Quarry Hill Old Church on The Hill growing; facilities need upgrade

Run by not-for-profit organisation Neighbourhood Collective Australia, the Old Church on the Hill has provided a smattering of low-cost and free community activities over the past 10 years.

But with a post-COVID-19 pandemic boom and the cost of living placing pressure on families, more and more people are accessing the space than ever before.

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Chief executive of Neighbourhood Collective Australia Rosita Vincent said as numbers grow, some amenities such as the feast space's kitchen were showing their age.

"We've got two hot plates that work and one oven that works out of two," she said.

"We bought domestic appliances and they've just been used and used to feed so many people; so we need commercial.

"I'm trying to get some changes made there, just around the infrastructure to help it support a bigger crowd."

Ms Vincent said it was great to see more people accessing the Old Church, however there was likely a limit on how many people could be there, as it was "not a huge space".

"A new thing I hadn't noticed in the 10 years that we've been running here are people sort of in a way self prescribing to community," she said.

"Particularly older people, retiree kind of age and maybe not quite retired. Men who are very lonely, isolated and very emotional about just even walking into a space like this.

"Seeing community happen and being welcomed into a space that has actually had a really big effect on them."

The Old Church has run weekly programs including free lunches, second hand clothes shops, driving programs, chess clubs and much more.

Ms Vincent said the space offered something for everyone, whether they were young or old, newly arrived or lifelong residents of the area.

Multicultural activities celebrating the diversity of the region have been at the heart of everything the Old Church does.

"We really are in many ways a multicultural hub for the whole community," Ms Vincent said.

"We put our resources into supporting, ensuring that the multicultural community is at the heart of it, because what works for them will work for everybody."

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Last month, the Old Church began a Growers' Market, supporting local backyard and micro farmers.

The next market would be this Saturday, from 9.30am to 12.30pm.

To keep up to date with everything happening at the multicultural hub, visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/oldchurchbendigo.

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