Free laundry service Orange Sky sees demand skyrocket in Mackay

Not-for-profit group Orange Sky said its laundry, breakfast service has seen a 10 per cent increase in demand as Mackay copes with a housing crisis.

Orange Sky promoting its free laundry services and said demand is skyrocketing in Mackay. Photo taken January 23, 2024. Picture: Luke Lay

A not-for-profit organisation offering laundry services has seen its service demand increase by ten per cent.

Beginning as a portable laundromat, Orange Sky has two permanent stations in Sarina and Mackay offering free breakfast in the morning and free to use washing machines.

But for Co-founder Nic Marchesi, the most important service they provide was having someone to talk to.

“What we’ve been blown away with at OS, even more so than a clean set of clothes is the community connection,” he said.

“We really encourage anyone in the community that may need their clothes washed or may know someone that needs community connection to jump on our website.”

The project runs off the back of about 80 volunteers between the Sarina laundry pod, set up behind the local library, and Mackay’s at St Vincent De Paul which was due to relocate.

Greg Williamson noted Orange Sky’s work in the community was crucial. Picture: Luke Lay

Volunteer service leader, Lisa Jamieson said they could expect up to 30 people, ranging from families arriving before school, to men in their 60s and 70s looking to clean their clothes and to have a chat.

“We got a lot of our older generation,” she said.

“It’s just more of a hidden demographic. Being seen needing help, you need to be safe in yourself to ask for help and we believe it’s what our service does.”

Greg Williamson said while homelessness had become an endemic issue in Queensland and specifically in Mackay where the vacancy rate had dropped to below 0.6 per cent, state and local governments needed a whole community approach.

“In terms of provisions of extra services and facilities, by supporting groups like orange sky, it’ll do a fantastic amount for the community,” he said.

As part of their election costings, the state government revealed a $41m shortfall to specialist homelessness services though Mr Williamson said their commitment to providing homes would benefit communities in the long run.

“If we can provide homes at the general level, it trickles down to the fact of getting people who are sleeping rough in the region off the streets right now,” he said.

Originally published as Free laundry service Orange Sky sees demand skyrocket in Mackay