Honouring Our Directors and Welcoming New Leadership at the Upper Lachlan Foundation

On Tuesday 18th March 2025, the Upper Lachlan Foundation (ULF) hosted its Annual General Meeting at the CWA Rooms, attended by 20 members for what was a transitional meeting for the ULF. Members were presented with reports from the Board and financial information for the year ending 30th September 2024. The ULF proudly distributed $53,702 into the community in 2024 via their open fund & well-being grant funding programs bringing the total support to the community since inception in 2011 to $401,032. 

The ULF would like to thank and recognise the significant contributions of Directors Charlie Prell and Chris Croker, who resigned from the board during the meeting. Their dedication has been instrumental to the ULF’s success. As founding members of the ULF steering committee, Charlie and Chris helped establish the ULF with 9 other like minded community members, and their commitment to the ULF’s mission has supported countless initiatives and partnerships, ensuring the ULF’s growth and relevance in the community. As they step down, we express our gratitude for their service and wish them all the best in their future endeavors.

In a time of transition, we are pleased to announce, standing Director Ben Carter was elected as the new President following Chris Croker’s resignation. The ULF welcomes Ben with confidence, knowing that his experience and leadership will bring fresh perspectives.

Ben has a long history with the ULF, having been part of the original steering committee and serving as the ULF’s inaugural President. After ten years of work that took him interstate, Ben has permanently returned to the shire. In 2023, he was re-elected to the board, bringing a renewed commitment to the growth of the ULF and the community.

ULF is also excited to welcome to the Board - Nadia Lindop as the new Secretary/Director and Amanda Woods as a Director. Nadia and Amanda have a wealth of knowledge and are eager to volunteer their skills for our community. The ULF looks forward to their contributions and are grateful for their willingness to serve.

Upper Lachlan Landcare Bursary Award

Announcing the inaugural Upper Lachlan Landcare Bursary Award, funded by the Roslyn Landcare Fund.

This will be an annual award recognising and supporting the endeavours of a group or individual who has demonstrated a genuine interest and commitment to improving the health of the local Upper Lachlan landscape.

The bursary award funds can be used to support;

• increasing capacity by undertaking training or study, or

• actioning on-ground activities.

Applications are invited from groups or individuals within the Upper Lachlan Local Government area for amounts of up to $1,000 to support capacity building or on-ground activities that support the improved health of the Upper Lachlan landscape. Applications close Friday 4th August 2023.

For more information or to submit your application please contact Upper Lachlan Landcare Direct.

Email: coordinator@upperlachlanlandcare.org.au

Newsletter - March 2023

Find inside information about our Grant Funding Recipients, our Million Dollar Milestone and read about our new & existing named funds. Access our March issue by clicking the below link.

LAGGAN PIG RACES A GREAT SUCCESS FOR UPPER LACHLAN FOUNDATION!

As a first for our region, The Laggan QuickShear competition and Laggan Pig Races were run simultaneously at the historic Laggan Pub last Saturday the 26th of November.

After a two year break, this year the pig races were back back in full swing attracting around 1,000 patrons from Bathurst, Sydney, Wollongong, Goulburn and Canberra. With excellent weather, patrons enjoyed picnics on the grass and soaking up the sun, enjoying what was a perfect day for racing piglets. 

The PIG RACES is a fun event, where piglets, dressed in colourful silks, negotiate an obstacle course to be the first snout to find the delicious prize of milk, leveraging the natural behaviour of these animals to forage and eat. There was lots of excitement on Saturday with a professional “race caller” and plenty of hoots from the crowd urging their favorite piglet to be the first snout to touch the dish and be declared the winner.

Through sponsorship, gate takings, raffles and the piglet auction this event has raised well over $16,000 for the Upper Lachlan Foundation (ULF) this year, being a major fundraising event for the foundation. These funds are returned to our not for profit, sporting and community groups by way of Grants. These grants assist with raising funds for projects that impact our Upper Lachlan Communities so the ULF board of directors are truly thankful to all of our sponsors, volunteers and those who attended on the day making it all possible. 

A special thankyou to our 4 Major Sponsors for 2022; Divalls Earthmoving, Price Perspective Accountancy, Global Power Generation, and GE. 

Also a thankyou to our other sponsors David and Kathy Woods at Complete Farm Management, Josh and Casey Hewitt at Hewitt's Ag and Plant Repairs, John McGeechan at McGeechan Farm Supplies, Shawn Quinton and Graeme Williams at Herries Davidson Accountancy, Luke Greig at Evans Panel Works, Stephen and Annette Clark at Bullmax, Glibert Flood and Andrew Nesbitt at Southern Cross Consulting Surveyors, Ian Miller at Manly Paradise Hotel and Apartments, Jayde Costello and Will Lucas at the Crookwell Veterinary Clinic, Stu Campbell at the Laggan Hotel, and Ally Jaffray at Nutrien

Piglets use their nose to navigate the obstacle course to find the prize milk!

