Connected Beginnings sites

Connected Beginnings is an Australian Government grants program that seeks to give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children the best start in life. Currently, the program supports 34 sites across Australia with 50 to be established by 2025.

On this page:

Current projects

Connected Beginnings projects have been established in every state and territory of Australia – currently a total of 34 sites.

The programs are developed and run by ‘backbone organisations’.

State/Territory Location Set up
ACT Canberra 2022
NSW Doonside 2017
NSW Mount Druitt 2018
NSW Taree 2019
NSW Bourke 2020
NSW Wagga Wagga 2022
NT Alice Springs 2016
NT Galiwin’ku 2016
NT Tennant Creek 2017
NT Angurugu 2018
NT Katherine 2022
NT Ngukurr 2023
QLD Doomadgee (Mt Isa) 2016
QLD Rasmussen 2020
QLD Mareeba 2021
QLD Mackay 2022
QLD Eagleby 2022
SA Ceduna 2017
SA Port Augusta 2017
SA Salisbury/Playford 2022
TAS Bridgewater/Gagebrook 2018
TAS Burnie 2021
TAS George Town 2021
VIC Mildura 2017
VIC Shepparton 2021
VIC Whittlesea 2022
WA Kalgoorlie 2018
WA Derby 2019
WA Roebourne 2020
WA Armadale West 2021
WA Bidyadanga 2021
WA Central Great Southern (Katanning) 2021
WA Geraldton 2022
WA South Hedland 2022

Expansion

In 2021, the Australian Government committed an extra $81.8 million to expand Connected Beginnings to 50 sites nationally by 2025.

The expansion includes:

  • a dedicated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce to employ local people
  • broader, more extensive and longer consultation and community engagement
  • increased support from the Community Partner role
  • better data collection, project reporting, monitoring and evaluation
  • a greater focus on bringing service provider organisations and community leaders together
  • increased community consultation through the site scoping and site readiness process
  • supporting participation of Aboriginal community-controlled organisations.

More information