NQ Quality Care grows from home business to supporting clients around NQ

Providing exceptional disability services promoting independence and empowerment, a disability provider has grown from a home business to an office on Thuringowa Drive. See how they’re helping.

Colliers NQ Quality Care directors Stephen Travers, Sarah Travers, Karen Manning and Lauren Rawlins, pictured at their new premises. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Treating its North Queensland clients as more than just a number, an emerging Townsville disability provider has gone from strength to strength, growing from home and library-based operation to securing its first commercial premises within a year.

NQ Quality Care was founded last year by four veterans of the disability sector with the goal of providing exceptional disability services that promote independence, inclusion, and empowerment for individuals with disabilities.

Over the past 12 months, NQ Quality Care chief operations manager Sarah Travers said they had grown from having a “handful” of staff to eight office workers and 40 support workers in the field.

“We’ve probably had over 75 per cent growth since we started. We wouldn’t be able to have it without the collaborative relationships that we have with people in this industry,” Ms Travers said.

“But we also wouldn’t be able to have it without our clients, talking about the services we provide with their friends and people that they know in the community and those people have come on board.

Colliers Leasing executive Shaun McLaren with NQ Quality Care directors Sarah Travers, Stephen Travers, Lauren Rawlins and Karen Manning pictured at their new premises. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“It makes me proud as a business owner to see the positive impacts that our support staff are having, and the support from the office is reaching further and further into the community.”

Thanks to the flow of funding from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), she said they were able to deliver person-centred care tailored to each individual’s unique needs and goals throughout Townsville, Ayr, Ingham, Charters Towers and Cardwell.

Inside NQ Quality Care's new office at 54 Thuringowa Drv, Kirwan. Picture: Colliers.

“Since the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has come out, it has given more people choice and control for what they need in their life,” Ms Travers said.

“It has given more people a voice to speak up and say, ‘this is what I’m dealing with. And this is the support I need’, and this is where someone like us comes along and says ‘we hear you, you have a voice, we respect that voice, we understand that voice, we hear you, and we want to tailor the support to you and your needs’.”

Given that support work lacked wider community recognition, the business was quietly working on a plan to “recognise the heroes of this industry” in 2025.

Ms Travers said they signed a three year lease for the former First National Real Estate building at 54 Thuringowa Drv, Kirwan, with the assistance of Colliers Townsville senior sales and leasing executive Shaun McLaren.

Inside NQ Quality Care's new office at 54 Thuringowa Drv, Kirwan. Picture: Colliers.

Mr McLaren said the office had great exposure and a signage opportunity to capture the attention of 26,000 vehicles passing daily.

“The practical office fit out suited their needs really well. Combined with ample parking, this tenancy was ideal to help them grow their business,” he said.

Originally published as NQ Quality Care grows from home business to supporting clients around NQ