Lower Barrington Hall receives Rabobank Rural Community Hub Program

Lower Barrington Hall is the sole Tasmanian venue to successfully apply for a $10,000 grant through the Rabobank Rural Community Hub Program.

Ten rural community halls across Australia have been selected to receive $10,000 each to improve their facilities – as the recipients of Rabobank’s 2026 Rural Community Hub Program. 

The program attracted more than 350 applications with the funding to be used by community hall committees for work that improves the hall facilities.

For the hard-working Lower Barrington Hall Committee, it’s been a case of it never rains but it pours, having also been successful in securing a $40,000 Brighter Futures Fund TasNetworks grant, $3300 from Calvary Community Council and $10,000 from the Foundation of Rural and Regional Renewal.

Secretary Bronwyn Watson said the money will be used for a variety of projects designed to make the main entrance to the hall more accessible, to improve the grounds and parking area and to improve the usability of the hall space ahead of its Centenary in 2029.

“We want our little hall to be ready for the next generation and the next 100 years,” Bronwyn said.

“It’s lovely to be able to continue to improve the hall and it’s exciting for our community to have such an amazing outcome from our grant applications.

“Since the pandemic it’s become extremely expensive to undertake renovations and improvements and these funds will really help with creating a place that everyone can enjoy.”

Now in its second year, the Rural Community Hub Program was developed by specialist agribusiness bank Rabobank after its Client Council network identified the vital role community halls play in bringing farming and rural communities together to help foster connection, resilience and a sense of belonging. 

The $100,000 in funding for the program will come from the Rabo Community Fund which supports meaningful community projects in rural and regional locations. 

Rabobank community engagement manager Skye Ward said the strong response to the program reflected the important role local halls play in rural communities, as well as all the volunteers who work so tirelessly to sustain them.

“Local halls and community hubs are at the heart of rural communities,” she said. 

“They provide a place for people to come together to connect and support one another. 

“The breadth of applications received this year highlights the many ways these facilities are used, as well as the practical challenges local communities face in maintaining and improving them.”

Two halls in NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and one in Victoria also received the funding.

The Bright Futures Fund grant is a particularly significant injection for the Lower Barrington community and was secured through round one of grants from a $10 million investment in total for community projects by TasNetworks as it rolls out the North West Transmission Development.

Among the other recipients are Giant Steps at Deloraine, the Rural Youth Tasmanian Leaders Academy and the Tasmanian Garlic and Tomato Festival.

Tier 2 applications are now open for grants of $10,000 to $50,000 and expressions of interest close at 11:59pm on October 25, 2026.