Local Bundjalung-Yugambeh artist Christine Slabb wanted to give back to the community where she grew up and developed her skills as a successful artist.

Christine has designed artwork for local company Recycled Mats, and her designs are reproduced on mats and a range of home wares and soft furnishings. Her designs were featured at the recent Commonwealth Games.

Christine approached the company director JJ Stranan with the idea of creating a mat with the profits going to a local charity. After looking at The Family Centre’s website and the work we do in the community Christine chose us. The artwork on the mat is called ‘Family is Centre’. The message and story of the mat is that family relationships and connections provide and uphold strength, honour and respect. These strands of family connections flow deep within our soul, captivated by love.

This year’s NAIDOC week theme is “Because of Her, We Can” and we’d like to thank Christine for choosing The Family Centre and creating new possibilities for families. We are also pleased to have Recycled Mats on board as a supporter. All monies raised will go towards The Family Centre’s Creating Opportunites Fund.

If you would like to purchase the ‘Family is Centre’ click on the button below

The Family Centre offers a program of parenting, relationship and well being courses in various locations accross Ballina, Byron and Tweed Shires each NSW school term. See our latest program here

The Family Centre can also bring courses to you. If you are a member of a club or a group and interested in learning more about effective parenting and/or healthy relationship strategies, The Family Centre can co design a specific course relevant to your group, club or workplace.

The Family Centre can also facilitate parenting and/or relationship education courses for you and your group of parents, adults and staff members.

Let us know what you need – contact Nicole Julien on (07) 5524 8711 or [email protected]

A local Family Day Care owner had parents asking her about their children’s behaviour and strategies to manage the behaviour. The owner approached The Family Centre to facilitate 123 Magic for parents at her day care. One year later the owner approached The Family Centre again for other courses that could be tailored to meet the needs of the families at her day care. We met with the owner to talk about the needs of the families and the type of parenting strategies they were seeking. A Circle of Security Parenting course was decided upon and will be delivered to at the day care to the parents this coming term at a time and day that works with the needs of the group.

Playgroups are a wonderful way for families to get together on a regular basis to support one another and share activities with children that support early development through play based learning. The Early Years Network (EYN) can support families and communities in Murwillumbah and villages to develop their own playgroup.

The Sphinx Rock Playgroup is a parent and community led playgroup that meets every Tuesday at the Café. Sphinx Rock Café owners Sharon and Jon Squire generously provide the children with plates of fresh fruit, vegies and crackers each week as well as providing the space for the playgroup to meet.

Last week the children and families took delight in homemade bubble mix and wands, ran around in the sunshine and experienced some wild play and shrieks of delight.

The families of the playgroup recently completed a free Parents First Aid at their local community hall after identifying a need in their small community to be able to look after one another and each other’s children. This was organised with the support of EYN and Primary Health Network. Local grandparents supported the group by assisting with children’s activities so the parents could complete their certificates.

If you would like to find out more about the EYN and programs and activities happening in Murwillumbah contact Paula Labelle at the Family Centre on 0476 837 090 or email [email protected]

The Family Centre - Connecting Home team provide support to young people (16-24 years) who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in Tweed, Byron and Ballina shires. The team supports over 400 young people each year to remain at home or find suitable accommodation.

Recently the team supported Rose, a young mum who had been couch surfing at friend’s houses with her son. She has significant challenges as her son has disabilities. Connecting Home provided the young mum transitional  housing in a unit provided in a partnership with North Coast Community Housing (NCCH). Connecting Home provide support for up to 12 months whilst participants reside in the housing.

Now Rose has been accepted for priority housing with NCCH and is moving into her new home in 3 weeks. Having a permanent home will give her and her son a safe place and stability.

The Family Centre now has a Connecting Home Facebook page. The page will post useful links and services available in the Ballina, Byron and Tweed Shires including rental list and flatmates.com lists. Follow the Connecting Home page at

Family Centre volunteers have been out and about fundraising for our Creating Opportunities Fund. The Byron Bay markets invited us to “shake the bucket” at the entry gates where we raised $320.

COF is used to assist families participating in our programs with the costs of school uniforms, school excursions, remedial tutoring, musical tuition and instruments, books, computer equipment, sports club fees and uniforms, travel and accommodation to events etc. We welcome any donations to assist us assist families.

See below some of the fantastic opportunities that the COF makes available to families in our community.

Lily is 8 years old and is on the Autism Spectrum and suffers from high anxiety. She is stressed by unexpected noise, crowds, being close to others and changes to routine.

Lily’s mum and the Child and Family Worker agreed that yoga and mediation may help ease some of the symptoms.

Studies have shown that yoga has positive results for children on the autism spectrum such as:

Increased strength, improved balance, coordination and flexibility
Increased communication skills and self confidence
Body awareness and self-regulation
Reduced anxiety
Increased concentration and focus.

Lily is really enjoying the yoga classes and is excited to attend them each week.

The Family Centre office located in Ballina recently received a kind donation from a local teenage girl wanting to give back to her community. The teenager used her own funds to purchase and put together feminine care packs for women presenting as homeless or needing support at The Family Centre. Thank you for your thoughtful and kind donation.

 NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across the Tweed, Byron and Ballina shires from July 8th-15th to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The week is a great opportunity to participate in a range of activities and to support your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

This year’s NAIDOC theme is Because of Her, We Can! As pillars of our society, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have played – and continue to play - active and significant roles at the community, local, state and national levels.

To find out about NAIDOC activities happening in our area...

The Family Centre and Murwillumbah Library are hosting story time and craft in Knox Park, Wednesday July 11 at 11am. Bring a picnic rug, morning tea and your best smiles and enjoy a morning in the park. If it rains don’t worry, all the fun will be moved to the Murwillumbah Community Centre. If you want any more information call the Murwillumbah Library on (02) 6670 2427.