New England MP Barnaby Joyce cut the ribbon last weekend

On Saturday Walcha Council was joined by Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce for the official opening of the new facility at the Walcha Showground which was refurbished with $845,000 from the Government's Drought Communities Program.

The new building includes a new kitchen, bathroom, bar and cool room facilities as well as a veranda seated area, viewing deck and stage area.

"This is a fantastic asset for the Walcha community and one they can feel proud to call their own for generations to come," Mr Joyce said.

"It is a credit to council to get this project off the ground as it has provided the Walcha community with a vital $1 million injection of funds during this testing time of drought."

While Mr Joyce cut the ribbon to declare the facility officially open it was Walcha Mayor Eric Noakes who started proceeding with a speech outlining the wealth of local labour used to complete the build.

"Generally it can be said that a drought brings nothing good to a rural community," Mr Noakes said.

"But if something good was to come from this drought, it would be this building, and it will stand and serve this community for decades to come."

Mr Noakes said a build like that did not just happen and there was a mountain of work needed before any construction was visible at the site.

"A building like this happens because skilled people combine to make it happen," he said.

"Having been remotely involved in this process from its inception, there are several people here who I believe were paramount to its construction. Generally, these people are quiet achievers, not seeking the spotlight or accolades but getting the job done."

Mr Noakes also thanked MP Barnaby Joyce "a man who is not and shouldn't be hidden away" because "nothing happens without funding".

"Barnaby made sure that Walcha was included in the council drought fund that he helped instigate. This set in motion the path to the construction of the function centre."

The project is said to have come in on time and on budget and as this was not only due to the professionalism of local tradespeople and businesses Mr Noakes noted but also due to the work of general manager Jack O'Hara.

"A project of this size, and being government-funded needs a bean counter, someone who knows their way around a funding proposal and can acquit the process," Mr Noakes said.

"The amount of paperwork and reporting involved in these processes is both time consuming and detailed.

"After all, this is public money."

Walcha's Drought Communities Program funding also included an additional $155,000 for the Walcha Communities Projects which was spent on upgrades at Yarrowitch Showground, Woolbrook Sportsground, and on Nowendoc and Ingleba Halls.