Gunning Arts Festival Letter of Thanks

In 2020, the Gunning Arts Festival was the recipient of a COVID relief grant from the Upper Lachlan Foundation. Festival Chair, Michelle Storey, sent the following letter to the Foundation to express the commitee’s thanks, and the work they did with the grant to move the Arts Festival Online.

Michelle’s full letter of thanks is available here.

Grants for 2021 are now open, and close 5pm 29 October. Grant applications are available on our home page.

Laggan Pig Races wins Crookwell Event of the Year

In between the devastating bushfires of January 2020, and the start of COVID-lock down in March, people from Sydney and across regional NSW had a chance to relax and celebrate life at the Laggan Pub for the annual Laggan Pig Races. This event, run by the Upper Lachlan Foundation, is a major fundraiser toward the annual grants the Foundation provides each year to community groups across the Upper Lachlan Shire.

At Upper Lachlan Shire Council’s annual Australia Day awards, we were delighted to hear that the Pig Races had been awarded Crookwell Event of the Year.

Upper Lachlan Foundation Board Member Susan Reynolds was on hand to accept the award.

We are deeply thankful to all our members and supporters that have helped the Pig Races become such a calendar event each year. You’re contributions by volunteering, promoting and attending the event have a real, on the ground impact for many groups in our local community (and enabled us to distribute a special round of COVID-relief funding late in 2020).

Unfortunately, due to COVID-restrictions, the board made the decision not to run the Pig Races in 2021, but we look forward to seeing you all again in February 2022.

2020 Grant Applications now open (including special one-off COVID relief grant)

In response to the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on community organizations across the shire, the Board of the Upper Lachlan Foundation has made the decision to bring forward our grant applications for 2020.

As normal, organizations may apply for grants of up to $1000 toward specific events or items, including equipment, building projects, or covering costs on a particular project. To access the grant, you will be asked to explain the purpose of your organization, the nature of the project for which you are applying for the grant, and to attach quotes outlining the costs.

In addition, recognizing the hardship faced by many of our community organizations at this time, the Foundation is also offering small COVID-19 relief grants of up to $250 per application, to help cover general administrative and operational costs.

There is no requirement for supporting documentation for this round of special grant funding. We encourage all community based organisations to apply for this funding now. These applications will be discussed and approvals will be processed with haste.

The deadline for both types of grants is 5pm, 30th September 2020.

The application form for the regular grant (up to $1000) is available here.

The application for the one-off COVID-19 relief grant is available here.

ULF Treasurer as guest speaker for Crookwell CWA

Kate Price, Treasurer of the Upper Lachlan Foundation, is pictured receiving a gift from Margaret Williams, President of Crookwell CWA Day Branch following her heartfelt presentation to CWA members on the challenges of being a corporate professional, mother, volunteer and wife.

The speech retraced her journey from city girl to country wife and acknowledged that in the words of Dame Quentin Bryce, "Women can have it all, but not all at the same time", encouraging women to set their own priorities, trust their instincts, and pursue their dreams.

Kate also introduced the CWA members to the Upper Lachlan Foundation, explaining its origins, goals, and the community-based legacy that it strives to manifest.

2016 grant applications now open!

Community based organisations are strongly encouraged to apply for a 2016 Upper Lachlan Foundation grant. 

Grant application forms may be obtained from Robert J McCarthy & Co, located at 88 Goulburn Street, Crookwell, or download from our website here.

For further information contact Charlie Prell on 0427 224 839.

Applications close 5.00pm on Friday 28 October 2016.

Lindner Socks initiative

The Upper Lachlan Foundation is proud to announce a new initiative partnered with local Crookwell-based business Lindner Socks.

Andrew Lindner explains:

"In a small country town, it takes a few generations to be accepted as a true local, but since moving the family sock manufacturing business to Crookwell in 1997 we have been made welcome and we feel that we are a part of this wonderful country community.  The locals have helped us in so many ways.

The Crookwell community has a unique capacity for assisting those in need.  With the establishment of the Upper Lachlan Foundation in 2011, community groups and organisations have access to an income stream to fund projects that benefit the wider community, or to simply help people through a tough time.

In an effort to return local support, we are now using traceable merino wool from growers in our region to knit a range of Wool Connect products in the sock factory.  One dollar from the sale of any Wool Connect product in the Lindner Socks Crookwell Shop is donated to the Upper Lachlan Foundation.  It is our way of saying thanks.

The Upper Lachlan Foundation is Lindner Socks’ chosen charity.  We are proud to make regular contributions to such a worthy cause."