Volunteers Call For Community Support As Safe Sleep Bus Project Nears Launch

Safe Sleep Mackay is one step closer to providing a safe night’s rest for people sleeping rough, following the arrival of the region’s third Safe Sleep Bus.

The charitable community group, led by volunteers, has spent months working to fit out three buses that will offer temporary overnight refuge for people experiencing homelessness. Each vehicle will feature private, secure sleeping pods designed to provide guests with a place to rest safely, regroup, and begin rebuilding their lives.

Project lead Lisa Jamieson said the team is taking a “slow and steady” approach to ensure everything runs smoothly.

“We’re really making sure that we go slow and steady and that we get the process right,” she said. “So, it’ll only be one bus to start with, and that’s something we will build on.”

The group hopes to have the first bus operational in the New Year, and will be needing ongoing community funding and support to sustain the service. About $50,000 is still needed to complete the fit-outs, covering essentials such as air-conditioning, tyres, batteries, radios, and safety equipment.

Ms Jamieson said the aim is to provide a small but vital respite for those without housing.

“These buses are here as a temporary relief. We know it’s not a permanent solution, but we’re doing everything we can to provide a safe place for people to sleep,” she said.

“Sleep changes everything. That little bit of sleep is going to make a real difference to those who are sleeping rough.”

“Right now, we’re calling on the community to help us in any way they can to get the final equipment needed so we can get these buses up and running on the road.”

Local business DGH Engineering has provided space and technical assistance to help get the vehicles ready.

“We’re very happy to be part of the project and help out where we can,” said DGH Workshop Manager Cameron Horn.

“We think it’s an excellent service for the community, and something that’s really needed on the streets.”

While the initiative has widespread support, frontline homelessness service representatives have raised concerns about practical and safety risks.

One local service leader said that safety risks are heightened for vulnerable groups, particularly single women experiencing violence, if multiple individuals are placed on a bus without trained staff.

They emphasised that “innovative responses to homelessness are vital, but they must be safe, sustainable, and realistically deliverable.”

Balancing these concerns, the same representative also acknowledged the good intentions behind the project.

“The initiative is clearly a well-intentioned response to a deeply felt need in our community, and it’s heartening to see local support and generosity behind it.

“At the same time, given the complexity of homelessness and the vulnerability of those experiencing it, I do hold significant concerns about how the project will operate in practice – particularly around safety, sustainability, and alignment with existing services.”

Safe Sleep Mackay continues to call for donations of materials, labour, and funding to help complete the buses. Those wishing to assist can visit www.chancesmackay.org/ssm or follow Safe Sleep Mackay on Facebook.

With continued community generosity, the group hopes to have Mackay’s first Safe Sleep Bus in service early in the new year, offering a small but meaningful step toward ensuring everyone in the region has access to a safe night’s sleep.

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Safe Sleep Mackay is preparing to launch its first of three buses in the New Year, offering temporary overnight refuge for people sleeping rough..

Safe Sleep Mackay Volunteer Antoinette du Toit, Project lead Lisa Jamieson and DGH Workshop Manager Cameron Horn. Photo credit: Hannah McNamara

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