Final touches to Goondiwindi Cultural Centre refurbishment

The final touches are underway at the Goondiwindi Waggamba Community Cultural Centre, completing a series of upgrades that have spanned recent years.

The finishing works include a total repaint of the centre’s interior along with new upgrades to the front-of-house lighting.

Goondiwindi Regional Council allocated $30,000 from the Australian Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure program grant towards the painting of the centre and $20,000 from its Budget towards the new lights.

These last two projects will complement the major construction of a new covered deck extension overlooking the site grounds and the Macintyre River. Council secured $150,000 from the State Government’s 2017–19 Works for Queensland program towards the new decking in collaboration with the Rotary Club Goondiwindi, who sourced an additional $35,000 in funding towards the project.

Mayor of the Goondiwindi region the Honourable Cr Lawrence Springborg AM said the upgrades would continue the Cultural Centre’s reputation as one of the premier function centres on the Darling Downs.

“We have an amazing community asset in the Cultural Centre and we’re very lucky to be able to host the kinds of big functions and events that, in a normal year, are held in our region,” the Mayor said.

“Events like Gourmet in Gundy, the Apex Eisteddfod and the annual GRDC Grains Conference bring visitors from far and wide to Goondiwindi, and this not only provides a great economic benefit, but also helps to make a name for our region as the place to host those big events and conferences,” he said.

The Cultural Centre’s main hall can seat up to 600 people and features a 100m2 stage, an extensive backstage area with female and male dressing rooms, state-of-the-art lighting and sound facilities, and a full bar with cold room and barware. The centre also has a commercial kitchen for catering, in addition to meeting rooms, foyer space and outdoor grounds.

Previous works in Council’s suite of renovations over the past few years include the refurbishment of the kitchen, upgrades to conference technology in the meeting room, and alternative entry to access toilets from the grounds near the new deck.

Cr Springborg said Council was particularly pleased to have been able to collaborate with the Rotary Club Goondiwindi on the extension of the deck.

“Council is especially appreciative to Rotary for their role in this project,” he said. “While it was disappointing that we couldn’t get to officially open the new deck or see it in full swing at Gourmet in Gundy this year, this is a tremendous asset that will go on to serve our community for many years to come and I am already looking forward to seeing it in action at next year’s event.”

Council has engaged a local contractor to carry out the internal painting work, which is  expected to be completed in the next few months.

Council is continuing to take bookings for the Goondiwindi Waggamba Community Cultural Centre - all bookings must meet the relevant Queensland Government COVID-19 restrictions. For more information about hiring the centre, contact Council on 07 4671 7400 or mail@grc.qld.gov.au.