New Mackay Hub Offers Hope And Housing Support

St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland State President Peter Dougherty  and St Vincent de Paul CEO of Housing Sharon Shearsmith. Photo credit: Hannah McNamara  

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St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland has just opened a new purpose-built support hub in Mackay, aiming to lend a helping hand to the region’s most vulnerable residents experiencing homelessness, financial hardship and housing instability.

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The Mackay Community Support Centre was officially opened on Monday 19^th October as part of the organisation’s mission to deliver more than 500 supported community homes across the state. Over the past 12 months alone, the Society has reportedly supported more than 6,000 people across the Mackay region.

The new development features six one and two-bedroom accommodation units, including a fully accessible ground-floor home, alongside a community support centre offering food and clothing assistance, housing support, a food pantry, donation facilities and private interview spaces.

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Member for Mackay Nigel Dalton welcomed the opening, recognising the longstanding contribution St Vincent de Paul has made to supporting vulnerable members of the community.

“It's wonderful to see six new units being made available through this St Vincent de Paul charity,” he said.

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“It's a great recognition of all the work that many, many people have done over many years from the St Vincent de Paul Society in looking after the vulnerable.”

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Mr Dalton said the development offered hope for the community, highlighting the important role faith-based and Christian organisations play in supporting people through compassion, accommodation and practical assistance when they need it most.

St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland State President Peter Dougherty said the organisation currently assisted approximately 60 people each week in Mackay through its local services, with demand highlighting the importance of continued community support.

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Mr Dougherty said the Society's work was grounded in its Catholic faith and commitment to putting the Gospel into practice through compassion and practical acts of service.

“The values we try to do is live the Gospel. And that's how we demonstrate our faith,” he said.

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“We're commanded to feed people, clothe people, shelter people, and that's where we draw our inspiration from.”

Mr Dougherty added that people did not need to be Catholic to become involved with the organisation, whether as a member, volunteer or through its services.

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St Vincent de Paul CEO of Housing Sharon Shearsmith said the new homes came at a time when housing pressures continued to affect communities across Queensland, with Mackay experiencing increasing rental costs and demand for support.

“Across Queensland, we're finding, increasingly, that people are struggling to maintain their housing,” she said.

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“Across all our services, we're constantly being approached with demand, and the system's stretched.”

At the time of the opening, four tenants were already residing in the new homes, with another expected to move in the following week. Residents have come from a range of circumstances, including homelessness and referrals through local services, St Vincent de Paul members and the Department of Housing.

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Ms Shearsmith said the opportunity to provide a stable home could make a significant difference, particularly for people who had never experienced the security of having somewhere safe to live.

“Overwhelmingly, our tenants are just so grateful, so pleased to be given the opportunity for a home,” she said.

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“For some people, they've never experienced a safe home.”

She said the Mackay development represented an important milestone in the Society's broader housing commitments, with further projects planned across regional Queensland.

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“This is a really proud milestone moment for Vinnie's Housing and the Society,” she said.

“It's been really important for us to work with the local community, to really understand the needs of the community, but also how we can best open homes that people will feel welcome in and that will meet their needs.”

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Ms Shearsmith said bringing together government and community support through developments such as the Mackay hub could help create greater opportunities for people to regain stability.

“It's really great that we have the opportunity to bring together the support of government, of the community, through sites like this, that have access to support services, to really create that hope, and that opportunity for people to get back on track.”

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