New social housing complex delivers for Rockhampton residents with mobility challenges

Joanna Gilchrist, Joan Bennetts, Kayleen Oates and Gayleen Baker are just some of the Rockhampton residents with mobility challenges who have a new lease on life. Here’s why.

From left: Barry O'Rourke, Joan Bennetts, Leeanne Enoch, Kayleen Oates, Gayleen Baker and Joanna Gilchrist.

As she sat in her wheelchair in the Winter sun on Friday, Joanna Gilchrist’s smile told the real story.

Accompanied by her friends Joan Bennetts, Kayleen Oates and Gayleen Baker, they were the faces of a project which has delivered a better quality of living to North Rockhampton residents with mobility issues.

The place the women call home, a new $2 million plus social housing complex in the Frenchville suburb, was officially opened by the Queensland Government.

The Kerrigan Street complex consists of five one-bedroom and two two-bedroom apartments and provides better homes for people in need, as Rockhampton MP Barry O’Rourke explained.

“Three of the homes are built to gold standard of the Livable Housing Guidelines, which means they have wider hallways and doorways, level showers and thresholds and provision for grab rails,” Mr O’Rourke said.

“This makes them accessible for people with mobility issues and allows residents to age in place.

“Another two have been built to platinum standard, meaning they are suitable for people who mobilise in wheelchairs.

“The construction of these apartments reflects the generational shift from larger family homes to a demand for one and two-bedroom homes that meet local needs.”

The first tenants at the Kerrigan Street complex moved in to their new homes in February.

Minister for Communities and Housing Leeanne Enoch said the government was backing the largest concentrated investment in social housing in Queensland’s history to the tune of $2.9 billion in funding.

Also on Friday, it was announced the Queensland Government would build a new $4.55 million neighbourhood centre - the first of its kind - in Rockhampton following the purchase of land on Musgrave Street.

Keppel MP Brittany Lauga said the new Rockhampton neighbourhood centre would be purpose built, providing a safe and accessible place for people to seek support and connect with their community.

“It will serve as a place where people can come together, connect and share in activities and events and overcome feelings of social isolation and loneliness,” Ms Lauga said.

Ms Enoch said construction of the facility was expected to begin later in the year, with the centre to be up and running in the second half of next year.

“The construction of a new centre will improve access to community events, programs, information, and advice and referral services for the Rockhampton community, including for people experiencing domestic and family violence, social isolation and loneliness, homelessness and financial stress, people with disability and First Nations people,” she said.

Ms Enoch said the centre would also provide a boost to the local economy, supporting about 14 full-time equivalent construction jobs.