Poatina, a “community of hope” brings together a superb tourist venue, an employment programme and a spontaneous Village which believes “it takes a community to raise a child”.

Poatina was purchased by Fusion Australia in 1995. An Aboriginal word meaning “shelter” or “cave”, Poatina provides a unique opportunity to care for homeless and unemployed young people in a supportive atmosphere and offers a wide range of training and job skills.

For many young people with social difficulties, unemployment and homelessness go hand in hand. Distinct advantages come in being able to remove “at risk” young people from their normal surroundings where established patterns of behaviour are often destructive and unhelpful.

Over a number of years Fusion’s experience has confirmed the conviction that lives are changed when young people come into contact with a vigorous community modeling effective values, which itself has regular and meaningful contact with the broader community.

Our working philosophy of “vocational rehabilitation” has therefore been developed and our experience has been that most of our young people have reached the point where they are ready to take up normal working and independent living situations. Poatina Village is a working model of this “vocational rehabilitation” providing numerous opportunities for young people to gain valuable skills and rebuild their lives.

Poatina is now a place of growth! Its children are thriving and they enjoy life to the fullest. The Village has gone in the opposite direction of statistics, with over 40% of the population being under the age of 18 years!

Many people have been profoundly affected by contact with Poatina. Within days people feel at home in a special way - even visiting tourists!

Poatina is a beautiful village 60km from Launceston and 170km from Hobart. It enjoys spectacular and majestic views of the Great Western Tiers, and is surrounded by the best of Tasmania’s inland fishing rivers & lakes. Being in the heart of Tasmania, it is in easy reach of all major tourist destinations and makes the ideal location for a family holiday.

Built in the late 1950’s, the Village boasts superb facilities including a 3 star Golden Chain Motel, Mountain View Restaurant, Mountain Cottages, backpackers hostel, 54 brick veneer houses, community hall, offices, general store and other shops, service station, Post Office, metal fabrication workshop, Training Centre, audio studio, HeartFM community radio station, 9 hole golf course, tennis court, swimming centre, playground, free electric BBQs and 24 hour Public Toilets.

The township and golf course are set on 100 acres of land, with an additional 350 acres of surrounding bushland and pasture.

Legal ownership of houses is by way of Stratum Title and Poatina has its own Body Corporate. The Chalet, educational and community buildings are owned and managed by Fusion.

In January 1996, Fusion’s 6 month residential Youth & Community Work (Christian) Course moved to Poatina, and in 1998, Fusion became a Nationally Recognised Training provider. The Course received accreditation and eligible students are able to receive Austudy. The Course is offered as a VET (Vocational Education Training) Certificate IV, after which students have the option of completing a Diploma in conjunction with a placement at a Fusion Centre. Since then an Advanced Diploma in Youth & Community Work (Christian) course has been developed, and there are Over ninety students (some residential, some part-time) presently undertaking studies.

By individual negotiations with the Edith Cowan University, graduates are able to articulate their Diploma into a Youth Work Degree.