New home for Mogo community in southern NSW

By PETER ROWE

A vibrant new community space giving young Aboriginal people on the South Coast of NSW the tools to succeed as part of the Mogo Local Aboriginal Land Council’s (LALC) new home, was opened on Wednesday.

Mogo LALC was awarded more than $2.9 million through the Australian and NSW Government’s Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund, after their offices were destroyed by fires that swept through Mogo in December 2019.

“It has been such a difficult time since the fires, but this building brings new hope and energy for all of the community,” Mogo Local Aboriginal Land Council CEO Linda Carson said.

“This building gives the Mogo Aboriginal community a home, a place where we can meet, paint, sculpt and support each other.”

The new two-storey building boasts cultural and functional spaces with an exhibition area, café and commercial kitchen bringing the community together on the ground floor.

Upstairs meeting rooms on the mezzanine level will be available for hire, offering a fresh space for the community to gather, learn and celebrate.

The 2019 bushfires were devastating for the Mogo LALC, destroying not just their building but also equipment, data from important bush regeneration work and irreplaceable artefacts.

This new structure marks another milestone in Mogo’s ongoing social and economic recovery, offering the community new opportunities and an improved economic future.

Federal Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips said she was pleased to help restore the community asset.

“The Albanese Government is working with local councils and the Minns Government to deliver essential recovery projects across Gilmore that rebuild community spaces and enhance the economic prospects for those devastated by extreme weather events,” Ms Phillips said.