Closure Dates December 2025 🎄

Please note that our office will be closed from Friday 19th December 2025. We will be back for you from Monday 5th January 2026.
We hope you have wonderful holidays. Stay safe and see you in the New Year. 💫

St Paul's Anglican Church Festival of Trees

A first for Neighbourhood Houses Barwon!
We participated in the St Paul's Anglican Church Festival of Trees where pre-Christmas holiday cheer is as important as bringing awareness to local charities and community organisations. Many beautiful trees were on display for the public to see and explore.

We are very pleased with how our tree turned out, representing all the Neighbourhood Houses in the Barwon Region. Thank you so much to all involved for making this possible. It looks fantastic! 





 

Keep Our Doors Open Campaign

Neighbourhood Houses Victoria’s analysis shows that without additional funding of $11.7M per year is needed to ensure the sustainability of the sector and continue delivering for Victorians. “We know that 94% of neighbourhood house visitors experience improved physical wellbeing and 96% report improved emotional wellbeing as a result of participating. We calculate the overall benefits to the Victoria community at $922M per year. We are saving the government money, now it’s time to save our sector and keep our doors open.”

The state peak body is also calling on the state government to fund 25 currently unfunded neighbourhood houses, and commit to 20 new neighbourhood houses in Victoria’s outer metro and regional growth areas.
 

Neighbourhood Houses Victoria is calling on the State Government to increase annual funding by $11.7M or risk the closure of 200 neighbourhood houses across Victoria.

“Neighbourhood houses are under unprecedented pressure,” said Neighbourhood Houses CEO Keir Paterson.
“Rising costs, growing community demand, and eroded core funding are forcing houses across the state to cut hours, staff, and programs. Years of underfunding has pushed almost half into deficit, leaving them at risk of closure.”

Each week, more than 185,000 Victorians access community support and local services through the 400+ neighbourhood houses in the state.
Many neighbourhood houses and community centres are grappling with increased community need due to cost of living pressures, while having to deal with cost increases themselves.
“Without urgent action, communities risk losing the safe, inclusive spaces thousands of Victorians rely on every week. Our data shows that for every $1 of ongoing neighbourhood house funding received from the state government, communities benefit to the tune of $21.94."
 

Surfcoast and Otway Shire Neighbourhood House representatives meeting with Richard Riordan MP.
 

Barwon Exchange Newsletter