC among many others.

From Mildura originally, Anna has postgraduate qualifications in Change Management and a Masters in Organisation Dynamics.

Anna is currently completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts to balance her creative pursuits and work as an HR professional.

X

Philippa Twaddle

Management Accountant

Carolyn joined the FRRR team in March 2017, and is responsible for providing executive support to the CEO, effective coordination of the FRRR office and general administrative support to the management team. A key responsibility is supporting the administration of FRRR’s Donation Account Services.

She has over fifteen years’ experience working in local government in the Tourism and Arts Sector, Civic and Event Management and Community engagement.

Carolyn has a Bachelor of Arts in Librarianship, majoring in psychology, and grew up on farming communities in Cohuna and Echuca and currently lives in Bendigo.