November 9, 2015
Arethusa College has won a special $2500 grant from the Philmac project to install a tank, filters and water coolers at its Barambah Creek campus at Ficks Crossing.
The College, which operates a Rodeo Academy program for Indigenous students from the Cherbourg area, is one of a dozen water-saving projects around Australia that have been selected to receive support in the latest round of grants provided by the Philmac Project.
Three of the projects came from Queensland.
- Boynewood State School at Mundubbera will receive $4000 in cash to upgrade the small school’s oval, which has been badly affected by drought. The school plans to install a sustainable, automatic irrigation system to water the surface and nearby vegetable gardens which are used daily by its students
- Malanda Horse and Pony Club on the Atherton Tablelands will receive $1000 in cash and up to $1000 in products to install an irrigation system at its covered arena. The system will help maintain the venue to a high standard and suppress dust, improving conditions for the competitors and their horses, volunteers, and spectators
- Arethusa College has been given a special Bluey Award providing products to the value of up to $2500 to install a tank, filters and water coolers at its Ficks Crossing campus
At present, students who are working outside do not have free access to drinking water, which has to be provided by staff and sometimes carted from Wondai or Murgon.
The college wants to capture and filter rainwater that drains into a paddock to make better use of water that is currently wasted.
The Philmac Project was established in 2012 to support community organisations in rural and regional Australia wanting to carry out water-related projects, and this is the second year running a South Burnett project has won a Philmac project grant.
Last year the Goomeri Show Society received $1500 in cash and Philmac products valued at $1000 to help install new plumbing and watering systems at its showground as part of its reconstruction efforts after the 2013 floods.
Announcing the latest recipients, Philmac General Manager for Marketing and Development, Jason Mitchell, said it was clear from the applications received that the grants program continued to meet a genuine community need.
“Funding in rural communities is still hard to come by. Community groups such as schools and recreation clubs are not only looking for ways to save money, but also to raise funds to implement ideas that will benefit their communities,” Mr Mitchell said.
“The successful projects will not only save water at a time when much of Australia is experiencing drier than average conditions, but will reduce operating costs and workloads for hard-pressed volunteers.
“Most of them also involve creating an educational opportunity, and a place where communities can connect and work together, which in many ways is what the Philmac project is all about.”
In selecting the recipients, the judges considered the level of impact the project will have on its local community; environmental gains, particularly relating to water; and the difference funding will make to the project’s viability.
Community support also played a role, with public voting online determining a short-list for each of five regions covered by the initiative.
Aside from the main grants the judges also awarded two special Bluey Awards which are named after Philmac’s brand ambassador, an Australian Blue Heeler.
The Bluey Awards aim to broaden opportunities for groups that might be considered ‘underdogs’ compared with applicants from organisations that could draw on more supporters in the voting round.
More information about the Philmac Project and a full list of 2015 grant recipients can be found on Philmac’s website.
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