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 – which ran throughout August – was open to local rural halls and community hubs across the country and attracted more than 350 applications.
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. With a dedicated pool of funding for national and local initiatives, the Rabo Community Fund supports meaningful community projects in rural and regional locations.
The funding will be used by community hall recipients for work that improves the facilities of their nominated hall or community hub.
2026 Rural Community Hub Program recipients:
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.”
Ms Ward said the successful projects included improvements to hall accessibility, heating and cooling systems, kitchen and amenities upgrades and restoration works.
“We hope the funding helps communities utilise their hall as the important gathering places they are now and into the future,” she said.
One of the recipients of the 2026 funding is The Marra Hall, located 100km north of Nyngan, in western New South Wales.
Spokesperson for The Marra Hall Kellie Turnbull, said having a safe and accessible place to gather was extremely important in an isolated rural community. “The Marra Hall helps keep our community connected, supports local events and services and provides opportunities for people of all ages to meet, participate and maintain the strong community spirit that is so important to the Marra district,” she said.
Mrs Turnbull said the Rabobank funding will go towards upgrading the CWA room at The Marra Hall, which is currently used for fortnightly Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) doctor clinics.
“These clinics provide an essential health service to our remote community, allowing local residents to access medical care without having to travel long distances to larger towns,” she said.
The local community will also be contributing to the proposed upgrades, Mrs Turnbull said. “As a small community, our fundraising capacity is limited, however, we raise funds through our biannual Marra Field Day and donations. And while our community is prepared to contribute what we can, the cost of completing the required upgrades is beyond what we can reasonably raise on our own,” she said.
“The Rabobank funding allows us to undertake the improvements, and community members will also be assisting through volunteer labour and in-kind support.”
Another funding recipient is South Caroling Hall, near Quairading in Western Australia.
Spokesperson for the South Caroling Hall Kate Walker said the hall celebrated its centenary last year, welcoming many families back for the celebration.
“Over the years, the hall has hosted social tennis, community events, sporting windups, parties and tourist groups exploring the area,” she said.
“From October onwards, social tennis gatherings are hosted at the hall, giving local families a hub to gather at, and have a break from the busy harvest season. The hall also hosts the annual Simpson Family Christmas Tree where children and their families gather to play tennis, debrief on the season, socialise and see a special Christmas guest arrive.”
Ms Walker said the Rabobank funding will go towards upgrading the toilet blocks located at the hall. “The hall hosts a growing number of community events. Having new, additional toilets and access to showers will have a profoundly positive impact on the useability of the hall, especially for larger groups. As the area's farming demographics and population change over time, it's amazing that the use of our community hall can adapt to and continue to bring people together,” she said.
“The improvements to the hall will have a positive impact on the community – boosting tourism and supporting local businesses within the Quairading region. And local families will now be able to hold larger family celebrations at the hall, which fosters the social connection and our sense of community in a rural setting.”
Rabo Client Councils
Ms Ward said the bank’s Rabo Client Councils were allocated the significant task of selecting 10 recipients of Rural Community Hub Program funding.
“Selecting the recipients was no easy task for our Rabo Client Councils because the applications demonstrated such a strong level of community need and local commitment,” she said.
The Rabo Client Councils are groups of innovative, forward-thinking Rabobank farming clients who are passionate about making a difference in their communities and support a range of activities designed to make a meaningful impact on the vibrancy and resilience of rural Australia.
Ms Ward said the Rural Community Hub Program was part of broader work the bank was doing alongside its Rabo Client Councils to help grow and strengthen rural communities.
“Our Rabo Client Councils have a deep understanding of the issues facing rural communities across Australia, and we’re committed to continuing our work with them to develop and support that advance farming and rural communities – such as the Rabo Community Hub Program,” she said.
2025 program impact
Ms Ward said the impact of last year’s Rural Community Hub Program had been “far-reaching”, with communities across the country – from Kilcummin near Clermont in Queensland to Yorkrakine in Western Australia’s Wheatbelt – accessing the funding.
“We have received such positive feedback from hall committees on the work they have undertaken as a result of the Rabobank program. Communities have come together, held working bees and also employed local tradespeople as they have worked together to upgrade their facilities,” she said.
“The Reids Flat Community Hall, in New South Wales, used their funding to partially replace their hall’s roof. While they chipped in their own funding to freshen up the kitchen and dining area with some paint.”
And at the Hannaford Hall, in southern Queensland, Ms Ward said, the funding assisted with the completion of ceiling repairs and internal painting. “A spokesperson for the hall said the refresh had been long overdue, with the fresh coat of paint adding a sense of vitality to the hall which has flowed to the community who are very proud of the community facilities,” she said.
Kitchen upgrades were the priority for the Willalooka Hall, in South Australia. “We hear the funding to upgrade their kitchen facilities has not only seen locals roll up their sleeves to help with the working bee but has also engaged local tradespeople and suppliers – helping support local businesses,” Ms Ward said.
“Many of the community halls and hubs have been around for a long time, and it’s clear that these buildings play a big role in the history of their local area.
“We are pleased the funding from the inaugural program has helped rural communities across Australia utilise and make the most of their buildings and we hope this year’s fundings helps more rural communities.”
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Rabobank Australia & New Zealand Group is a part of the international Rabobank Group, the world’s leading specialist in food and agribusiness banking. Rabobank has more than 125 years’ experience providing customised banking and finance solutions to businesses involved in all aspects of food and agribusiness. Rabobank is structured as a cooperative and operates in 35 countries, servicing the needs of more than nine million clients worldwide through a network of more than 1000 offices and branches. Rabobank Australia & New Zealand Group is one of Australasia’s leading agricultural lenders and a significant provider of business and corporate banking and financial services to the region’s food and agribusiness sector. The bank has 87 branches throughout Australia and New Zealand.
