Coolabaroo Neighbourhood Centre

What Coolabaroo Neighbourhood Centre does

Coolabaroo Neighbourhood Centre, operated by Moorditch Gurlongga Association Inc. (trading as "Coolabaroo"), is an Aboriginal community-controlled organisation established in 1985 and based in Thornlie, Western Australia. Registered as a charity (ABN 39 181 247 846), it delivers an integrated portfolio of community services including early childhood education, transitional housing support, community programs, a men's employment initiative (Moorditj Maaman), a school-based program, and a creche service operated inside Acacia Prison. The organisation employs approximately five staff and serves Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, children, and former prisoners in the Perth metropolitan area.

The business model is anchored in recurrent and project-based government grants from agencies such as the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement (NHHA) and the Department of Communities, Family Services (DCFS), with additional revenue from philanthropic donations, community fundraising — including an active $500,000 capital campaign for a new building — and a small retail operation. The latter consists of the proprietary Ninga Nunthalee Bush Remedy (ErEmU) product line, sold direct-to-consumer via a WooCommerce storefront integrated with Stripe payments. Services are delivered face-to-face from a single neighbourhood centre site, with the e-commerce product line representing the only digital/distance channel.

The organisation is also a founding member of the Wungening Moort consortium, a partnership with three other Aboriginal community-controlled bodies coordinated by Wungening Aboriginal Corporation to deliver culturally grounded family support services. This consortium arrangement functions as both a delivery mechanism and a structural moat, embedding Coolabaroo within a multi-agency referral and funding network whose preferred-provider status would be difficult for new entrants to replicate.

Name

Coolabaroo Neighbourhood Centre

Legal name

Moorditch Gurlongga Association Inc.

Website

https://coolabaroo.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Aboriginal community-controlled organisation in Thornlie, Western Australia delivering early childhood education, transitional housing, men's employment, prison creche, and community programs, funded primarily by government grants alongside a small e-commerce bush-remedy product line.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community and Social Services

akta.pro primary industry

Minority, Indigenous & Disability Rights (BPADAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Charter Indigenous/Culturally Focused & Community-Based Schools (EDAJACAM)

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• Transitional housing services
• Community support programs
• Indigenous employment services
• Culturally appropriate care

Headquarters

HQ city

Thornlie

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Funded through multiple government programs including National Housing and Homelessness Agreement (NHHA), Department of Communities-Family Services (DCFS), Supported Accommodation and Assistance Program, and Child Care Subsidy for early childhood services.
2. Product Sales: E-commerce sales of Ninga Nunthalee Bush Remedy (ErEmU) products including skin care creams, soaps, lip balm, and heat packs. Products are sourced from Goldfields area traditional medicinal plants.
3. Fee for Service: Moorditj Maaman provides fee for service maintenance services including minor maintenance and painting within the Southeast Corridor.
4. Fee-based Creche Services: Free creche services at Acacia Prison with optional fee-based pop-up creches available.
5. Donations and Sponsorships: Accepts cash donations, goods donations, corporate sponsorships, and workplace giving programs. Currently fundraising $500,000 for new building.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Coolabaroo Neighbourhood Centre (trading as Moorditch Gurlongga Association Inc.) is an Aboriginal community-controlled organisation providing culturally appropriate early childhood education and care, transitional housing, men's employment, in-home family support, and creche services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and children in the South East metropolitan region of Perth, Western Australia. The organisation also distributes a range of Ninga Nunthalee Bush Remedy (ErEmU) skincare and wellness products through its own online store.

Product overview

Coolabaroo Neighbourhood Centre operates as an integrated service organization offering early childhood education and care, community services, housing support, and men's employment programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities in the Perth metropolitan region. The portfolio includes four primary divisions: CNC for childcare and education (Long Day Care, OSHC, CCaSP, Vacation Care, Creche Services), CHS for transitional housing, CCS for community and family support programs, and CS for creche services. Additionally, Coolabaroo serves as an official distributor of Ninga Nunthalee Bush Remedy products (ErEmU brand), encompassing topical creams, soaps, lip balms, and heat packs derived from traditional Aboriginal bush medicine plants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ninga Nunthalee Bush Remedy - ErEmu: Official distributor of ErEmu bush remedy products including skin care creams, lip balms, soap bars, muscle and joint rubs, and heat packs made from traditional Aboriginal bush medicine.

