Eulah Creek Hall a finalist at NSW/ACT Community Achievement Awards

Eulah Creek Hall has been named one of five finalists in a prestigious state award recognising excellence in community facility management.

The Eulah Creek Recreation Reserve Land Manager is a finalist in the Crown Land Management Excellence Award at the 2026 NSW/ACT Community Achievement Awards.

Hall committee president Bernadette Morgan said the recognition was a significant achievement for the small community.

“This is a significant achievement for our small rural community, particularly considering the calibre of organisations recognised alongside us from across NSW,” she said.

The award, supported by NSW Crown Lands within the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, recognises volunteer boards that demonstrate a commitment to managing, maintaining and improving Crown reserves for their communities.

There are about 540 volunteer Crown land manager boards across NSW, comprising more than 2,600 volunteers responsible for more than 700 reserves.

Established in 1939, Eulah Creek Hall has long served as an important meeting place for the rural community, with a seven-member volunteer board working to secure its future.

“In recent years, our seven-member volunteer board, with the support of local volunteers, businesses, sponsors and funding organisations, has been working hard to secure the hall’s future,” Bernadette said.

Recent improvements include a new solar power system, major electrical infrastructure upgrades and automated outdoor blinds to improve comfort and the hall’s functionality.

The committee has also secured funding for satellite internet and communications infrastructure, with further funding obtained for improvements including air-conditioning, fencing, signage, irrigation and new tables and chairs.

Planning and grant applications are continuing for accessible amenities and other infrastructure improvements.

The Gardener’s Gala held in May was a tremendous success.

Community events have also helped raise the profile of the reserve.

“Alongside these projects, we have continued to grow our community events, including the Gardener’s Gala, Cast Iron Chef Competition and Vintage Machinery Weekend, which collectively attract more than 1,500 visitors annually to our small rural community,” Bernadette said.

Another particularly important achievement has been the reserve’s approval as a Neighbourhood Safer Place, recognising its role in community safety and emergency preparedness. The reserve is also used for emergency services training.

“For us, this recognition is about much more than upgrading a building,” Bernadette said.

“It’s about preserving a community asset, creating opportunities for people to come together, supporting regional tourism and ensuring that rural communities have accessible, functional facilities for generations to come.”

Eulah Creek Hall has been named alongside four other finalists: Corindi Beach Reserve Land Manager, Gulgong Showground Land Manager, Lightning Ridge Area Opal Reserve Land Manager and Tabulam Public Hall Crown Reserve Land Manager.

The finalists represent a range of community projects, from coastal recreation and showground upgrades to environmental protection and the restoration of historic community facilities.

Representatives from Eulah Creek Hall will travel to Sydney for the 2026 NSW/ACT Community Achievement Awards Gala Presentation Dinner on Saturday 14 November at the Shangri-La Sydney, where category winners will be announced.

“Regardless of the final result, reaching this stage is already a remarkable achievement for our community, and we’re extremely proud to be representing Eulah Creek and the wider Narrabri district on a state stage,” Bernadette said.

She said the finalist recognition was also an acknowledgement of the volunteers who work behind the scenes to maintain and improve community facilities.

“As president, I’m particularly proud of the dedication and commitment shown by our volunteers,” Bernadette said.

“So much of the work involved in maintaining and improving community facilities happens quietly behind the scenes, and it is wonderful to see those efforts recognised at this level.”