Millennium House Officially Re-opens the Doors to the Community

After a $7 million investment and over 7 years of planning and building, a renovated and refurbished Millennium House Community Centre is now officially open. On 20th November 2024, Minister Ingrid Stitt, MLC (Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs), and Katie Hall MP, (Member for Footscray), unveiled a plaque to commemorate the official opening in the architecturally designed Community Hall.

Over 130 friends and supporters of Australian Multicultural Community Services (AMCS) gathered to be part of a new chapter for Millennium House. After a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony delivered by Wurundjeri Elder Perry Wandin, Maryanne Tadic, AMCS Chief Executive Officer, began the official proceedings on stage.

“Today is not just a celebration of a renovated building, it is also a tribute and recognition of the Millenium House story. A story that resonates with many migrants, and one that personifies the social, cultural and economic benefits that we all know migration brings,” said Maryanne.

After acknowledging the generous supporters and an outline of the history of the building, Maryanne’s final words were, “Thank you all for celebrating today with us, as we pay tribute to our history, and as we step forward into an important new chapter. One which we hope will be filled with promise, and many new memories that will add to the rich tapestry of our past.”

Following the formal opening, AMCS were delighted that the closing remarks were made by Vivienne Nguyen AM, Chairperson, Victorian Multicultural Commission.

Multicultural entertainment was enjoyed by our guests including performances by the Melbourne Polish Youth & Children’s Choir, Sizwe with a spoken word, and African drums whilst guests enjoyed a multicultural grazing table.

The Community Centre’s history stems back to the 1960’s when it was first built by the Polish community. Over the years it became a cornerstone in Western Melbourne and served not only Poles but also diverse cultural groups for decades. The main hall has hosted countless significant life events, making it a cherished symbol of the area's migrant history and the resilience of its communities.

The Polish Association of Kingsville and Ladies Auxiliary (PAKLA) generously gifted Millennium House to AMCS in 2017 for redevelopment, with the intention of repurposing it for the broader community's benefit. AMCS has embraced this responsibility, committing to honour the legacy of Millennium House for the greater good of local and neighbouring communities.

AMCS is deeply grateful to the Victorian Government for their invaluable financial support, which has been instrumental in bringing the renovation project to fruition. Additionally, a heartfelt thanks is extended to the Gandel Foundation for their generous contribution, the Rotary Club of Footscray, Maribyrnong City Council and Nimbus Health. The unwavering support of the project’s funders has enabled the rejuvenated community centre to feature state-of-the-art facilities that will appeal to so many community groups.

With the doors reopened, Millennium House Community Centre is offering a range of community facilities and multipurpose rooms, all available for hire on a regular or casual basis at affordable community rates. Along with a large light-filled community hall which comfortably seats over 150 people, a fully equipped caterers kitchen enables large events to be held, or projects fulfilled such as food supply to the Emergency Food Services Network.

The community centre also includes an equipped café at the front of the building, with easy access to foot traffic. The facility was designed with a view to being operated by a social enterprise or used as a training facility, etc.

A range of meeting rooms are also available for community hire, equipped with audio visual facilities.

With significant renovation now completed, Millennium House Community Centre remains a significant symbol of the migrant history of Melbourne’s Western Suburbs and AMCS is honoured to be stewards of this legacy. Committed to delivering on the mission of providing a multicultural hub, AMCS will continue to support people from multicultural and diverse backgrounds including seniors, newly arrived migrants, refugees, women, young people and children.

With the doors now open, many AMCS team members are based at Millennium House and welcome visitors to the centre. To arrange a tour or for further information, call and chat to one of the friendly team during business hours, Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm.

Find out more about Australian Multicultural Community Services