Little Wings was one of five organisations to receive funding through Moree Plains Shire Council’s latest Public Donations Program, with councillors approving a $3,000 allocation. Image: Moree Online News
Moree Plains Shire Council has allocated $14,000 among five organisations through the final quarterly round of its 2025–26 Public Donations Program.
Councillors approved $3,000 each for Little Wings and the Moree Caledonian Pipes and Drums Band, $2,750 each for the Moree Motor Enthusiasts Club and Seniors Week Committee, and $2,500 for the Mungindi Show Society at council’s ordinary meeting on Thursday, July 16, 2026.
Little Wings will use its funding to support free hospital flights, ground transport and specialist medical clinics for seriously ill children. The organisation also hosts monthly paediatric specialist clinics at Pius X Aboriginal Medical Service.
The Moree Motor Enthusiasts Club received $2,750 towards the Moree Motor Show, held over the Father’s Day weekend in conjunction with the Moree Markets. The event showcases local automotive businesses and vehicles and attracts participants from surrounding shires.
The Mungindi Show Society received $2,500 for the 2026 Mungindi Show, while the Seniors Week Committee was awarded $2,750 towards its Christmas luncheon for older residents.
Councillors varied the staff recommendation to include $3,000 for the Moree Caledonian Pipes and Drums Band’s equipment and uniform upgrade program.
Staff had assessed the band as eligible but did not initially recommend funding because applications involving uniforms are given lower priority when a quarterly round is oversubscribed. Council received eight eligible applications seeking a combined $23,500, against an available budget of $14,000.
During debate, Deputy Mayor Wayne Tighe said he believed the band should not miss out because of its contribution to the community. He initially proposed splitting $3,000 between the band and Aboriginal Employment Strategy, which staff had recommended receive funding for a SmartBoard at its Community Hub.
The discussion then turned to whether accepting a partial allocation could affect an organisation’s ability to apply again, as well as uncertainty among councillors about AES’s current local activities.
Cr Tighe subsequently moved that the full $3,000 be awarded to the band while council sought further information about AES. Mayor Susannah Pearse indicated AES could be encouraged to apply in a future round.
AES did not receive an allocation in the final resolution. Councillors indicated the organisation could provide further information and make a future application, subject to the funding rules in place at that time.
The council report said the proposed SmartBoard was intended to support training, digital literacy, workshops, job applications, employer presentations and community information sessions. AES had not previously received funding through the program.
Other eligible applications that did not receive funding were the Andrew Hammond Memorial Mixed Netball Team and the Toomelah Tigers Warranggal Yuurrila rugby league team.
Both sought assistance to compete in Indigenous sporting carnivals in Newcastle, but applications involving travel and uniforms were not prioritised because there was insufficient money to fund all eligible requests.
Under the Public Donations Policy, organisations can receive up to $3,000 for an application. Eligible applications must score at least 100 points under council’s sponsorship calculator.
