Rockhampton Alcohol and Other Drugs Rehabilitation Facility: Binbi Yadubay resident shares experience

A resident of Rockhampton’s new alcohol and other drugs rehab facility has shared their incredible story of beating addiction and how the facility has changed their life. Read his inspiring story here.

In the space of seven months, Rockhampton’s new alcohol and other drugs rehabilitation facility has supported more than 100 people in beating their addiction and changing their life for the better.

Among the success stories is Adam, whose name has been changed for privacy purposes.

Adam sat down and shared his experience at Binbi Yadubay, the name of the facility, derived from the local Darumbal language, meaning ‘healthy beginnings’.

The individual residential adult units.

“I was having some problems with drinking and other drugs, I ran into someone and we were talking and they told me about this place (Binbi Yadubay),” he said.

Adam was an alcoholic and had been for the past decade, drinking wine and whatever he could get his hands on every day.

“I lost a lot of people in my family, I lost myself there too,” he said.

“I lost a lot of my years to alcohol and other drugs.

“I didn’t realise until I had nowhere to live, just going to the bottle shop everyday.

“I never thought I had a second chance until I found this place.”

A chef by trade, Adam’s alcoholism seeped into his work life.

“I just couldn’t hold my job, just kept turning back to the alcohol, it just came to the point where I had to get help,” he said.

The outdoor area and rural setting at Binbi Yadubay.

When speaking to this publication, he had completed six weeks in the rehab centre and had another six weeks to go.

Adam has completely transformed himself and come such a long way in the short time he has been in rehab.

“I was really irritated when I first came here … the first few days were really hard but the staff reached out to us and gave us tools to manage it (the addiction),” he said.

An average day at the facility consists of a lot of group programs and sessions, where the residents are taught life skills, like cooking, and mindfulness tools to help with their addiction.

The facility uses an evidence-based rehabilitation program, working closely with the University of Queensland, developed from other randomised trials that have worked in other rehab centres in Australia.

“When I first got here, I didn’t really believe in myself and the staff and the people around me made me realise there was more to life,” Adam said.

“I’ve been here about six weeks now, just every day I am getting better.

“I work in the kitchen a fair bit, I teach a lot of clients too.

The community garden resident take part in tending to and learn gardening skills.

“I never thought I would reach six weeks … and I would find myself this clear, my mind is really clear these days.

“It’s hard to put in words … It has done wonders for me.”

While he has been in rehab, Adam has been able to get back in touch with his family which has been really special.

“They are really proud, my Dad and my sister are proud,” he said.

The staff are also preparing him for a life outside of rehab and have been helping him apply for jobs and housing.

“Every class they teach us about what life is going to be throwing at us,” Adam said.

“When you get close to your leaving, they teach you tools to manage things.”

Inside the communal dining hall. Residents learn new skills and often help in the kitchen.

A standing testament to turning your life around, Adam hoped his story would inspire others.

“Give this place a go, it will help you, I never ever thought I would be this person sitting in this seat giving advice,” he said.

“I’d be lost without this place, it changed my life.

“There is a second chance, there is a third chance, give it a go.”

Mikel Gellatly, manager of clinical services at Binbi Yadubay.

Binbi Yadubay clinical manager Mikel Gellatly proudly sat next to Adam as he shared his story.

“Our purpose as an organisation is to support people to live their life well and when you hear that kind of feedback, and you support clients through that success … that’s what we are here to do and what keeps you coming back,” he said.

“That’s what inspires me to do this job.”

The $16 million facility is the first purpose-built public residential rehabilitation facility in the state, funded by the state government.

It is also the first facility in the state to offer withdrawal, rehabilitation and family units on the one site, allowing residents to go through their whole rehab journey at the one place.

The facility has 32 single adult individual private rehabilitation units, an eight-bed withdrawal unit and two three-bedroom family units for parents with children up to the ages of 10.

The single bedroom in the private adult unit at the centre.

They are also looking to expand the facility in the near future with a sensory therapy garden on nearby bushland and build a shed for a gym and games room.

Fees are no barrier to treatment for residents, as the facility is Queensland Government funded.

Since opening in December 2021, the service has assessed more than 220 people and 104 residents have entered treatment.

The top concern has been alcohol, about 45 per cent of residents, methamphetamines with 38 per cent, cannabis about 7 per cent and other drugs 7 per cent.

About two-thirds of the residents have been aged between 26 and 45.

Binbi Yadubay has two family units for parents with children up to age 10 with a shared playground in between.

There is also continued support once the residents finish their treatment at the facility through Lives Lived Well with day programs, counselling and other outreach services.

The facility is supported by about 35 staff who work on a 24/7 roster.

“The staff are great, they are a really engaged team, we really concentrate on that as an organisation,” Mr Gellatly said.

“You can’t deliver a good quality service with good quality outcomes if you don’t have the right staff.

“You can go anywhere with the right people.”

The Rockhampton centre has private individual units rather than shared rooms like other rehab facilities around the country.

Mr Gellatly said the facility’s partnership with the hospital and University of Queensland on their evidence-based program approach had been crucial.

“We really are at the cutting edge of drug and alcohol service delivery,” he said.

“All of the group content has been tested in trials at our other sites previously. Social, emotional, physical wellbeing, skills based groups to equip clients with the skills and strategies they need to succeed in life when they finish.”

Health professionals and the community lobbied the government for the facility for years.

Before it was opened, the closest rehab facilities were in Mackay and south-east Queensland.

“Having this service in Rockhampton where people can access these treatments close to home, is so important to the whole of the Central Queensland region,” Mr Gellatly said.

“Previously people would have had to travel quite a distance to access this type of treatment and support and now they can close to their loved ones and support network.”

Originally published as Rockhampton Alcohol and Other Drugs Rehabilitation Facility: Binbi Yadubay resident shares experience