An official launch for the rebirth of the Wangaratta Digital Hub, soon to be based at Pangerang Community Hub, will be held on Tuesday, 10 March.

Pangerang has received a $50,000 grant from auDA (the Australian not-for-profit organisation responsible for administering the .au domain) to re-establish the digital hub at the Ovens Street neighbourhood house.

The launch, offering a sausage sizzle to those attending, will be held on Tuesday, 10 March from 12 noon.

Locals are encouraged to come along and see what the digital hub will offer in its new location.

Revival of the Wangaratta Digital Hub comes a year after it was closed by the Rural City of Wangaratta, which had been overseeing the facility based since 2019 in the former High Country Library Corporation office to the left of the Wangaratta Library entrance.

In the two years prior to its closure, the hub had been funded by a $170,000 grant from the state government's Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions and a $50,000 contribution from council.

During this time, the Rural City of Wangaratta led a project aimed at making the hub financially independent and sustainable for the long-term, after it had closed in 2022 upon reaching the end of its three-year state government-funded pilot phase.

However, the ongoing funding required to keep the hub operating could not be secured, leading to the decision to close its doors at the end of January, 2025.

Pangerang Community Hub executive officer Tennille Hall said since the closure, people with digital queries and concerns had often been directed to the Ovens Street neighbourhood house by local organisations and businesses.

Over the past year, Pangerang has assisted about 20 people per week with these queries, but has not been sufficiently resourced to cater for the increase in demand.

Ms Hall said it would be great, with the help of the grant, to be able to offer more support.

Pangerang will look to recruit a bank of volunteers to assist during opening hours of the new-look digital hub, which will operate on Wednesdays from 9.30am to 12.30pm during school hours.

Anyone interested in providing volunteer assistance at the digital hub can contact Pangerang on 5721 3813.