THE bush tucker Walk About Café at Yarrawarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Corindi Beach will be renovated and upgraded thanks to its operator, the Gurehlgam Corporation’s successful application to the Community and Place Funding program which has granted them $250,000.

The Centre’s hospitality manager Bob Palmer and Wadjar Regional Indigenous Gallery creative director Alison Williams welcomed Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh to the site on Wednesday 1 March 2023.

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Mr Singh is very familiar with the Yarrawarra operation with fond memories of going there on school excursions from Woolgoolga for guided bush tucker walks.

Funding has been targeted to solutions-focused projects that immediately engage and benefit Aboriginal communities.

“Gurehlgam can now proceed with work to refurbish and fit out Yarrawarra Walk About Café at the much-loved Yarrawarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Corindi Beach,” he said.

“This is a high priority project which will deliver enormous benefits for the many visitors who enjoy the Wadjar Regional Indigenous Gallery and other attractions at Yarrawarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre, which is an important part of our local community.”

Alison Williams told News Of The Area, “This project will renovate and fit out the existing bush tucker café.

“This cafe services all cultural programming and events at Yarrawarra and is in desperate need of an upgrade and enhancing our visitor’s cultural experience.”

“This funding supports our cultural centre activities plus local growers and bush tucker producers and will allow for the cafe to operate in a full commercial capacity increasing staff and employment numbers.”

The current café is structurally not user-friendly, and the upgrade will result in a layout that is much easier for patrons to use.

The café will be closed from May 1 with work hopefully completed by the end of June 2023.

“We will have an opening for the café when it’s completed.”

Local contractors are being used: Luke Collison (builder), Vaughan Marsden (plumber) and Josh MaCrae (electrician).

As a popular call-in spot for tourists and as a meeting place for locals, the café has loyal patronage.

“With our beautiful pristine grounds, the café needs to relate to that standard,” Alison said.

Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Ben Franklin said the Community and Place funding program is delivering benefits for local Aboriginal communities.

“This is a terrific and unique program that will put important funding in the hands of Aboriginal groups who best know how to bring about improvements and opportunities for their community,” Mr Franklin said.

“The Liberal and Nationals Government knows that by investing in local community initiatives we will significantly increase the likelihood of NSW achieving our targets under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.”

For more information on the Community and Place grant program, visit the Aboriginal Affairs NSW website.

The café opens daily Wednesday to Saturday (closed Sunday to Tuesday).

For opening times visit the Walk About Café Facebook page.

By Andrea FERRARI