Anyone who needs a place to wash and dry their clothes can visit the centre at the Bega Showground and use the facility.

"Although it's not yet ready to roll for the region's homeless and disadvantaged, it's ready enough to be used now," BDN editor Ben Smyth said.

"If it gives anybody a bit of a lift, that's what it's there for."

Australian Community Media sales manager Tim Shinnick helped set up the van at the centre on Sunday, where he said people had already been very appreciative of the service.

"It's not the launch we wanted; it's not fully finished yet, but we thought there was no point in it sitting there not being used," he said.

The original idea was to create a fully-contained laundrette made available for free to the region's homeless.

It is planned to have counselling support workers on hand so there is someone to talk to while people wait for their load to finish.

Eventually the van will be travelling on a schedule from Narooma to Eden, parking at locations deemed appropriate for the privacy of clients.

The van could not have been created without the help and support of the community.

While Bega District News and Australian Community Media launched the initiative in September last year, Tarra Motors donated a Volkswagen Transporter worth $45,000 for the project and both the washing machine and a dryer were donated by Betta Home Living Bega.

READ MORE: BDN's mobile laundry begins to take shape

Bega Valley plumber Brad McBain volunteered his services to install fittings in the van ready to accommodate a washing machine, and Brad and Joel Tamatea worked out the best way to install the fittings into the framework of the van without damaging the external panels.

"Everyone asked for help gave it to us without asking any questions," Mr Shinnick said.

He said once the Bega evacuation centre starts to empty the van will be taken to Cobargo.

If anyone wants to see the van in their village or locality, call Mr Shinnick on 0400 337 974.