| A New Chapter for Granville as Historic Blouza Hall Becomes The Crest Venue |
** “The beautifully restored Crest Venue preserves more than seven decades
of community history while creating a welcoming home for generations to
come.” — Julia Finn MP
|
A New Chapter for Granville as Historic Blouza Hall Becomes The Crest Venue
21/08/2026
(See translation in Arabic section)
Sydney-Middle East Times Int'l: The well-known Blouza Hall in the heart of Granville has entered an exciting new chapter following the official opening of The Crest Venue on Blaxcell Street—a modern, world-class community space proudly owned and operated by the Australian Blouza Association.
Having worked closely with the Blouza community for decades, witnessing this remarkable transformation is particularly meaningful to me.
The Association has owned and managed the site for the past 20 years. The historic building began life as The Crest Art Deco cinema in 1948 and later became a popular local bingo hall, when the prominent sign outside read “Bingo” before it was eventually changed to “Blouza”.
Over the decades, countless memories have been created at this much-loved venue—from the joyful atmosphere of Blouza balls and family celebrations to the solemn occasions when community members gathered to offer comfort and condolences to grieving families.
This hall has always been a warm and welcoming home for the Granville community, and seeing it restored so beautifully means a great deal to us all.
Crucial to bringing this vision to life was $100,000 in funding from the NSW Government’s Community Building Partnership program. I was immensely proud to support this investment in the restoration of such an important local landmark.
For more than seven decades, the Australian Blouza Association has provided Lebanese Australians with a strong sense of family, belonging and a home away from home.
With its magnificent upgrades now complete, The Crest Venue is open and ready to welcome the entire community—preserving Granville’s rich local history while building a bright future on Blaxcell Street.
Nominations Open for the 2027 Granville Local Woman of the Year
I am inviting local residents to nominate an outstanding woman for the 2027 Granville electorate Local Woman of the Year award.
The annual Local Women of the Year Awards give Members of Parliament an opportunity to recognise and celebrate women whose service, leadership and long-term contributions have made a significant difference in their communities.
I would particularly like to recognise a local woman whose dedication has improved the lives of people across the Granville electorate.
If you know someone whose work deserves wider recognition, I welcome your confidential recommendation by 30 September.
Free Health Advice Anywhere, Anytime
Healthdirect is a free service providing health advice and assistance anywhere, at any time.
The service connects callers with qualified clinicians who can assess their condition, provide detailed medical advice, issue referrals, e-scripts and medical certificates, discuss treatment plans or arrange a virtual appointment with a doctor.
If your condition is not life-threatening but cannot wait until a regular doctor’s appointment becomes available, Healthdirect can connect you with the most appropriate pathway to care.
To access the service, call 1800 022 222.
This service forms part of the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to rebuilding the health system across the Granville electorate. The Government is:
• Recruiting more nurses, doctors and paramedics, including introducing additional nurse-to-patient ratios in busy emergency departments.
• Building more hospitals and delivering additional beds more quickly.
• Making it easier for people to access essential services and medicines, including empowering trained GPs to diagnose and treat ADHD and enabling pharmacists to treat certain non-complex conditions.
•
My Office Is Here to Help
Over the years, my office has assisted thousands of Granville electorate residents with a wide range of NSW Government matters and concerns.
My office can assist you and your family with matters involving:
• Schools and TAFE
• Hospitals and health services
• Public transport
• Cost-of-living support, rebates and savings
• Fair Trading
• Family and community services
• Housing
• Policing and law enforcement
• Roads
If I can assist you with a NSW Government matter, please contact my office:
Phone: (02) 9637 1656
Email:granville@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Website: Julia Finn MP
Yours sincerely,
Julia Finn MP
State Member for Granville
Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier
Parliamentary Secretary for the Arts |
