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A History....

The origins of the Mt Eliza Village Neighbourhood Centre date back to the activities of the Mt Eliza Caring Group, which comprised of members of Mt Eliza churches, who had been carrying out a caring activity in the community since 1975. The need for a wider range of community services was recognised and as a result of a social survey carried out in conjunction with the sociology Department of the then Caulfield Institute of Technology and a subsequent public meeting, a community contact centre wasw established.

Originally known as the Mt Eliza Community Contact, the first programs took effect from October 1st 1979. They included discussion and craft groups and a drop in centre operating at 130 Humphries Rd for half a day each week. Subsequently an additional drop in centre was established at the Mt Eliza Hall in Canadian Bay Rd on a similar basis.

There were no staff at this stage - the centre was totally reliant upon volunteers responsible for implimenting specific areas of activity. The first community information leaflet was issued in 1980 and in 1981 the first voluntary co-ordinator was appointed.

Recognising that permanent facitlities were necessary and following negotiations with the Shire of Mornington and Municipality of Frankston, the Mt Eliza Community Contact were provided with their permanent room adjacent to the planned Senior Citizens Centre. with this change the first elected Contact Committee came into being and the official opening of the building took place in October 1983.

By mid 1984 almost 200 residents were involved in Contact activities which now included after school and holiday programs for children, games programes, a book exchange exercise programs and a community information leaflet.

1987 saw further expansion of the building due to program and administrative needs and was done so with the financial support of contact, councils and the Regional Council for Further Education. In the following year the first full time co-ordinator was appointed.

Since it's beginnings there have been many changes and today the Mt Eliza Community Contact is now known as The Mt Eliza Village Neighbourhood Centre Inc.