For decades, the Lake Conjola Community Hall has been a trusted space for gatherings, events, and support. During the Black Summer bushfires and subsequent floods, it became a vital meeting point for information, coordination, and community care.
Today, the hall hosts social groups, the Rural Fire Service (RFS), schools, and activities ranging from craft and music to wellness and education. Its coastal setting makes it an ideal venue for connection and wellbeing.
RAMHP worked with local residents as part of our Halls with Heart project, to organise a community event centered around mental health awareness, connection, and wellbeing.
A number of community members, including women’s groups and RFS volunteers, had expressed a strong interest in completing Mental Health First Aid training. Many felt it was something they would never be able to access with the current cost-of-living pressures.
Participants learned how to recognise mental health challenges, start supportive conversations, and connect people to support, and a candle-making activity was the perfect way to encourage self-care.
This local hall remains a symbol of resilience and togetherness, and the event strengthened mental health knowledge whilst fostering connection.
This hall has always been our meeting place. We come here to support each other, especially when things get tough.
It’s more than a building for us. It’s where we reconnect, learn new things, and feel part of the community.
During the fires and floods, this hall was where we came together. Being back here for something positive feels really special.
Nowra based RAMHP Coordinator, Jamie said this event highlighted exactly why community halls in rural and regional areas are so important. They are places of connection, resilience, and support.