Case Studies
- Lucyvale Tennis Club Hall
- Clifton Creek Primary School
- Bruthen & District Citizens Association
- Cudgewa Tennis Club Inc.
- Tintaldra Public Hall Committee of Management
- Running Stream Recreation Reserve
- Tawonga Recreation Reserve
- Wollombi Valley Progress Association (Laguna Community Hall)
- Corryong Op Shop (Cudgewa)
- Buchan Valley Golf Club
- Granite Belt Neighbourhood Centre
- Stokes Bay Community Hall Inc.
- Kurrajong Bowling and Recreation Heights Club (KBARHC)
- Balmoral Village Association
- Mallacoota Halls and Recreation Reserve
Lucyvale Tennis Club Hall
Lucyvale is a small town with a total population of just 28 residents tucked away in Victoria’s north-east.
Sadly, its leafy surrounds were the prime environment for bushfires during the Australian summer 2019/2020.
The town was spared any physical damage, but was evacuated and lost power for two weeks due to the proximity to bushfires.
Power supply in the region was unreliable prior to the devastating events and the natural disaster reinforced the need for an independent power source at the Lucyvale Tennis Club Hall – an important community meeting point that doubles as the community space.
Lucyvale Tennis Club successfully applied for the REConstruct program and will have state-of-the-art REC Alpha Series solar panels installed on the Club Hall. These panels will provide an independent and consistent source of renewable energy to power the hall, and importantly, help residents to get back on track after the trauma of the bushfire season.
We as a small Community would like to express an enormous thank you to Reconstruct for the opportunity to improve our local hall by installing solar panels with no cost to the Community. The solar panels will offset our power account whilst at the same time contribute to the general community with power going back to the grid every day. We also hope that more Community members will add solar to their homes to assist the general population of Australia.
– Kaye Laverty, Sec/Treasurer
Clifton Creek Primary School
Clifton Creek Primary School was tragically destroyed by the 2019/2020 East Gippsland bushfires. Thankfully no students or teachers were present, but the facilities will need to be completely rebuilt to once again accommodate the local children.
Despite its small stature with only 14 students enrolled in 2020, the school was an imperative part of the community, with the nearest alternative a 30 minute drive away in Bairnsdale.
The school will be installed with REC Alpha Series solar panels when it is rebuilt to provide a renewable source of energy to power the education and learning for Clifton Creek children.
Leading up to the bushfires was a traumatic time for all of the families and the local communities. The night that I got the phone call to say that the school was gone was a pretty horrible moment in my life. It was looking like that was the end of our little school. We’ve been really fortunate in that REConstruct has donated an amazing solar panel system to our school. We will hopefully work towards zero emissions, which is the goal not just of our school but also of our community as there is no doubt the bushfires were caused by climate change. Being carbon neutral is a really important factor for the future of our school. Having solar panels on our school was something we didn’t think we would have the funds to do, so having it donated was just massive. Thank you to REConstruct!
– Sue Paul, Principal
Bruthen & District Citizens Association
East Gippsland bore a heavy toll in the 2019/20 bushfires. Many lost their homes or were evacuated, and in their time of need, turned to community centres like the Bruthen & District Neighbourhood House to seek refuge.
The Neighbourhood House was operating seven days per week with paid staff and a small army of volunteers providing food, shelter and support for hundreds of local residents and first responders.
The cost of operating including the electricity bill came at the expense of the Neighbourhood House which made its services available free of charge and subsequently encountered financial loss.
In 2021 Bruthen & District Neighbourhood House will be fitted with REC’s Alpha Series solar panels saving them the cost of electricity and supporting the local community while it gets back on track from the bushfires.
Cudgewa Tennis Club Inc.
Community sport is the lifeblood for many rural towns across Australia. When the 2019/2020 bushfires came through Victoria’s North East the Cudgewa Tennis Club Inc. had to suspend play and events, losing vital funds to operate the club as a result
Although the courts were not destroyed, the fire caused enough damage to warrant resurfacing.
To help the Cudgewa Tennis Club get back on track, REC will install its renowned Alpha Series panels on the club house roof to power new lights. The club knows that this will allow them to save on electricity and let players swing their racquets late into the evening.
