Mount Barker Expo 2026 Program
Wednesday 1 April, Sounness Park Clubhouse
Expo Program
9:30-10AM
Tea, Coffee & Stalls
10-10:10AM
Welcome to Country
Lester Coyne
Lester Coyne has been actively involved in the Albany community for more than 64 years as a business owner, sportsman, musician and advocate for Aboriginal employment, education and training. He has played a significant role in supporting Aboriginal people into mainstream employment and contributing to Aboriginal health services, while also serving on numerous boards in both member and Chair roles.
Lester is a member of the Wagyl Kaip Southern Noongar Aboriginal Corporation Albany 2026 Sub-Cultural Committee, where he provides cultural advice for the Albany 2026 program and contributes to several major community projects. A passionate advocate for his people and community, Lester remains deeply committed to Kinjarling (Albany), the “place of plenty,” where he has proudly raised his family.
10:15-10:30AM
Bridging the Digital Divide – A Path to Digital Inclusion in Plantagenet
Nicole Selesnew
Manager Community and Recreation Services - Shire of Plantagenet
In Plantagenet, digital inclusion isn’t just about access – it’s ensuring residents can confidently navigate essential tasks like updating devices, completing online forms and managing unwanted subscriptions or apps. These everyday hurdles can quickly become barriers and stress points – the Mount Barker CRC’s goal is to empower people so they can stay connected and in control.
Nicole Selesnew has dedicated 16 years to leading and shaping Community Services at the Shire of Plantagenet. Over this time, she has overseen the growth of the portfolio from a single part‑time role to a team delivering Library and Recreation Services, as well as community development and community support initiatives through the Community Resource Centre.
Nicole brings formal qualifications in Project Management, Library and Information Services, and Agriculture, underpinning her practical, community‑focused approach to service delivery. Outside of work, she enjoys returning to the family farm where she occasionally swaps the office shoes for farm boots.
10:30-10:45AM
Delivering Digital Psychology Services in WA
Anthea Hodgson
Senior Relationship Manager - MindSpot GP/MindSpot Clinic
WA presents with enormous geographic challenges for service providers across all sectors, especially for those delivering mental health and psychology services. Distance, poor staffing and resourcing, including intermittent access to internet present ongoing difficulties in ensuring equitable access across regional and remote communities for basic services. MindSpot and MindSpot GP aim to bridge these gaps by providing an evidence‑based digital pathway into psychological care. Their model combines telehealth and online treatment with weekly clinician phone calls, offering personalised support to community members throughout their treatment.
Anthea Hodgson is a Registered Mental Health Nurse with over 30 years’ experience in the WA mental health sector. She has spent the past nine years as Senior Relationship Manager at MindSpot GP, working closely with GP’s, health professionals and communities across WA supporting referral pathways and promoting digital psychology services to improve consumer access.
10:45-11AM
Introduction to Advocare Services
Christine Zambonetti
Outreach Advocate – Great Southern, Advocare
Christine will explain how Advocare helps older people to understand their rights and to navigate the aged care system. Advocare helps people experiencing elder abuse and creates awareness of issues affecting older people. Rights do not diminish with age.
Christine is a passionate aged care advocate for Advocare with a background in aged care, psychology, and dementia. She is committed to empowering older people through advocacy, education, and information. Living in Albany for over 36 years, Christine is aware of the specific needs of Great Southern communities and is dedicated to helping people understand their rights, navigate the aged care system, and protect themselves from Elder Abuse. Advocare’s vision is power, respect and informed choice for older people.
11-11:30AM
Morning Tea
11:30AM-12:45PM
In Our Words: A Digital Storytelling Workshop
Raffael Di Bartolomeo
Principal Consultant - Two Roads
This interactive workshop will encourage participants to reflect on their digital experiences – moments of connection, frustration, learning, or exclusion. By using simple tools and techniques, participants will be supported to create stories that share their experiences, connect with others and advocate for the needs of their communities. Participants will be invited to contribute to a collection of stories from across WA that will create a rich and diverse understanding of how digital access and barriers shapes their lives.
Raffael has more than 20 years’ experience in the community services and mental health sectors and began his career as a registered psychologist. He has held senior leadership roles in design and strategy and had operational responsibility for mental health, suicide prevention, drug and alcohol, and youth services. He is passionate about working alongside communities to design services and outcomes that meet their needs, including establishing two headspace Centres, a metro‑wide suicide prevention program, and the co‑design of five Medicare Mental Health Centres across Australia. He is committed to elevating community voices and storytelling so people can better influence the decisions that affect their lives.
