Note from the Centre Manager

As I sit down to write this message for the Summer newsletter, it feels somewhat surreal to realise that this will be my final contribution as Centre Manager of CUC Balonne as I prepare to begin my journey towards retirement. It has been a privilege to serve the people of the Balonne Shire over the past two and a half years, and I am deeply grateful for the support, encouragement and kindness shown to me throughout that time.

The greatest joy in my role has been sharing in the journeys of our students – supporting them through challenges, celebrating their achievements and watching them grow in confidence and capability. Seeing students develop new skills, explore further study, and forge new career pathways has been incredibly rewarding. Just as meaningful has been the opportunity to connect people, work alongside local committees on new initiatives, strengthen our community and help nurture future local leaders.

Over the past two years our student numbers have continued to grow, and we are seeing increasing interest across the community from people considering higher education and training options. We have now supported more than 450 students. Last semester alone we supported 111 students, and currently 66 students are registered for Semester One, with numbers continuing to grow. Thank you to everyone for your patience as we transitioned to our new Salesforce database — as expected there were a few minor hiccoughs, but we appreciate your understanding as registrations and re-registrations were transferred.

The annual Cultural Blessing Ceremony was held at the Hub on Wednesday 18 February and at the Primary School on Thursday 19 February providing a meaningful way to begin the year. Elders provided a special blessing and the Gamilaraay Dance Group performed a smoking ceremony, creating a moment of reflection and connection for all involved. The purpose of this event was to bring together students from Primary, Secondary and Tertiary education, allowing everyone to pause, refresh the mind, body and soul, and look ahead with a shared sense of unity and purpose for the year to come.

Honouring culture, community and connection during the annual CUC Balonne Cultural Blessing.

Gamilaraay Dance Group dancers.

There are some exciting events and initiatives coming up. On 18 March we will host the Youth Summit, Exploring Horizons: Grow Your Future!, with an agriculture focus. Universities, TAFE and local industries will come together at St George State High School to showcase opportunities in agriculture to high school students from across the shire. Our annual Career and Job Expo will be held on 20 May at St Patrick’s School Hall, co-hosted by CUC Balonne and Balonne Shire Council, bringing together universities, industries, local businesses and employment providers for the fifth year running.

Due to popular demand, our Juggling Futures program has resumed, with 20 young people building life skills through circus activities. Our VR headsets are also being put to great use at the Lifeline Youth Centre, and we continue our weekly visits to work with students at Dirranbandi State School.

I would like to acknowledge the wonderful team and partners who make this work possible. Jess Murray, our Learning Skills Advisor, is currently on maternity leave enjoying time with her newborn son, and we look forward to welcoming her back in 2027. Thank you to our dedicated CUC Balonne Board Directors for the many voluntary hours they give, and in particular to Chairperson Alex Benn, who has gone above and beyond in recent months to support the centre’s continued progress. My sincere thanks also to Balonne Shire Council, whose support at every level has been unwavering, and to the many community organisations, schools, elders and residents who contribute so much to our success.

Thank you as well to CUC Central and, most importantly, to the CUC Balonne team. It has been a lot of fun working together and I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved.

The Centre Manager position is currently being advertised on the SEEK platform. In the meantime, I am pleased to share that Elspeth McEachern has been appointed as Interim Centre Manager and will commence on Thursday 26 February. I know the centre will continue to go from strength to strength in the years ahead.

Thank you once again to the Balonne community for your support, friendship and commitment to education and opportunity. It has been an honour to be part of your journey.

Warm regards,

Elspeth Hurse
Centre Manager
CUC Balonne

Subscribe to get future newsletters straight to your inbox