Cudgewa Tennis Club has been delighted to work with REConstruct to achieve our aim of making our club more sustainable from both an environmental and financial perspective. The installation of the solar unit on the roof of our club house will hopefully generate energy that will gain us credits and therefore reduce the cost to our club of providing a sporting recreation to our community that is available for all. We are hoping to generate enough to cover the cost of operating our new lights and be able to feed back into a local grid if and when it starts operating. Many thanks to REConstruct!
– Tony Jarvis, Treasurer
Tintaldra Public Hall Committee of Management
The township of Tintaldra on the east Victorian banks of the Murray River lost power for two weeks during the 2019/2020 summer bushfires,
The residents were unable to charge their phones for vital communication or refrigerate the relief food donated by the Australian public. The Tintaldra Public Hall was rendered largely obsolete with no power and the residents were forced into the closed Tintaldra Hotel as the de facto relief centre. This came at the cost of the owners.
The bushfires exposed the vulnerability of the town to long term power outages, prompting them to look for alternatives and they successfully applied for the REConstruct program. The Tintaldra Public Hall will now be fitted with REC Alpha Series solar panels to provide an independent and renewable source of energy year round.
The dire situation caused by power outages resulting from the 2020 bushfires galvanized the Tintaldra community around doing something to prepare better for the future. The generous grant provided by REConstruct was the first tangible step toward that future. We were also impressed with the standard of professionalism and competence with which the grant was delivered. It showed that REC really cares about bushfire affected communities like ours and has given a huge boost to our morale in the sometimes overwhelming task of rebuilding. We can’t thank REC enough for what it has done for this community.
– Ian Cesa, Volunteer
Running Stream Recreation Reserve
The bushfires of 2019/2020 devastated the township of Running Stream in central New South Wales. 12 homes, 49 sheds and outbuildings, native bushland, pastures, pine plantations, stock, machinery and over 41,000km of fencing were destroyed.
With the fire burning through the region, the residents, first responders and support teams desperately needed a community meeting place. But in this time of need, the Running Stream Recreation Hall was deemed unsuitable due to the poor conditions of the facilities.
The town has been granted funds to upgrade the Hall for future fires but is still reeling from the destruction and in need of further support to rebuild.
The Recreation Hall will be fitted with REC Alpha Series solar panels to save on the electricity bills, allowing them to funnel funds toward other utility costs, insurances, river bank restoration projects and removal of debris from the fires.
Tawonga Recreation Reserve
The town of Tawonga is known for its beautiful mountainous surrounds and trout fishing. It is a small and peaceful town, with a fiercely tight knit community.
In January a number of events at the Recreation Reserve, including the annual Car Club New Year’s Day meet, were cancelled due to the risk of nearby bushfires causing the community hub to lose vital revenue.
With bills stacking up and the brakes put on income, the town needed support to stay afloat financially.
The Recreation Reserve will be fitted with REC Alpha Series solar panels to help cover the cost of electricity and keep the lights on while the town gets back on its feet.
Wollombi Valley Progress Association (Laguna Community Hall)
The Laguna Community Hall was left with a significant electricity bill after the 2019/2020 bushfire season.
The Hall acted as an emergency headquarters for firefighters with lights running 24/7 for three to four weeks.
The centre also supplied toilet paper, soap hand towels, tea and coffee to the firefighters who were saving their town from destruction.
The space is owned by not-for-profit Wollombi Valley Progress Association and run by volunteers, leaving little savings to cover the costs of the bushfires.
The Laguna Community Hall will be fitted with REC Alpha Series solar panels to save on energy and ensure the Hall remains a vital emergency hub for years to come.
Corryong Op Shop (Cudgewa)
The Corryong Op Shop is a much loved part of the Cudgewa community. Locals can donate their second hand clothing to the shop (and snap up a vintage bargain or two while they’re at it).
Business was brought to a grinding halt over summer due to the bushfire threat. Summer is the busiest time of year at the shop and the revenue is vital to operate year round.
The owners drew on a small pool of savings to survive due to the lack of sales, but they are still struggling after the devastating events.
To help preserve this local treasure, the Cooryong Op Shop will be installed with REC Alpha Series solar panels, providing cost-effective renewable energy all year round.
