Historic church to play key role in Kilkivan, Qld, aged care dream

A decade-long dream of allowing a Qld town’s residents to grow old in the place they love is one step closer to reality with the purchase of an historic church.

Rosie Fitzgerald’s (left) decade-long dream of helping Kilkivan’s residents grow old in the regional town they love is one step closer to reality.

For a century the historic Catholic Church of St Kevin served as a religious hub for residents of the regional town of Kilkivan.

Now it is being transformed into a new kind of hub, one which will bring Rosie Fitzgerald’s decade-long dream of improved aged care in the township, about 50km west of Gympie, closer to reality.

The Kilkivan and District Community Care Association, of which Ms Fitzgerald is the president, took ownership of the 100-year-old building on Tuesday in what was described in a media release from the association as a “bittersweet victory”.

This was due to the small problem of the group not yet having secured full funding for the purchase.

A GoFundMe campaign has so far raised $22,600, about one quarter of its $100,000 goal, since its launch in February.

Rosie Fitzgerald’s (left) decade-long dream of helping Kilkivan’s residents grow old in the regional town they love is one step closer to reality.

Mrs Fitzgerald said Wednesday what allowed the group to take ownership of the building as a generous, interest free loan from her partner Steve Horseman.

The loan had given the association breathing room, she said.

Having the church under the association’s belt meant the group had now ticked off three of the four key goals it had set in its “ageing in place” plan.

‘We strongly felt the iconic church property could be perfect for a community centre and maybe an enterprise such as an art gallery or coffee shop; lots of options that would fit perfectly with our vision,’ Ms Fitzgerald said in a media release.

The first two goals were the creation of a community transport service and improving in-home care offerings.

Since 2019 when the association was created, it has established Kilkivan Care, which co-ordinates home care packages to more than 30 clients in Kilkivan, Tansey, Woolooga and Goomeri, and raised funds to buy a bus for community transport.

Last on the list, still incomplete, was creating accessible accommodation with around-the-clock supervision.

Kilkivan and District Community Care president Rosie Fitzgerald (left) with treasurer Lyn Sempf holding the keys to the historic St Kevin’s church at Kilkivan.

Mrs Fitzgerald said this would ideally be addressed by building a share house and accessible rentals on vacant land next to the church.

The land is owned by the Gympie Regional Council.

Securing full financial backing to cover the cost of the church was not the only hurdle still in the way, though.

‘It’s astonishing that, in a political and economic climate loaded with policy and rhetoric about supporting the ageing population and providing appropriate place-based housing that is within reach of people on all income levels, that our innovative concept is not attracting funding and partnerships,” Mrs Fitzgerald said.

Despite these ongoing issues, the deal for the church was itself a win for Kilkivan across the board.

“Our members and the general community are happy and relieved St Kevin’s won’t be demolished or moved away, and we will be marking the settlement day with a small celebration,’ Ms Fitzgerald said.