In 2024, a small group of Muslim families in Warragul did something that had never been done in Baw Baw Shire before. They incorporated an association, signed a lease on a building in the middle of town, laid carpet, installed a minbar, and opened the doors to the first mosque the region had ever had.
This is how it happened, and where it is heading.
A Gap Nobody Talked About
For years, the Muslim community of Baw Baw Shire was largely invisible.
There was no mosque within 45 kilometres. No community hall. No place to pray Jummah without making a two-hour round trip to Morwell or Cranbourne. No venue for Eid prayers, Ramadan iftaar, or Quran classes for children. With over 250 Muslim residents in the shire, that was a gap that had real consequences for people's lives.
"We were travelling every Friday," one of the founding BINAI members said. "Sometimes I would leave at midday and get back at 3:30. It was exhausting. For families with young kids, it was basically impossible."
The absence of a mosque also had a quieter effect. It made it harder for Muslim families to feel like they truly belonged here. A mosque is not just a building. It is where people gather, where children learn, where funerals are held, where new arrivals find community, and where anyone who needs support can find it.
Starting BINAI
BawBaw Islamic Network Australia Inc., or BINAI, was incorporated in 2024 as a non-profit incorporated association under the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012 (Vic). Registration number: A0124531I.
The founders were clear from the start about what they wanted to do:
- Establish a mosque in Warragul to serve the local Muslim community
- Provide Islamic education, Quran classes, and Arabic for children and adults
- Build genuine relationships with the wider Baw Baw Shire community through interfaith events and open dialogue
They were also clear about what kind of organisation BINAI would be. Non-profit, fully transparent, community-governed. Every dollar raised must be used for community purposes. Financial records are maintained in line with Victorian law and ACNC requirements.
Finding a Home
The search for premises was not easy. A mosque needs a large, open space for prayer, ablution facilities, enough room for a congregation, and a landlord willing to lease to a religious organisation.
In early 2025, BINAI signed a lease at 72 Victoria Street, Warragul, a central location close to the train station and the CBD. The fit-out started immediately. Carpet was installed. Bookshelves and acoustic panels went in. A custom wooden minbar was built. Safety requirements were met.
On December 1, 2024, Warragul Mosque held its first Jummah prayer. Over 200 people attended. Some had been waiting years for this day.
What Has Been Built
In a short time, the mosque has become a genuine part of Warragul's community life:
- Weekly Jummah prayer, with over 200 worshippers every Friday
- Sunday Quran classes for children
- Community Open Day in 2025, with over 1,000 neighbours attending
- School visits from St Joseph's Primary and St Paul's Anglican Grammar
- Eid ul-Fitr celebrations with 300+ in attendance
- Iftaar dinners during Ramadan, open to the whole community
- Full Taraweeh prayers through Ramadan 2026, including the first Khatam
- A second Community Open Day in 2026
BINAI is also registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), which provides an additional layer of accountability and public trust.
What the Community Has Said
The response from Warragul and the wider Baw Baw Shire has been genuinely warm. Local schools have brought students for interfaith visits. Baw Baw Shire Council has listed BINAI in its official community directory. The Islamic Council of Victoria has recognised the mosque. ABC News covered the opening in March 2025, describing how the mosque was elevating belonging for Muslim families across the region.
People who came to the Open Day expecting to feel like an outsider left feeling welcomed. That is what the community has built here.
The Next Step
The current premises at 72 Victoria Street are leased. The long-term goal is to buy land and build a permanent mosque facility in Warragul. A building with a proper prayer hall large enough for the growing congregation, dedicated wudu (ablution) facilities, classrooms for education programs, and a community hall for events.
The fundraising target is $800,000. Every donation, large or small, moves the community closer to that goal.
If you want to support the project, visit binai.org.au to donate, or transfer directly:
- PayID: hello@binai.org.au
- Bank transfer: BSB 013885, Account 174173227 (Baw Baw Islamic Network Australia Inc.)
- Online (including overseas): via the website using Stripe or Square
A Note from BINAI
This mosque was not built for any one person or family. It was built for the children growing up in Warragul who should be able to learn their faith in their own town. For the elderly who cannot make the long drive to Melbourne anymore. For new arrivals who need community around them. And for the neighbours of all backgrounds who have shown us, again and again, that Warragul is a town that knows how to welcome people.
We are grateful for every person who has been part of this so far. And we would love for you to be part of what comes next.
BawBaw Islamic Network Australia Inc. (BINAI) is a registered charity (ACNC) and incorporated association (A0124531I). ABN: 16 723 284 175.