Community & Business
10 June, 2025
Dynamic committees saving our halls
Over the last few months the Clifton Courier has run a series of articles on the viability of our local community halls.
These articles have highlighted the importance of the halls to the local community and how each hall manages to keep its head above water financially.
It is a hard fact of life that changing times will mean some of these isolated community halls may not survive beyond another decade.
But many look likely to survive and prosper, serving their community for many decades to come.
The reasons behind why some halls decline while others prosper is complex.
Some halls have natural advantages such as a growing nearby community while others suffer from a declining local population.
Wyreema Community Hall has the advantage of a growing nearby community and is a well used hall that seems likely to survive well into the future.
Leyburn Hall committee has displayed initiative by using the hall as a child care facility one day a week and it also receives welcome financial support from the Leyburn Sprints Association.
However, population density is not the sole reason while halls decline or survive.
Goomburra, Felton, Pilton and Back Plains halls are all relatively isolated without the advantage of a nearby populated village.
They exist with little or no other community infrastructure in their area.
The lack of infrastructure in these communities has resulted in the hall committees taking up the challenge of being the centre of the community’s social interaction.
Financial Struggles
All community halls suffer the same financial struggle that comes from high maintenance and insurance costs coupled with reduced income.
Most of our halls began operation when labour costs for maintenance were low and insurance costs non existent but income from well attended functions such as balls and dances was substantial.
Today hall committees depend on government grants such as those from the Gambling Community Benefit Fund to make ends meet.
Hall Ownership
Another factor that appears to impact on how effectively a hall operates is the vexed question of who owns the hall.
Some halls are owned and run by a local hall association while others are controlled by either Toowoomba Regional Council or Southern Downs Regional Council.
There appear to be advantages and disadvantages of each form of ownership.
Community Halls that are owned by a hall association tend to be advantaged by a greater sense of community pride that comes from complete control over the maintenance and running of the hall.
This is often reflected in the general appearance and tidiness of the hall.
However, the major disadvantage of this form of ownership becomes apparent if major structural repairs are needed.
The recent repair bill
for structural improvements for Allora’s Community Hall was $400,000 and only a government body would contemplate a repair of this nature.
However, council owner-ship of halls sometimes causes problems over who is liable for maintenance issues.
Hall Committees
It seems the most important element as to survival or decline for a community hall is the dynamic nature of the hall committee.
The volunteer members of hall committees are the unsung heroes of hall operations.
Much of their work goes unnoticed and committee meetings and cleanups take up the valuable time of people who often have full time jobs or manage farms.
Hall committees decide what fund raising events to run and then they are normally the people who run the events, often without any recognition.
Many Hall Associations are now Incorporated Bodies for insurance protection which all hall committees agree is a major financial problem.
The Courier congratulates and thanks all those who serve on a hall committee.
Your work enriches our community whether it be an Anzac Service, Bush Dance, Trivia Night, Music Concert, Seniors Morning Tea or Paint and Sip evening, these events strengthen our community.
For those people who are unable to serve on a committee the best thing you can do to help is to turn up at any of the events organised by your local hall committee.
Nobody wants to see any of our halls close down so it is incumbent on everyone to either join a hall committee or at least support the events your committee organises.
Our Community Halls are the glue that holds our community together, long may they survive.
Full list of halls featured
05/03/25 Goomburra Town Hall
12/03/25 Back Plains Hall
19/03/25 Wyreema Community Hall
26/03/25 Cambooya Public Hall
02/04/25 Nobby School of Arts Hall
09/04/25 Leyburn QCWA Hall
16/04/25 Spring Creek Hall (former)
23/04/25 Pilton Soldiers’ Memorial Hall
30/04/25 Victoria Hill Hall
07/05/25 Felton Hall
14/05/25 F. E. Logan Hall (Clifton)
21/05/25 Greenmount Memorial Hall
28/05/25 Allora Community Hall
