Ashburton Community

What Ashburton Community does

Ashburton Community Centre is a community-owned and managed not-for-profit neighbourhood house located at 160 High St, Ashburton 3147, Victoria, Australia. It is co-located with the Ashburton Library and operates as an incorporated association under Victorian law, governed by a volunteer Committee of Management and led by Executive Officer Rachel Morley (appointed July 2018). The Centre serves local residents of Ashburton and the broader City of Boroondara, with particular focus on seniors, families, and community groups, addressing needs around social isolation, digital inclusion, lifelong learning, and access to community space.

Its core offerings are term-based Courses & Activities (exercise, yoga, art, language, and educational programs), Room Hire to individuals, businesses, and community groups, and a low-friction annual Membership Program at $15/year providing access to free trials and member-only programming. Supporting programs include the Ashy Eco Hub (a recycling and sustainability initiative launched in 2023), the Green Deck Project, Digital Mentors and Tech Savvy for Seniors programs, Chatty Cafe, Death Cafe, and Justice of the Peace services. Signature events include quarterly Ashburton-a-Fair (co-presented with Rotary Chadstone/East Malvern since 2019), annual Bookfest Ashburton, and Halloween on High.

The technology stack is light and operationally focused: the ASAP Connected portal handles online course enrollment and bookings, Zoom delivers live-streamed classes, and a phone dial-in service supports remote participation. The business model blends multiple revenue streams including membership fees, course/activity fees, room hire, a five-tier sponsorship and partnership program ($275 workshop sponsor to $15,000+ Centre Partner), donations, and fundraising events. Financial sustainability is underpinned by triennial government funding from the City of Boroondara (which also provides the building premises) and project funding from Bendigo Bank's Inner East Community Finance Ltd, with day-to-day operations supported by five paid staff and a substantial volunteer network.

Name

Ashburton Community

Legal name

Ashburton Community Centre

Website

https://ashburtoncc.org.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ashburton Community Centre is a community-owned not-for-profit neighbourhood house in Ashburton, Victoria, Australia, offering term-based classes, social programs, room hire, sustainability initiatives, and community events to local residents, seniors, and community groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Centre Services

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Senior Social Clubs & Community-Based Day Programs (Non-Clinical) (HSABANAK)

Keywords

• Community centre programs
• Term-based classes
• Room hire services
• Neighbourhood house
• Community events

Headquarters

HQ city

Ashburton

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership at $15 per year providing access to free trials, Tech Savvy classes, and member-only invitations and offers.
2. Course and Activity Fees: Term-based classes and activities with per-class or bundle pricing. Payment plans available for term classes.
3. Room Hire: Hiring of Centre spaces to businesses, community groups, and individuals on casual or ongoing basis.
4. Sponsorships and Partnerships: Five-tier sponsorship model from workshop sponsor ($275+) to Centre Partner ($15,000+ multi-year), plus community group-led sessions at no cost.
5. Donations: Individual donations recognized as ACC Supporters ($100-$499) or Friends of ACC ($500+), plus online fundraising option.
6. Fundraising Events: Quarterly Ashburton-a-Fair, annual Bookfest, Devonshire Tea sales, and other community events raising funds for Centre operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Ashburton Community Centre is a community-owned not-for-profit neighbourhood house offering term-based classes and activities (exercise, yoga, art, education), social groups, room hire for individuals and businesses, and a range of community programs and events. It is co-located with Ashburton Library on High Street and serves residents of Ashburton 3147 and surrounding areas.

Product overview

Ashburton Community Centre is a community-owned not-for-profit organisation offering a diverse range of programs and services centred around community connection, learning, and wellbeing. The core offerings include term-based Courses & Activities (exercise, yoga, art classes), Room Hire for external users, and an annual Membership Program. Major initiatives include the Ashy Eco Hub (recycling and sustainability), Green Deck Project (urban gardening), Digital Mentors and Tech Savvy for Seniors (digital inclusion), and social programs like Chatty Cafe and Death Cafe. Regular events include quarterly Ashburton-a-Fair markets, annual Bookfest, Halloween on High, and Neighbourhood House Week celebrations. The Centre also provides Justice of the Peace services and relies on extensive volunteer programs for operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ashy Eco Hub: Environmental initiative providing recycling collection, community bookshelf, and Green Deck produce sharing
• Ashburton-a-Fair
• Bookfest Ashburton
• Halloween on High
• Green Deck Project
• Tech Savvy for Seniors

Products and services

• Courses & Activities

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $5000 raised at single Bookfest event through book sales
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of BoroondaracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government partner providing triennial funding, the building premises from which ACC operates, and additional project support through submission process. Part of the Boroondara Community Plan 2021-2031 and Neighbourhood Houses Framework. Supports all 11 Neighbourhood Houses across the municipality.
• Rotary Chadstone/East MalverncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenting partner for Ashburton-a-Fair quarterly community events and annual Bookfest. Provides market stall management and event support. Partnership enables larger-scale community fundraising events with broader reach.
• Ashburton Traders AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking together on sustainability initiatives including seeking funding for blister pack recycling project along High Street. Collaboration supports local trader engagement and environmental goals.
• Scouts VictoriaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContainer donation point at ACC supports both Ashburton Community Centre and Scouts Victoria through eligible container donations. Part of the Ashy Eco Hub sustainability initiative.
• City of Boroondara Library ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosts Foreign Film Group events with Ashburton Community Centre. Partnership leverages library resources and audience for joint cultural programming.
• Ashburton LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-located on High Street with shared premises. ACC operates from the same building as the library, providing integrated community services and foot traffic synergies.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Glen Iris Community Centre: Inner-east Melbourne neighbourhood house with similar term-based classes, community events, and room hire model, serving an adjacent demographic to Ashburton.
• Camberwell Community Centre: Also a member of City of Boroondara's 11 neighbourhood houses / community centres, operates a similar mix of classes, room hire, and community programs and is funded through the same triennial council mechanism.
• Hawthorn Community House: Nearby Boroondara neighbourhood house offering comparable courses, social groups, room hire and volunteer-driven community programming, sharing the same council funding framework.
• Balwyn Community Centre: Another Boroondara neighbourhood centre providing term-based classes, community events, and room hire; comparable scale and local-government funding structure.
• Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre: Neighbourhood centre offering classes, social groups, and community programs to a comparable Melbourne suburban audience with a volunteer-led operating model.
• Kew Neighbourhood Centre: Boroondara-area neighbourhood house providing overlapping educational classes, social connection programs, and community services funded under the same municipal framework.
• Canterbury Neighbourhood House: Inner-east Melbourne neighbourhood house delivering similar adult learning, social groups, and community capacity-building activities to local residents.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA Victoria: Large established not-for-profit operator of community, fitness and recreation programs across Victoria; broader scope but overlapping on community programming and digital inclusion initiatives.

Others

• Boroondara Community Connect: Local community services hub within the same municipality that supports older residents and community connection; complementary service focus on seniors consistent with ACC's Tech Savvy and social programs.
• Neighbourhood Houses Victoria: Peak body representing 400+ neighbourhood houses across Victoria, including Ashburton CC; comparable on sector context, advocacy, and shared funding frameworks but not a direct operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ashburtoncc
• Instagraminstagram.com/ashburtoncc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ashburton-community

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ashburton Community