Who we are

The organisation commenced its operations under the name of the Deniliquin Council for Social Development. This came about when several organisations with similar aspirations, operating out of various venues, joined forces in an attempt to fulfil the diverse needs of our community. Their efforts resulted in a one stop shop from where the needs of the community and various service delivery programs could be organised.

The organisation extended its focus and geographical reach to become the Council for Social Development, Central Murray Region. The headquarters and its community centre in End Street Deniliquin was run by the inaugural Community Development Officer, Sylvia Baker. The End Street property, known as the Regional Community Centre and later the Central Murray Regional Community Centre, catered for many varied community groups. During these early years development projects were initiated throughout the Central Murray Region as far afield as Pooncarie, north of Wentworth on the Darling River in the far west of NSW. Among the many achievements, was the redevelopment of the airstrip which afforded the flying doctor service improved access. Funding of road works and help for isolated families with children were also achieved.

Federal and state government responsibilities, and subsequent changes in 1976 and 1977, saw the regional services shrink and the Deniliquin Neighbourhood Centre was born. This signalled the organisation to change its name to the Deniliquin Council for Social Development (DCSD). Managed by a volunteer Management Committee, the Community Development Officer was able to develop and provide services in response to community needs with the centre providing a central focus in the community.

Having grown its funding base and services enormously in the previous 20-odd years, the organisation moved their Management Committee to a Board of Governance and employed its first CEO. At around this time, the Deniliquin Council was successful with a HACC Capital Facilities Grant of $250,000 as a contribution to a community services facility.

The current Neighbourhood Centre facility on the Corner of Trickett and Napier Streets in Deniliquin was purchased and the services relocated from the End Street premises. At this time, Children and Family Services (CAFS) was established in a separate venue to accommodate the needs for outdoor space and children's play areas. The year 2001 also saw the organisation extend its reach across the Riverina Murray with the Commonwealth Carer Respite Program and the Commonwealth Carelink service. This development saw the establishment of the Wagga Wagga office and other services being established with an extended funding base. About this time, the organisation again changed its name to the Regional Social Development Group (RSDG) in response to its coverage of a wider service area, the organisation’s social development philosophy and its varied range of services.

In 2006, the Wagga Wagga outlet moved into newly refurbished premises to become the Wagga Wagga Regional Office and a shop front office was opened in Buronga to service the western part of the region around Wentworth.

In 2007, the Holbrook shopfront was opened as a base for some of the rurally based staff in the eastern part of the region and a major injection of funds to the organisation enabled it to establish the Albury Regional Office.

The organisation reviewed its relevance and profile, changing the name of the organisation to Intereach and adopting a new logo and profile. Intereach established a Volunteer Program to assist in professionalising its 150 volunteers, created a community shop The Country Store in the Deniliquin Neighbourhood Centre (NHC) and established a free internet kiosk in the centre.

Intereach has offices in Deniliquin, Wagga Wagga, Albury, Buronga, Griffith, Holbrook and Finley. It has more than 150 partnership agreements with other organisations across the Riverina Murray, an indication of the strong network that underpins Intereach's activities.

New funding opportunities through the Family and Community Services-Community Builders program facilitated the meeting of a long identified community need; and the opening of new Community Hubs in Hay, Corowa, Cootamundra and expansion in Finley.
The expanded footprint supported broader delivery of Intereach services across the region, and greater collaboration with other forms of support into the smaller communities in the region.

As a result of the economic and social challenges brought about through the closure of the red gum milling industry in the Deniliquin region, Intereach is successful in gaining part funding for the Intereach Family Centre. The purpose built centre and nature based playscape facilitated the centralisation of support for children and families of the local region into one main location, adjoining the Trickett Street Neighbourhood Centre.

Through national reform to the way in which people living with disability are able to live their lives, and the roll-out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) , Intereach continue to embark upon challenges to better meet the need of local people and communities.
Intereach commence ‘Local Area Coordination’ of the NDIS in the Loddon region of northern Victoria, which will see another five office locations and further ability to meet the needs of rural and regional communities.