The new Western Suburbs Centre – to be located at 7 Mount St, adjacent to the redeveloped Mt Druitt Aquatic Centre – will form part of Blacktown City Council’s masterplan to transform the Centre of Mount Druitt.
The Lighthouse will be the major hub of the Salvos Community Centre in Western Sydney, with satellite sites at St Marys and Lethbridge Park, providing greater reach and easier access for the community. Both St Marys and Lethbridge Park are already established and operational.
Major Paul Moulds AM, Mission Lead for The Salvos Community Centre Western Sydney - Mount Druitt Project, said this new venture was a reflection of the Salvos’ ongoing commitment to the people of Western Sydney.
“We have been an essential part of the Western Suburbs community since 1884,” Major Moulds said. “With the delivery of the new Lighthouse facility, that commitment is strengthened and significantly expanded.
“Since 2022, we have been researching, listening to our community, collaborating with community services providers, working with local councils, planning, and raising capital to work towards this new vision and goal. It is exciting to announce it to the people of Western Sydney today.”
Construction is being made possible by a NSW Government Western Sydney Infrastructure Grant (WSIG) and funding from The Salvation Army.
The new facility will be home to a large range of community service and arts providers across the health, welfare, employment, finance, youth, counselling, education and well-being sectors, working together under a collective impact model.
Through the WSIG program, the NSW Government has committed $40M to The Salvation Army to expand essential social services infrastructure in Western Sydney.
As part of the joint project, The Salvation Army St Marys Connect site was purchased and opened 12 months ago, and The Salvos Lethbridge Park Community Centre was recently purchased after being leased for many years.
Major Moulds said The Lighthouse would be a state-of-the-art, holistic service centre designed for the local community, forming a key part of the broader civic and cultural precinct being developed by Blacktown City Council at Mt Druitt.
“By bringing together multiple partner organisations in the one location, The Lighthouse will become a one-stop location for care, support and assistance within the Mount Druitt community, aimed at contributing to community transformation.”
While the Mount Druitt site is being developed, existing Salvos sites at St Marys, Lethbridge Park and Blacktown will continue to provide much-needed services to Western Sydney.
On completion of The Lighthouse, the three sites will operate as one collaborative Community Centre operating out of three locations, enabling greater access to vital services by the community.
Blacktown City Council has provided critical support in the planning of The Lighthouse and have made it possible for The Salvation Army to purchase from Council the strategic site where The Lighthouse will be constructed.
Major Moulds recognized Blacktown City Council’s extraordinary commitment to the transformation and improvement of the Mt Druitt area, saying: “The Salvation Army is grateful and excited to be given this opportunity to be part of such a visionary and transformative Project, and thank Blacktown Council and The NSW Government for recognizing the critical importance of investing in social infrastructure to ensure a community’s well-being and cohesion."
NSW Member for Mt Druitt, Edmond Atila said: "This is a fantastic investment in the future of Mount Druitt and a powerful example of what can be achieved when government, local council and community organisations work together.
"The Lighthouse will provide a welcoming place where people can access vital support, connect with services, and participate in arts and community life—all under one roof. As the Member for Mount Druitt, I'm proud to support this exciting project, which will strengthen our community, improve access to essential services, and contribute to the ongoing transformation of the heart of Mount Druitt."
Major Moulds also indicated that the potential impact of The Lighthouse may develop even further in the future.
Detailed plans will shortly be available to the local community and submitted to Blacktown City Council.
