Co-founder of Ice - Turning Family Pain Into Power, Michelle Preston, was overwhelmed with the turnout at a Tough Love seminar in Batemans Bay on Wednesday.
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"It validates everything Donna (Falconer) and I have been doing for three years, from our heart," she said.
"It also shows we've got a big problem. If this many people are here, they all know someone who needs help. Hopefully we can help each other."
The 2017 Western Australian of the Year Peter Lyndon-James, who specialises in tackling drug addiction, spoke at the seminar and at a second event in Moruya on April 4.
Ms Preston welcomed the federal Coalition's promise last month of a Triple Care Farm for Batemans Bay, but said more was needed.
"We're really excited to hear some positive news regarding the rehab and detox centre," she said.
"It is only for 16 to 24-year-olds. We have identified there is a big need for rehab that caters for older people.
"But it's great we can try and get our young ones healed and back on track.
"We need words to turn into bricks and mortar.
"Hopefully this is the beginning of more money coming to our community."
Ms Preston was concerned a 12-week program was too short.
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We need words to turn into bricks and mortar ... hopefully this is the beginning of more money coming to our community
- Michelle Preston
"I don't think a three-month program is enough to really get people back to full-functioning power, but hopefully some of this money will be used for wrap-around support, when they come back into the community," she said.
"That's when things start to fall apart."
She said support was needed for ice addicts entering the community after attending rehab, otherwise it would be like a "revolving door".
"Psychological dependence can last for years," she said.
"It's all well when you're in a centre, where you're getting treatment and you're getting all your support but when you step back into the real world, that's when the real problems come back."
Last month, Gilmore MP Ann Sudmalis announced funding for a Triple Care Farm and a 10-bed rehab clinic in Batemans Bay.
Ms Preston said she was grateful that $9 million was going to the shire, even if there were none further south.
"We've got no public transport in the shire," she said. "But staying in the area is better. It's better for the families too ebcause they start to get introduced into the program at a certain stage. So it's not just one person getting well, it's a whole family.
"It's good for the Indigenous community, if they can stay on Country."
She said the facility needed to be within 20 minutes of a hospital.
The nearest rehabilitation centres are in Queanbeyan, Canberra and Nowra.
READ MORE: Batemans Bay Triple Care Farm pledge