Products and services

• Coolabaroo Neighbourhood Centre (CNC) A purpose-built education and care centre catering to children aged 8 weeks to 12 years, providing multifunctional early childhood education and care services including Long Day Care, Outside School Hours Care (OSHC), Vacation Care, and homework assistance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and the broader community.
• Coolabaroo Housing Service (CHS) A transitional housing program supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, providing 12-24 month accommodation under the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement with weekly case management to help clients achieve long-term housing goals.
• Coolabaroo Community Services (CCS) Provides various programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to develop a stronger community and future through childcare, education, training and development with a focus on cultural identity, wellness and well-being. Includes sub-programs Moorditj Maaman Men's Employment, Wungening Moort Service, and Community Children & Schooling Program (CCaSP).
• Community Children & Schooling Program (CCaSP) Supports children aged 5-12 years with school readiness and homework assistance, helping improve ATSI school attendance and educational outcomes including literacy and numeracy.
• Coolabaroo Creche Services at Acacia Prison Free creche services provided at Acacia Prison on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday and on Family Days, staffed by qualified and experienced caregivers in a safe and engaging environment, with optional fee-based pop-up creches available.
• Moorditj Maaman Men's Employment Supports Aboriginal men in returning to the workforce through personal and professional development in a supportive and culturally safe environment. Casually employs Aboriginal dads, uncles and grandfathers to undertake gardening maintenance, repairs, maintenance, and painting at CNC and CHS locations, with mentoring and training in all aspects of the role and offering fee for service maintenance work within the Southeast Corridor.
• Wungening Moort Service (Healing Families Intensive Program) An intensive in-home family support service delivered by a consortium of four Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (Wungening Aboriginal Corporation, Ebenezer Aboriginal Corporation, Mooditj Koort Aboriginal Corporation, and Coolabaroo), helping Aboriginal families in contact with the child protection system keep children safely at home or pursue reunification, connected to culture, country and community.
• ErEmU Lip Balm Lip balm made from traditional Aboriginal bush medicine plants to help relieve dry lips, priced at $15.00 per unit with free shipping within Australia.
• ErEmu Homemade Infused Heat Pack Rice infused with natural bush medicine plants, microwavable heat pack for relief to neck, shoulders or other areas, can also be frozen for aromatherapy ice pack, priced at $45.00 per unit with free shipping within Australia.
• EmU Soap Moisturising Bar Soap bar produced from Aboriginal bush medicine plants used by Goldfields people for cleansing and moisturising skin, relieving skin irritations, sores, wounds and skin infections, priced at $15.00 per unit with free shipping within Australia.
• EmU Exfoliating Soap Bar Exfoliating soap that removes dead skin cells, unclogs pores, removes dirt and makeup residue, helps reduce acne breakouts, and encourages new cell growth for healthy skin, priced at $15.00 per unit with free shipping within Australia.
• Cream Muscle & Joint Rub Topical cream produced from Aboriginal bush medicine used as a liniment for relief of muscle cramps, joint stiffness, pain swelling, arthritis, varicose veins and period pains, priced at $40.00 per unit with free shipping within Australia.
• Cream EmU Skin Care Cream Skin care cream produced from Aboriginal bush medicine to help relieve skin disorders, eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis and itchy skin caused by different skin irritations, priced at $40.00 per unit with free shipping within Australia.

Quantifiable outcome

• Transitional housing accommodation for 12-24 months with weekly case management
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Wungening Aboriginal CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead agency in Wungening Moort consortium delivering intensive in-home support services for Aboriginal families in contact with child protection system. Wungening Moort brings together four Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations.
• Ebenezer Aboriginal CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner in Wungening Moort Service Healing Families Intensive Program, delivering in-home support grounded in Aboriginal ways of working.
• Mooditj Koort Aboriginal CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner in Wungening Moort Service Healing Families Intensive Program, delivering in-home support grounded in Aboriginal ways of working.
• Ninga NunthaleecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial distributor of Ninga Nunthalee Bush Remedy – ErEmU product range including skin care creams, soaps, lip balm, and heat packs. Products use traditional Aboriginal medicinal plants from the Goldfields area.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ngala: WA-based early childhood, parenting, and family support service operator including long day care, OSHC, and family support. Comparable on metro Perth early childhood education and family service mix, though not Aboriginal-specific.
• Wungening Aboriginal Corporation: Lead agency of the Wungening Moort consortium with MGA; delivers Aboriginal child protection and family support services across Western Australia. Direct peer given shared consortium governance and overlapping child protection/intensive in-home support offerings.
• Yorganop Association Inc. Aboriginal child care and family services agency in Western Australia providing out-of-home care, fostering, and family preservation. Directly comparable to MGA on culturally grounded child/family services footprint in WA.
• Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service Aboriginal Corporation: Perth-based Aboriginal community-controlled health and well-being service. Comparable on metro Perth ACCO service delivery model and similar wraparound, culturally embedded service philosophy.

Broad incumbents

• Relationships Australia: National federation delivering family, relationship, and community support services. Comparable on family support, case management, and community-services delivery model adjacent to Wungening Moort.
• Mission Australia: One of Australia's largest community services NGOs operating housing, homelessness, family, and employment programs nationally. Comparable as a broad-incumbent portfolio operator with overlapping service lines (housing, employment, family support) at much greater scale.
• The Smith Family: National children's education charity delivering school-readiness, learning support, and family programs. Comparable on the school-readiness/CCaSP and OSHC/vacation care components of MGA's portfolio.
• Anglicare WA: WA-focused community services organisation providing housing, family, financial counselling, and community programs. Comparable on WA-located wraparound community services portfolio.
• Save the Children Australia: Large Australian NGO providing early childhood, family, and child welfare services nationally. Comparable on integrated child/family service portfolio and government-funded program delivery.

Others

• Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia Limited: WA Aboriginal community-controlled legal aid and justice service. Adjacent ACCO serving overlapping communities in metro Perth and regional WA, supplying referrals into Wungening Moort-style family support pathways.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coolabaroo-neighbourhood-centre

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries7 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 Coolabaroo Neighbourhood Centre