Daniel Morcombe Foundation reveals plans for Maleny charity home

More than 20 years after Daniel Morcombe’s disappearance, his parents’ foundation is launching its most ambitious fundraising project yet to protect children.

The Daniel Morcombe Foundation is building a home in Maleny to auction off as a fundraising venture.

A Sunshine Coast organisation passionate about child protection will start a landmark project to raise funds for ongoing safety education.

To mark Child Protection Week, the Daniel Morcombe Foundation is building a home, to auction off, to raise funds and awareness in child protection.

Bruce Morcombe said he hoped the single-storey, four-bedroom home would be auctioned off for about $1.5m and said the home would be a “substantial size” and well finished with an open fireplace and a “better range” of fixtures.

The organisation will start work on the residential development in Maleny, with the home set to be completed and sold in 2026.

The first sod was ceremoniously turned today, September 9, on the project in front of a crowd including federal MP Andrew Wallace, state police minister Dan Purdie, Member for Nicklin Marty Hunt and the builders and tradies making the home happen.

Denise and Bruce Morcombe with Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace.

The profit from the sale will be directed to the Daniel Morcombe Foundation to support child safety education, advocacy and young victims of crime in the Sunshine Coast community.

Earlier this year, Mr Morcombe and his wife Denise marked 20 years of the Daniel Morcombe Foundation.

Bruce and Denise Morcombe are the parents of 13-year-old Queenslander Daniel Morcombe and they earlier this year marked the foundation of their organisation 20 years ago. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Their son Daniel disappeared after the then 13-year-old told family members he was going to a Sunshine Coast shopping centre for Christmas presents on December 7, 2003.

His body was found in 2011.

Earlier this year, the foundation released a documentary, Don’t Waste It: The Daniel Morcombe Story, which is not only a tribute to the legacy of the teenager in the red T-shirt whose story has helped millions of children learn about child safety, but a challenge for us all to turn our tragedies into powerful stories of change.

The state government has also started the process of creating legislation giving Queenslanders access to personal information of convicted child sex offenders, which will be named “Daniel’s Law” after Daniel.

The Daniel Morcombe Foundation is building a home in Maleny to auction off as a fundraising venture.

Mrs Morcombe said the support from the community was incredible, especially after builders had also gone through tough times during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“When they heard about the project coming on, they’ve all just jumped on board,” she said.

Mr Morcombe said it was “staggering” the amount of help the foundation received from builders, tradies and suppliers when it puts the call out for help.

“We love them for that,” he said.

Several businesses have stepped forward to contribute to the project and the foundation is joining forces with Murphy Group to build the home.

Murphy Group managing director Mark Berry said even though the business worked in construction, it could still play a part in keeping children safe.

“This is the perfect project for the construction industry to get involved in to help protect kids,” he said.