Recycled water funding Kimberley community grants

Upgrades to a BMX track, repairs to an iconic outdoor cinema, and a new ice machine for a local football club are among 13 projects to share in nearly $80,000 under Water Corporation’s 2024 Kimberley Community Grants Scheme.

Now in its ninth year, the scheme provides individual grants of up to $10,000 to not-for-profits and community groups for projects that positively contribute to life in the Kimberley.

Water Minister Simone McGurk joined Water Corporation staff and representatives from the Lions Club of Broome for presentation events in Broome and Kununurra last week.

Among this year’s recipients was the Kununurra Picture Gardens, a community-owned, volunteer-run group that has screened monthly outdoor movies since 1946.

The group will use its $10,000 grant to fix a broken projector, which hampered the end of its 2023 season.

Kimberley Action Sports will use its grant of nearly $8,000 to help upgrade the Kununurra BMX track to national standards. At the same time, a new ice machine will allow the Ord River Magpies Football Club to better treat injuries and keep players cool during games.

Other recipients included the Broome Town Band to expand its repertoire with licensing rights to more songs, the Wyndham Historical Society for a monument to the town’s industrial heritage, and Broome’s Native Animal Rescue for security lighting at a turtle rehabilitation facility.

The scheme is funded using proceeds from the sale of Rhodes grass hay grown using recycled water from the Broome North Water Resource Recovery Facility.

Since 2016, over $666,000 has been awarded to 118 not-for-profits and community organisations across the Kimberley.

For more information on the scheme, visit watercorporation.com.au/kcgrants.

Water Corporation 2024 Kimberley Community Grants Scheme recipients

Group and location	Grant	Initiative
Ord River Magpies Football Club Inc.	$3,000	A new ice machine for hydration, treatment of injuries, and keeping food and beverages cold when travelling.
Kimberley Action Sports Inc.	$7,914	Build the Kununurra BMX track to national standards and encourage youth engagement, connectedness, and physical well-being.
Kununurra Gymnastics Club	$4,500	Host an accredited coaching clinic to advance the skills of current coaches and better support young people with different interests and abilities.
Society of Kimberley Indigenous Plants and Animals	$5,000	Create a central nursery location for SKIPA members to gather, connect, and achieve their social and environmental aims.
Broome Performing Arts Co Inc.	$6,000	Upgrade the studio facilities to better serve the community as a functional space for health, fitness, and well-being.
Broome Town Band	$1,754.50	Purchase song licences to increase the band’s repertoire and enable performance at a wider range of community events.
Kununurra Picture Gardens Inc.	$10,000	Repair the movie projector light for a long-running and popular community outdoor cinema, preserving its heritage and fostering community connection.
Kununurra Campdraft and Rodeo Association	$5,000	Support the repair and upgrade of the main water lines and tank upgrades in the livestock yards, reducing leaks and water wastage.
Wyndham Historical Society Inc.	$8,000	Install the “Big Wheel,” which will honour Wyndham’s industrial history and support engagement with employment agencies and corrective services.
Native Animal Rescue Inc. – Broome (NARB)	$10,000	Lighting and security for the environmentally sustainable turtle rehabilitation facility, allowing better protection and offsite site monitoring.
Kununurra Water Ski Club	$4,950	Upgrading the ageing club facility to safely run events and gatherings for the entire Kununurra community.
Kununurra Motocross Club	$5,000	Repair and upgrade the current sprinkler system for better environmental outcomes and safety for riders.
Ord Valley Events	$10,000	FEASTival: Taste of the Kimberley – an event to celebrate the breadth and diversity of Kimberley produce and agriculture through a series of food experiences.

Comments attributed to Water Minister Simone McGurk:

“The Kimberley Community Grants Scheme is a fantastic initiative that has helped fund worthy projects across the region for nearly a decade.

“What’s most unique is how recycled water from homes and businesses in Broome is used to grow hay, with profits used by Water Corporation to give back to the community.

“It’s an excellent example of a sustainable, circular economy and reflects the fact that wastewater is no longer something to be wasted.”

Comments attributed to Divina D’Anna Kimberley MLA:

“Since 2016, Water Corporation has helped to fund 118 projects across the Kimberley, and it’s fantastic to see support extended to another 13 community groups this year.

“As anyone from the region will attest, grassroots groups are part of the fabric of life in our communities. I look forward to seeing this year’s projects take shape.”