Today however, in front of current residents and clients of the Centre, he is a changed man. 

“It saved my life, put me on the right track,” Kurt tells the crowd that has gathered to celebrate Weigelli’s 20^th birthday. 

“I thought I was a king, but I was a king of the wrong people.” 

The Weigelli Centre has been operating just outside of Cowra since 1996 and CEO Danny Jeffries says there have been hundreds of stories just like Kurt’s to come out of the rehabilitation facility.

“The clients and residents have played a big part in some of the development around here,” Mr Jeffries said.

More than 80 people from local community groups and businesses made their way out to the Centre for the celebrations and Mr Jeffries said there would be some special recognition for those who have supported the Centre this year. 

“There are some acknowledgements this year for services and people who have been involved for the past 20 years,” he said. 

“We wanted to show our appreciation for their help over the time.”

None of the staff or board members could have imagined how successful Weigelli would become, let alone that it would still be operating 20 years later. 

One of the founding board members, Bill Murray, said the handful of people who started the Centre in 1996 faced plenty of obstacles in the early days, including four location changes and several petitions opposing the Centre. 

“I haven’t been back for many years, I didn’t expect it to be as advanced as it is now,” Mr Murray said. 

“There’s been a lot of people who have come out here, clients, board members who have passed away, they would be impressed.” 

Mr Murray says the actual physical dwellings in the Centre have never changed and the 100 acre property was originally a holiday farm with buildings from Wyangala. 

He says the group bought the site from the previous owner’s wife after being knocked back for places such as Lyndon House in Canowindra. 

“The wife owned it and we bought it the way it was,” Mr Murray said. 

“The owner used to have different animals, an old kitchen and huts with rows of bunk beds.

“We looked after people from all over the district.

“Our policy was to take anybody.” 

Weigelli’s Deputy CEO Doug James says that despite the Centre having 2316 clients over the past 20 years, the number of beds has remained the same since 1996. 

“Did I ever think it would be a success? Not a chance,” Doug said. 

“In 1996, it was Danny, myself, a handyman, cook and an officer worker.” 

“Today we employ 20 staff and the service has grown,” Mr Jeffries said. 

Mr James, who is undertaking a PhD in Aboriginal Rehabilitation and looking at the outcomes and treatments of the Centre, said Weigelli is only one of seven services for Indigenous rehabilitation in NSW. 

He said all of the facilities in NSW and beyond all assist one another in helping Indigenous and non-indigenous clients. 

“Fifty per cent of people complete the program, that’s better than the state average,” Mr James said. 

“We had 101 residents in 2015 and 273 clients in the community in 2015.”

Mr Jeffries said 2015 was the busiest year on record for the Centre, believing the Ice epidemic to be the cause of increased occupancy. 

“2015 was our biggest year, Ice seems to be the indication of that,” Mr Jeffries said. 

He said it is was crucial to continue the good work the Centre does by employing a range of staff from diverse backgrounds and skills and to continue collaborating with local services. 

Mr Jeffries said without the local community, the Centre would cease to exist. 

“We’ve developed it over the years, there was a bit of work required to do it and it’s been an effort from both sides to get to that,” Mr Jeffries said. 

“We are trying to recruit locally where we can and in particular Aboriginal people, we have a range of staff, the right staff for the right fit.”

The Weigelli Centre Aboriginal Corporation, in celebrating it’s 20 years of operating would like to thank the following services for their support given to the organisation for the past 20 years in the care of clients and the development of the facility site and it’s services:

They would also like to pay tribute to individuals who have contributed to the service and acknowledge the Weigelli Centre membership, board and Staff members past and present for their contribution in establishing and progressing the organisation to its standing in the Drug and Alcohol Healing Sector.