12:45-1:30PM
Lunch
1:30-2:45PM
Panel Discussion – Keeping Communities Connected
Bethany Findlay
Regional Development and Engagement Manager - NBN Local
Sharon Ansell
Manager - Community Bank Mount Barker
Anthea Hodgson
Senior Relationship Manager - MindSpot GP/MindSpot Clinic
This panel will discuss how regional communities stay connected, supported and resilient in a rapidly changing digital world.
This discussion will be facilitated by Nicole Selesnew.
Bethany Findlay is the Regional Development and Engagement Manager for nbn Local in the Great Southern region. Nbn co. is the company established to design, build, and operate Australia’s wholesale broadband access network, with a purpose to elevate Australia by connecting people and powering progress through fast, reliable, and affordable broadband services.
In her role, Bethany partners with regional communities, businesses, and stakeholders to support, inform, and educate residents and businesses about the benefits of connectivity while identifying opportunities for growth and innovation. Passionate about bridging the digital divide, she is committed to enabling regional Western Australia to thrive in an increasingly connected world.
Sharon Ansell is the Manager of the local Community Bank Mount Barker and has been a dedicated member of the team for 17.5 years. With a deep understanding of the financial needs of the community, Sharon is committed to ensuring that banking services are accessible to everyone, which includes bridging the digital divide.
Sharon is passionate about fostering a community where everyone has the skills and access to participate in the digital world.
Anthea Hodgson is a Registered Mental Health Nurse with over 30 years’ experience in the WA mental health sector. She has spent the past nine years as Senior Relationship Manager at MindSpot GP, working closely with GP’s, health professionals and communities across WA supporting referral pathways and promoting digital psychology services to improve consumer access.
2:45-3:15PM
Afternoon Tea
Stallholders
NBN Local
The nbn is Australia’s national broadband network, designed to deliver fast, reliable internet to homes and businesses across the country. It supports regional growth and digital inclusion by providing improved connectivity through a mix of fibre, fixed wireless and satellite technologies.
Community Bank Mount Barker (Bendigo Bank)
For over 24 years, our Community Bank has been a proud cornerstone of the local community. Our commitment to the community is at the heart of everything we do. We are incredibly proud to have given back over $2 million in grants and sponsorships to local clubs, schools, and not-for-profit organisations. This is a testament to our core belief: when our community thrives, we all thrive.
National Disability Insurance Agency
The NDIA delivers the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The NDIS provides funding to eligible people with disability to gain more time with family and friends, greater independence, access to new skills, jobs, or volunteering in their community, and an improved quality of life. The NDIS also connects anyone with disability to services in their community.
Mount Barker Public Library - Shire of Plantagenet / Albany Public Library
Public libraries help advance digital inclusion by providing free access to computers, internet, online resources and digital skills support. They help ensure everyone can confidently participate in an increasingly digital society.
MindSpot GP Digital Psychology
MindSpot and MindSpot GP is a national digital psychology service providing short-term, evidence based psychological treatment designed to complement the work of community clinicians and primary care providers. Fully funded by the Commonwealth Government and WA Primary Health Alliance, MindSpot/MindSpot GP offers WA residents timely access to Telehealth and clinician guided online treatment, including well validated internet delivered CBT (iCBT).
Mount Barker CRC
The Mount Barker Community Resource Centre (CRC), managed by the Shire of Plantagenet, is dedicated to empowering, connecting and informing the community. As a trusted first stop for people seeking help with online processes, forms and services, the CRC also serves as a welcoming hub to meet, relax and access Wi‑Fi. To meet the growing demand for digital support the CRC is expanding services to include digital skills training sessions and improved access to computers and the internet, complementing the one‑on‑one technical support sessions already offered.
Mount Barker Plantagenet Probus Club Inc
PROBUS Clubs provide retired and semi-retired people the opportunity to connect socially for fun and friendship. Probus clubs hold local monthly meetings with interesting guest speakers, engage in a range of activities, trips and outings for members to participate in depending on their lifestyle.
Advocare
Advocare has been upholding the rights of older people for over 30 years. As a not-for-profit organisation, Advocare gives free and confidential assistance to older people and their families to help them live their life on their terms.