The Timor Street centre is Deakin’s first central Warrnambool base for 20 years and is designed to provide a convenient site for current and prospective students and staff to strengthen ties with the community.

Warrnambool community relations manager for the university, Geraldine Moloney, said the centre was becoming the ‘go to’ place for neutral meeting spaces and easy access to technology.

Seventy-three of the events at the centre were for external organisations, while 23 per cent were for Deakin internal events. They included or involved a broad range of organisations, guests and speakers.

Ms Moloney said the usage by Deakin students and staff had started on a solid base and was growing rapidly.

The local university has entered into a long-term lease with Warrnambool City Council for the former Regal Cafe in Timor Street and is investing $1 million in the refurbishment and redevelopment of the building over the next three years.