CWA Hall opened as Moruya's third community bushfire haven

CWA Moruya branch past-president Sandra Bramble said the hall had been ill-equipped to provide for the needs of the community during the Black Summer Bushfires, with no power, no generator and no air filters.

"We can now offer our members, their families and the community a place to come," Ms Bramble said.

The CWA Hall received more than $90,000 worth of funding from two separate Australian Government grants to upgrade the hall with a solar PV system and batteries, a 22 kilowatt automatic backup generator, windows and shutters, an electric hot water service and Catch Power device and a HEPA air filter.

So far, the solar system has yielded 6055.5 kilowatt hours since metering began on July 26.

During an emergency, the hall can accommodate up to 80 CWA members and their families.

Members of the CWA and the Southcoast Health and Sustainability Alliance (SHASA), who helped apply for the government funding, were both present at the hall for the official opening on November 17.

The CWA Hall is the third community building SHASA has helped to secure funding to transform into a haven. Moruya Red Door Hall and Moruya Preschool are also havens. SHASA is currently working to upgrade three more community-owned facilities across the Eurobodalla.

Gilmore MP Fiona Phillips said upgrading community halls into havens supported community groups and built a more resilient society.

"This is a really good model," she said.

"It supports so many people here and in the community."

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SHASA president Kathryn Maxwell said the upgrades would make an enormous difference to the community during events such as bushfires, but would also help to ensure community halls remained available to the community.

"The upgrade of this facility not only provides a place for CWA members and families to use during extreme weather events, but also will significantly reduce ongoing running costs," Ms Maxwell said.

"A loss of any of our community-owned facilities would greatly reduce community resilience."

Ms Maxwell used the opening to present a copy of SHASA's Heatwave and Bushfire Haven Strategy for the Eurobodalla to Ms Phillips. The document includes business cases to establish havens at 20 buildings across the shire and forms the backbone of SHASA's focus for grants over the coming years.

The upgrades to the hall were carried out by, and in partnership with, Micro Energy Systems Australia.

READ MORE: Young and Regional: Our Climate Future