Sleepbus to provide shelter for Hervey Bay’s growing homeless population

An increase in driveway surfing, homeless women over 50, and families lining up for food paints a grim picture of Fraser Coast’s worsening homeless crisis. The arrival of the Sleepbus is at least something.

An increase in driveway surfing, homeless women over 50, and families lining up for food paints a grim picture of Fraser Coast’s worsening homeless crisis. The arrival of the Sleepbus is at least something.

The Wide Bay is experiencing a surge in homelessness, according to the Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre’s most recent Strategic Housing issues paper (2021-2022).

Across the nation, more than 640,000 households are experiencing housing stress or homelessness due to the rental crisis.

In Hervey Bay, the number of people facing homelessness has been steadily increasing over the past few years.

The HBNC’s 2022 youth survey found that out of 872 surveyed Fraser Coast teenagers, 12.5 per cent had experienced homelessness, a 2.5 per cent drop from 2021, where 15 per cent of the youth surveyed (out of 1051 participants) had experienced homelessness.

In an article released August 2022, the Queensland Council of Social Services revealed that 1567 people presented to Specialist Homeless Services on the Fraser Coast, with 674 of them being children or teenagers.

QCOSS is currently looking into the updated 2023 statistics for homelessness in Fraser Coast.

Volunteer groups are doing what they can to help the homeless, whether that be by providing food and necessities or offering shelter.

HBNC’s Comfort Kitchen, which provides weekly community meals in Hervey Bay, has noticed a steady increase in people in 2023.

“A total of 228 meals were served in January, 243 in February and 289 in March. This comes after a very busy end of the year for Comfort Kitchen, with 402 meals served in November and 343 in December.”

“While Comfort Kitchen is not exclusively a meal for those experiencing homelessness, and is available for all in the community who need financial or social support, these statistics show the need in our community.”

Josie Street, who is the co-founder of the volunteer group J & T Supporting Homeless - Hervey Bay, has also noticed an increase, notably of women over 50 living on the streets.

“It’s hard to tell how many homeless people are in Hervey Bay from just helping going around the esplanade, especially when people are also sleeping in their cars,” she said.

HBNC said that “the Fraser Coast region is seeing an increase in driveway surfing”.

“That is, renting a driveway for the night to access bathroom facilities and then sleeping in your car.”

Hervey Bay’s homeless problem has caught the eye of the Sleepbus, “a vehicle that provides a safe, temporary overnight accommodation service helping society’s most vulnerable to get off the streets”.

“Sleepbus has had multiple services operating across Australia, which have provided more than 1500 safe sleeps to people in need,” a Sleepbus spokesperson said.

The bus will have “up to 20 secure, climate controlled, individual sleep pods with a lockable door and toilet.” Pictured: Founder Simon Rowe (at the back) with James Wright. Photo: Jeff Dawson/ Echo Publications.

“Everyone is looked after with overnight volunteer caretakers and CCTV surveillance, we have under bus storage for belongings, and pets are welcome to stay also.

“The Sleepbus will open on Saturday, April 22, between 9am-12 noon, at Apex Park carpark and will be based there from 8pm to 8am most nights for a six month trial period, returning to the depot during the day for cleaning and reset tasks.”

Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour responded to the Hervey Sleepbus opening, saying that “homelessness is a very serious issue in communities right across the country”.

“It is pleasing to see innovative approaches like this to help people. Hopefully, people using the service will get help and assistance to find homes.”

Queensland Council of Social Service CEO Aimee McVeigh said Queensland was in the midst of a housing crisis.

Regional Queensland was one of the least affordable places in Australia.

Over the past five years, rents on the Fraser Coast have increased by 35 per cent and since 2018, homelessness across regional Queensland has increased by 29 per cent.