LONG term friendships are part of what sustains us through life's challenges - and the same can often go for organisations and communities.

A long-standing relationship between the community of Wanaaring and family-focused non-profit Contact Inc is still blossoming almost forty years after it began and could soon see a new injection of energy and activity into the township.

In 1987 Contact, in cahoots with local community members, established the Contact Children's Mobile.. The mobile service was based in Wanaaring and roamed the remote neighbourhoods of the far north west delivering experiences, resources and support to families with young children.

Children and families who are often isolated by long distances relish the opportunity to mix and join in group activities.

Contact then worked to establish a regionally based association to manage the service in 1994 and a transportable building was installed in the township a couple of years later to provide additional space for the Paroo Contact Children’s Mobile service's staff and their resources, in addition to  the rented Lila Leigo Centre across the street.

"The Lila Leigo Centre was leased by Paroo Contact Children’s Mobile but we had to give notice when the funding for the Mobile service  ceased in 2017/18," said Contact's CEO Sue Kingwill.

"Since this time Contact and Paroo Contact Children’s Mobile amalgamated under one structure."

"Fortunately they have found someone to sub-let the Lila Leigo Centre it but we have retained and maintained the Paroo Contact Children’s Mobile building.”

While the building belonging to Paroo Mobile /Contact has been under-utilised in recent years, there is now a renewed push to use the facility to meet some of the community's current needs.

"From our investigations there are 26 families with 46 children in that younger age group out there in that wider area," Ms Kingwill said.

"We are seeking to facilitate children and families getting together, the adults want to be with each other as much as the children do and there is potential for broader use by the community."

With advice from the community through trusted local connections Paula Bartlett and Beryl Leigo, who each sit on a number of local committees, a plan has been hatched to transform the Contact building into a multi-purpose community hub.

The past decade has not been kind to Wanaaring and the local hotel closed about two years ago, taking with it a popular meeting place and some motel-style rooms to rent.

"We didn't realise how much we lost a centre when we lost the pub," said Mrs Leigo. "It wasn't just a pub, it was a place where adults could go and chat while the children played and entertained each other outside."

As the district's population has thinned after years of drought, Mrs Leigo says opportunities to get together are "more essential than ever because they are so isolated."

Paula Bartlett also agrees the building would get plenty of use as a community hub.

"It's a great idea, if it could be set up for training and have some technology in there we could do TAFE courses so people don't have to go into Bourke and for distance education high school students to come in to do their work," Mrs Bartlett said.

"We also talked about using it to hold morning teas on Flying Doctor days because it's just across the road from the clinic."

Local groups have also discussed the idea of holding their meetings in the Contact building, rather than the large local hall.

"For us to go into the hall, it's a really big area and we don't need that much area to hold a meeting," she said.

The concept also includes using the facility for short-term accommodation for visiting professional staff.

"There's been talk about trainee nurses coming out to do training blocks at Wanaaring," Mrs Bartlett said.

"If we could say we've got somewhere to stay and feel safe, it would really help, and the Contact building is a safe place."

As well as a well-equipped airconditioned building, Contact's premises also boasts child-friendly and safe environment with shaded and paved outdoor areas and an expanse of green lawn that is maintained by a resident of the village paid by Contact.

In April this year a successful community day was held at the site.

"It's a very attractive site for people to be and do things outside," Ms Kingwill said. "It was a happening sort of place that day with people in small groups catching up, food available and a hairdresser on the verandah giving haircuts," Ms Kingwill said.

"We had more than fifty people appear on that day, which is not bad for Wanaaring."

"We were going to hold another one in July but covid interfered."

The community day gave the locals a taste of what could be, and they're keen for more.

"If we could hold other community days it would be really good because it involves everybody, not just families with children, everybody can go," Mrs Bartlett said.

"It was just really good to see it being used again."

Local residents and groups are keen to work with Contact Inc and other organisations to get the community hub idea rolling.

"People like Contact and Royal Flying Doctor have a very good association with everybody, not just certain groups and to have that backing would be wonderful," Mrs Leigo said.

"Contact is a trusted organisation and we need to have a focal point for the district where everyone can go and mix in with each other."