Cudgewa Tennis Club has been delighted to work with REConstruct to achieve our aim of making our club more sustainable from both an environmental and financial perspective. The installation of the solar unit on the roof of our club house will hopefully generate energy that will gain us credits and therefore reduce the cost to our club of providing a sporting recreation to our community that is available for all. We are hoping to generate enough to cover the cost of operating our new lights and be able to feed back into a local grid if and when it starts operating. Many thanks to REConnect!
– Tony Jarvis, Treasurer
Buchan Valley Golf Club
Buchan Valley Golf Club is a small club in East Gippsland. Most of the players are into their 70s and love nothing more than getting down for a hit with friends.
Sadly, when the 2019/2020 bushfires swept through the area, the golf course was burnt and the club lost power for several weeks due to damaged infrastructure.
To help the golf club get back on track the club house will be fitted with REC Alpha Series solar panels to get the members out on the course and power events for the community.
Granite Belt Neighbourhood Centre
The town of Stanthorpe’s Granite Belt Neighbourhood Centre acted as an emergency hub in southern Queensland during the 2019/2020 summer bushfires.
The Centre saw demand spiral for emergency relief with food and water, fuel, accommodation and financial support offered to residents – all at the expense of the Centre.
The Granite Belt Neighbourhood Centre is the only community space in the region suitable for times of emergency. The roof will be fitted with REC Alpha Series solar panels as part of the REConstruct initiative to ensure it is future.
Stokes Bay Community Hall Inc.
There was little hope for the township of Stokes Bay on Kangaroo Island as the 2019/2020 bushfires tore through the small village and beautiful native landscape.
The Stokes Bay Community Hall fell victim to the flames, along with the homes of seven of its nine members.
The resilience of the town’s people has been on full display since this tragedy as they began rebuilding the Community Hall. To help power the new Hall, REC Alpha Series solar panels will be fitted providing a renewable source of energy for years to come.
Kurrajong Bowling and Recreation Heights Club (KBARHC)
Kurrajong Heights was at the mercy of the 2019/2020 central New South Wales bushfires.
The Kurrajong Bowling and Recreation Heights Club (KBARHC) was running non-stop to provide emergency relief to residents and first responders during the intense period, and in the months following.
The Club is run entirely by volunteers and had little savings to cover the skyrocketing electricity bills.
The Club will be fitted with REC Alpha Series solar panels in 2021 to keep the lights on year round and in future times of great need.
The club and its members are extremely grateful to REC Solar for the donation. Signature Solar put in a huge effort well beyond what we expected. The system has more than halved our power bills, greatly assisting the club financially to continue into the future. It couldn’t have happened at a better time as our community has had the bushfires, covid and floods over the last two years.
We are humbled at the generosity and commitment of REC and their suppliers who bent over backwards to put this system in with no cost to the club. It will contribute to the resilience of our community in future bushfires. We can’t thank REC enough.
– Lionel Buckett, Chairman of Kurrajong Heights Club
Balmoral Village Association
The Balmoral Village Community Hall was spared from complete destruction from the 2019/2020 summer bushfires thanks to the heroic efforts of a local resident.
While the structure is largely intact, the building, located in the central NSW town of Buxton, still suffered damage. The hall acted as an emergency relief centre for several months as residents grappled with the wake of the destruction.
To stem the financial loss and help the Community Hall get back on its feet, REC Alpha Series solar panels will be installed on a newly renovated roof.
Balmoral Village is so grateful to have the provision of new solar panels on top of our new (also donated) roof. We can now have power and a battery to run the donated roof sprinklers for future fire protection. The hall has now returned to being the vibrant community hub.
– Elizabeth Atkin, President of Balmoral Village Association
Mallacoota Halls and Recreation Reserve
Nearly 1000 residents packed into the Mallacoota Main Hall on New Year’s Eve in 2019 as the Black Summer bushfires tore through the region. The Hall thankfully survived despite poor air quality and lack of power.
The Hall is typically used as a cinema over the summer period which had to be cancelled, along with any opportunity to fund the organisation for the year to come.
REC Alpha Series solar panels will be fitted to the Mallacoota Main Hall providing a renewable and independent power source in case of future emergencies.
