About Us

Trentham Neighbourhood Centre is a not-for-profit incorporated association. It is a community-led organisation – a volunteer Committee of Governance is elected from the local community and the organisation is managed by two paid staff members with the support of volunteers

TNC is a member of Neighbourhood Houses Victoria (NHVic) and is part of the Central Highlands Association of Neighbourhood Houses (CHANH). The Centre receives some funding from The Victorian Government Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) Neighbourhood House Coordination Program (NHCP).

We provide support for the cultural, social, educational, economic and recreational needs of the people in the district. We organise a range of activities to suit all parts of this community: young and old, men and women. We encourage and support people to organise activities for themselves!

Trentham Neighbourhood Centre began in 1991 as a group of parents who organised activities for themselves and the town one day per week in the local Mechanics Institute.

In 1992 this group leased the local Scout Hall as it provided a "cosier" venue.

The centre grew in its new venue. It provided children's activities, gardening sessions, talks and demonstrations on general topics, crafts activities, computer classes, writing classes, exercise activities and a community meeting place which other groups could use.

The facility was used by Trentham Residents and Traders Association, Trentham Neighbourhood Watch, Tai Chi, Aboriginal Reconciliation Group, Purple Sage Project, Brownies, Book Club, and more.

In 1998 the Scout movement decided to sell the hall. After a series of public meetings, it was decided to form a committee and buy the hall. The Trentham Community Group was formed and bought the hall for $50,000. It took the Trentham Community Group nearly 10 years of fund raising and a generous donation from Hepburn Shire Council to pay for the building.

Trentham Neighbourhood Centre continued to provide a wide range of courses and activities for the people of Trentham and district but was always restricted by lack of space at the old Scout Hall. After 6 years of fundraising and generous donations from The Australian Government, The Victorian Government, Hepburn Shire Council, Spud Fest, Trentham Lion's Club and many individual donations TNC has been renovated and expanded.

The new Centre retains the cosiness of the original scout hall but has an office, indoor toilets, a computer classroom, a meeting room, public internet access and an informal community space.