For students from Brisbane Waters Agricultural College on the Central Coast spending a school holiday at Warroo is a chance to get on-farm life experience.
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Now a new amenities block at the rural recreation hall where they can stay is opening the doors for them to come back out and get that experience.
Rotary clubs have raised the funds to install a toilet and shower block at Moonbi Hall, which the students can use as a base camp when they come to Forbes during school holidays.
Last Sunday representatives from Umina Beach Rotary Club, the Forbes Rotary Club, the Brisbane Waters Secondary College for Agricultural Studies met with the trustees of the Moonbi Hall and members of the local farming community on site.
Forbes Rotary's past president and current secretary, Grahame Uphill, had the honour of cutting the ceremonial ribbon on the new amenities block with Umina Beach Rotary president Robert Myer.
A barbecue lunch hosted by the Moonbi Hall trust headed by their chairman, Richard Cole, was served at the hall.
Mr Myer said the school has had a lengthy connection to the area through local producers Richard and Heather Cole.
The Coles have provided calves for the students to raise and show, and they have won their share of ribbons at shows right up to Sydney Royal over the years.
In the past, a busload of kids has been able to come to Forbes during one of their holiday breaks to get on-farm work experience.
That hasn't happened for a couple of years, but Mr Myer says it's back on the agenda with the new facilities.
The new amenities block is good news for the community and the kids, but the even better news is that a State funding application for the building was successful.
The surplus funds already raised by Umina Beach Rotary have been deposited into Forbes Rotary's emergency fund, which has most recently been purchasing gift cards to be distributed to farming families in need.
