Massive community support has helped drive donations after only seven months of efforts. 

“There’s still a lot of community events still coming,” director Vicki Jellie said. 

“We’re at $4.5 million so there’s only $500,000 to go.”

The Target $5 Million campaign was launched last year at the Lighthouse Theatre amid the federal election campaign and a frenzy of local support. 

Both the state and federal governments committed last year to fund the $30 million centre.

Ms Jellie has also outlined how Peter’s Project will operate after the centre is built.  “We’ll still continue — not in the way we have but we’ll continue as a Peter’s Project foundation, which will act as an auxiliary to the cancer centre.

“Any excess funds that come afterwards, like the Peter’s Project house being built, the bonus of that will go into the foundation which will be for the ongoing support of patients and their families. 

“We’ll help other regional cancer units in hospitals.”

Last week tenders also opened for construction of the centre with three companies vying for the contract. 

Ms Jellie and other campaigners will meet the groups with the health department in the coming months.

“It’s exciting. We should know who runs the centre in July or August.”

“Maybe we’ll get it early.”