"Together we rise."
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That's the new motto for Nambucca Valley Phoenix, which celebrated its rebirth at the weekend.
Phoenix was always a proudly Nambucca Valley-grown organisation with a focus on supporting those in our community with a disability.
That focus is still very much there, but now the emphasis is more 'whole of community', said Phoenix Coordinator Pippa Tabone.
Over the past few months Pippa and a team of volunteers have been renovating 'The Bank' building on High St, Bowraville, and the series of wooden yurts directly behind it.
Their hard work was publicly debuted on Saturday to stunned visitors.
"What they've achieved here is amazing," one Missabotti local said. "I've pretty much not left the farm for four years. But if you can't find me from now on, I'll be here."
The Phoenix precinct features an art gallery, which is currently housing an exquisite collection of ceramics, glassware, metal sculptures, and paintings from local professional artists.
Behind the gallery is a cafe with a display cabinet filled with tempting treats. Bowraville local Carla Scott is at the helm as Cafe Coordinator and has made it her mission to provide nourishing food made from fresh and locally-grown produce.
The light-filled dining area looks out onto beautifully landscaped gardens, dotted with sculptures, where the much-missed sounds of live music entertained guests on Saturday.
The yurts are now home to the new Phoenix School of Art, which will offer a wide range of art classes - from felting to woodworking, drawing to family clay sculpting - and will be administered by some truly talented professional artists.
Internationally-renowned artists Aisha, and husband Allan McIntosh, are two of the talents keen to pass their extensive knowledge onto locals through the art school.
Aisha has stepped up to coordinate the art school, and has grand ambitions for its future.
"We want to invite the best artists in NSW and the country to come here to teach," she said.
We want everyone to know about this school.
Classes will be moderately priced to cover materials and the teacher's salary, and will be available to people of any age or ability.
"Art is art - there's no need for distinction," Pippa said.
"There are many different providers that offer support services. We're keen to work with them. But what we're offering in this unique facility are creative opportunities, jobs for people who may have found it difficult in the past to find one, and inclusion.
And what we're trying to achieve here is to create a space that makes Bowraville a destination.
With up to 200 people filtering through the facilities throughout the day, mostly with grins stretching from ear to ear, that aim appears to have already been achieved.
Surveys were conducted throughout the day to ascertain from locals what more they would like see at Phoenix.
"We're very much wanting to reflect the needs of the community," Pippa said.
Another admirable goal is for Phoenix to be a self-sustaining social enterprise; any revenue generated through the cafe and the school will be used to fund its charitable activities, with the hopes there will be zero reliance on government funding.
Pippa is thrilled about the warm reception Phoenix's reincarnation has received from the community so far.
"I'm just stoked I'm in a position where I get to be able to help create this for the community. It really is a dream job," she said.
And you just wait - there will be many exciting things to come. This is just the beginning.