Visy Tumut Region Recovery Fund supports a further 13 community-led projects

Media Releases, Recovery & Resilience Stories, 12 August 2020

$970,136 in grants awarded

12 August 2020: The Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR), in partnership with the Pratt Foundation, has granted a further $241,386 to support 13 community-led projects in the Snowy Valleys region.

The Visy Tumut Region Recovery Fund was established in February 2020 to support community-led projects designed to address a diverse range of bushfire recovery needs and community priorities in the Snowy Valleys. A total of $970,136 in funding has been granted to 36 projects over the last seven months, and the program is now closed.

Anthony Pratt, Executive Chairman of Visy, said the organisation has been so pleased to have been able to support the Snowy Valleys region.

“It is wonderful to have seen how these grants have been put into action by community groups to make a real difference to the region’s recovery,” said Mr Pratt.

Natalie Egleton, CEO of FRRR, said that there have been many great projects funded through the Visy Tumut Region Recovery Fund.

“Thanks to the early response and support of the Pratt Foundation, many recovery projects in the Snowy Valleys region have already been able to get underway, such as the RegenerART project. With funds received in a previous grant round, the Tumut Art Society is running workshops in Talbingo, Adelong, Batlow and Tumbarumba to ensure that there are local opportunities to come together and enjoy learning diverse art practices.

“I’m just as confident that the local organisations that have been awarded grants for projects this final round will play a critical role in the ongoing recovery of these communities. Projects like Eastern Riverina Arts’ Woodlands Film Festival and the Sounds of Summer Camerata String Orchestra Snowy Valleys Council Tour will help to build community spirit and strengthen social connections.

“Other local organisations have been awarded grants for projects that support the recovery of their community by updating, rebuilding or developing community infrastructure, including the Ournie Fire Brigade’s shed, the Adelong Men’s Shed entrance and the Batlow Sound Shell, memorialising the Batlow Cannery lost in the Dunn’s Rd Fire. These are all great examples of local community groups playing a vital role in disaster recovery because they are on the ground and best placed to know what is needed,” said Ms Egleton.

The grant recipients are below:

OrganisationProject SummaryGrantLocation
Adelong Men’s Shed IncConcrete Driveway Build organisational capacity of Adelong Men’s Shed with the construction of a concrete driveway to improve member access. Adelong$19,223
Adelong Swimming Club IncAdelong Community Aquatic Centre Shade and Solar Improve community infrastructure and capacity, upgrading the Adelong Community Pool with adequate shading and a structure to support solar heating for increased winter patronage.Adelong$35,000
Adelong Tennis Club IncAdelong Tennis Clubhouse Roof Replacement Improving community infrastructure by replacing the Adelong Tennis Clubhouse roof to support community group meetings.Adelong$10,000
Batlow Apple Tree Learning Centre Co-operative LtdOutdoor Play Space Upgrade Build community capacity and resilience, upgrading the outdoor play space at Batlow Apple Tree Learning Centre to support early years learning.Batlow$15,000
Batlow Development LeagueSounds and History of Batlow Increase community capacity and support economic recovery in Batlow by constructing a sound shell to memorialise the Batlow Cannery and support local events. Batlow$30,000
Cycle Tumbarumba IncLink to Mason’s Hill Trails Improving community infrastructure for local and tourist use through extending the trail bike link with a safe off-road bike path for children and adults.Tumbarumba$10,000
Eastern Riverina ArtsThe Woodlands Film Festival Build community spirit through reviving the Woodland Film Festival and presenting local stories at a landmark site for all the community to enjoy.Pilot Hill Arboretum$19,390
Montreal Community Theatre IncMontreal Community Theatre Shop (Cafe/Bar) Build organisational capacity developing a café shop front at the Montreal Theatre Space to provide a retail and cultural hub for community development. Tumut$30,000
Ournie Rural Fire BrigadeOurnie Community Recovery Project Build community resilience and connectedness by improving the Ournie Fire Brigade shed facilities to create a community meeting space and better local RFS facility.  Ournie$10,000
Snowy Valleys CouncilTooma Hall Transfer Pump and Water Storage Build community resilience by upgrading community infrastructure at the Tooma Hall with water storage for evacuation and everyday community use.Tooma$32,000
Talbingo MTB Club IncTalbingo Mountain Bike Park Shelters Enhance community facilities through the installation of bike shelters to support local and tourist patronage.Talbingo$11,373
Tumbarumba Artists on Parade Co-Operative LimitedSounds of Summer Camerata String Orchestra Tour Enhance the cultural vibrancy of the Snowy Valleys with performances by classical musicians at local venues in Tumut, Tumbarumba and Khancoban.Khancoban$13,400
Upper Murray Community Radio Inc.Training of Additional Volunteers for Operation of Community Radio -3 RUM (Tumbarumba site) Build community capacity training volunteers as operators at Tumbarumba Community Radio and increasing skills for local content broadcasting.Tumbarumba$6,000
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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.

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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).

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.