A Little Town’s Big Achiever

For a tiny community, Loch punches well above its weight – and it’s thanks in no small part to an organisation that’s been helping groups, businesses and individuals achieve their dreams or get back on their feet for more than two decades.

The Loch Community Development Association (LCDA) has a hand in everything from events, to grant applications, fundraising and even helping struggling community members, and recently even saved the town’s post office. Not bad for a village of just 300 residents.

Since 1999 the LCDA has been a bridge between all tiers of government and local community groups and organisations looking for funding to help improve facilities or deliver projects. As well as advocating for local groups, the association also fundraises through community events, making it an absolute workhorse.

Every second month the association holds a general meeting, where it invites any community group or organisation to present proposals for events or projects that need funding. The LCDA then decides whether the proposal is viable, before leaping into action.

“We would help the preschool if they’ve got a little project and need some money, we’ll help them,” explained LCDA’s Howard Booth. “The Loch and District Bowling Club, the Loch Memorial Hall, the Loch Memorial Reserve, we help individuals sometimes. People that are in desperate need. Recently we had a disaster here and the community rallied which was fantastic to help the family concerned.”

The LCDA helped coordinate a mammoth effort for a local family who recently lost everything in a house fire, finding them accommodation, furnishings, clothing and other support within 24 hours.

With a village population in the hundreds and around 1500 residents in the surrounding hills, the association works tirelessly to keep the town flourishing.

“We can do a lot on our own with our own resources, and people are so generous, they really are. Both with their time and materials and funding, it’s just great."

“We were going to lose our community post office because the operator was withdrawing. So, we met with Australia Post, another representative from LCDA and myself. And Australia Post mentioned that we could run it with volunteers. So, within a month, we had a community post office running with volunteers. And we’ve since got a permanent home for it because the Masonic Lodge made a building available to us, which was fantastic.

“We have representatives from a number of other community organisations like the Lions Club of Strzelecki, the Loch Memorial Reserve, and Opportunity Lochs which is our charity shop. The community now has all of the Masonic Centre leased to community groups, which is fantastic.”

The committee continues to go from strength to strength, with longstanding members as well as new residents bolstering the ranks.

“Committee members in particular change and have in the last 20 years I’ve been here, and we do have some younger people in our group. And we call for volunteers for a project or event, we have a cross-section of younger and older people, which is great. There’s been quite a turnover of residents in the village and even in the surrounding area. For instance, our primary school I think there’s up to about 150 students, so a lot of people come from the surrounding area to come to the school because it has such a good reputation. So, there are lots of young families.”

The LCDA also lends its expertise to several community and sporting groups, helping to organise regular events and working bees. The Loch Community Development Association also auspices some of the town’s groups, including the Loch Village Arts Council, which is currently working on a mural at the underpass and the Loch Village Garden Club.

It also runs events including the Loch Long Lunch, Anzac Day and Remembrance Day services.

In addition, the Loch Village Projects Group, an LCDA subcommittee, is chaired by Vice-President Sean Taylor-Lyons, and works closely with South Gippsland Shire Council for improvements to amenities including bench seating, bus shelters, bin surrounds, signage, tree planting and beautification projects.

The association’s biggest annual fundraiser is the Loch Village Food and Wine Festival, which has become a huge drawcard. It showcases the best the region has to offer in the food and wine industries, in a fun-filled and family-friendly atmosphere.

“We do have a subcommittee that runs it and has right through the years. We’ve got three new people on the committee at the moment which means new energy and new ideas.

“We try and get some good entertainment, a really good cross-section of producers from the region, there’s always stuff for kids so the primary school and preschool are always involved, they have their own stand, usually some activities for kids, as well as raising some money for their own school. We’ve had cooking demonstrations, cheese and wine tasting, masterclasses.”

This year’s festival, on Sunday June 11, will give visitors the chance to meet the people behind local wineries, breweries and eateries, with local restaurant pop-ups, international food trucks and of course, the opportunity to explore the historic Loch village.