A place to learn after dark. The Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre’s Night Studio Sessions
THE HERVEY Bay Neighbourhood Centre’s Night Studio Sessions are here and were born from a simple but persistent problem, that too many people wanted to learn, connect and build skills, but couldn’t do it during business hours.
“We generally operate from 8:00 – 5:00,” Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre CEO Tanya Stevenson explains.
“And the feedback we kept getting was that people who are working just can’t access those programs. So, we asked ourselves, what does the neighbourhood centre look like after dark?”
The answer is the Neighbourhood Night Studio, a Tuesday-night program that keeps the centre open until 8pm and transforms it into a vibrant learning and connection hub.
The focus is on practical skills, creative workshops and social connection, delivered in a relaxed, welcoming environment.
“The Night Studio is about accessing neighbourhood centre programs after hours,” Tanya says.
“But specifically workshops and skills development, alongside social connection.”
The structure is intentionally flexible. Rather than long-term formal courses, the Night Studio offers short programs and one-off sessions, similar to the old-style community night classes once found at TAFE.
“It’s a bit like the good old days where you might do six weeks of photography or six weeks of watercolour,” Tanya says.
“But we’ve adapted that idea to suit our community.”
What truly sets the Night Studio apart, however, is its approach to removing barriers, particularly for families.
“One of the biggest pieces of feedback we received, especially from single parents, was that they couldn’t come because they couldn’t find a babysitter,” Tanya explains.
“So, we decided to provide free childcare on site.” Parents can bring their children with them, knowing they will be cared for by qualified staff in the centre’s childcare facilities and outdoor playground.”
“The kids have a great night too,” Tanya says.
“They’re playing, they’re safe, and parents can actually enjoy learning what they want to learn.”
The Night Studio program itself is deliberately broad. Sessions range from creative pursuits like painting, photography and filmmaking, through to business marketing, writing, self-development programs and practical workshops.
“It’s really broad,” Tanya says.
“We have art and craft, business marketing, and then general one-off sessions, everything from an eight-week ‘get to know yourself’ program through to a single session on AI.”
The facilitators are a mix of skilled locals and new residents, many of whom volunteer their time.
“We are partnering with people in our community who have amazing skills they are willing to share,” Tanya says.
“There are also a lot of people retiring here who have a huge amount of knowledge and experience.”
Importantly, the Neighbourhood Centre handles all the logistics.
“We do the marketing, we provide the venue, the materials, we take all the registrations,” Tanya explains.
“They just turn up and teach what they love.”
Attendance costs just $5, a small fee that serves a practical purpose.
“When we make things free, people register and don’t turn up,” Tanya says.
“So there has to be a little bit of buy-in. That $5 also helps cover dinner, as we provide free dinner for everyone.”
Dinner becomes part of the experience, creating space for conversation, connection and ideas.
A large whiteboard invites participants to suggest what they might like to learn next.
“People come out, write up what else they might like to learn, and that helps shape what we offer next,” Tanya says.
Getting involved is easy. Interested residents can visit the Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre website, head to the “What’s On” section and filter by the Night Studio tag.
“There are 20 or 30 different projects up at the moment,” Tanya says. “And it keeps growing.”
At its heart, the Night Studio is about access to skills, to creativity, and to each other.
“We are just providing the space for knowledge sharing,” Tanya says.
“That’s what neighbourhood centres are meant to do.”
