Blak Fig Cafe serves up more than coffees for community

South East Water 2024 Community Grant recipient First Peoples’ Health and Wellbeing Blak Fig Cafe is now open in Frankston.  

More than just a cafe, Blak Fig is a local enterprise offering opportunities through vocational training and employment for local First Nations people.  

Blak Fig Cafe manager Mona Soliman said their grant will help trainees gain hospitality certificates as well as skills for the future.  

“We’re excited to have recruited our first hospitality trainees and are very grateful to the local community for the support they’ve showed us since opening.” 

Located at the front of Blak Fig Cafe is a new Choose Tap drink fountain, with Aboriginal artwork designed by Michelle Kerrin. 

The fountain features a water bubbler, bottle refill tap, a dog water bowl, solar lighting and a digital water meter – which shows how many plastic bottles have been saved from landfill and the CO2 emissions saved from producing these. 

“We’re proud to support Blak Fig Cafe to provide meaningful opportunities for training, employment and future skills,” said South East Water General Manager Strategy and Stakeholder, Karen Lau. 

First Peoples’ Health and Wellbeing is a registered charity and Aboriginal community-controlled health organisation providing culturally safe and trauma-informed healthcare through clinics in Frankston and Thomastown.  

The South East Water Community Grants program helps make grassroots community projects possible, supporting the community in the areas of affordability, health and liveability, environment and water security and knowledge. 

Address: 401-403 Nepean Highway, Frankston 

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8am-3pm 

Applications open for the 2025 program on 17 February 2025. 

Learn more about the South East Water Community Grants at southeastwater.com.au/grants. 

For more information about Choose Tap you can visit choosetap.com.au.