The new facility comprises six units and offers core support services. Image: Supplied.
CONTENT WARNING: This story refers to domestic and family violence.
Six units are set to bring “safety, accommodation and dignity” to victim-survivors of domestic and family violence in an expansion of support services in a southern NSW town.
The units reflect the Core and Cluster model, under which self-contained accommodation units are built near communal facilities.
Funding for a site in Queanbeyan was first announced in late 2022.
Housing Plus received $7.2 million to deliver the project, which comprises six units alongside a central facility. In the core facility, Molonglo Support Services Ltd will deliver on-site specialist support services to women and children.
“These purpose-built facilities reflect our ongoing commitment to providing safe, supported accommodation for women and children,” said interim CEO of Housing Plus Group Bryan Mason.
“Through strong partnerships with local organisations such as Molonglo, we are pleased to deliver vital services that will make a lasting difference in the lives of those who need them most.”
The refuge has been designed to meet the needs of diverse families, with a mix of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. Each unit is designed to provide safety and privacy.
They feature a kitchen, bathroom, laundry and an outdoor area (including space for pets). One of the one-bedroom units is fully wheelchair-accessible, while the core facilities have also been designed to support people with restricted mobility.
Molonglo Support Services executive officer Julie Abrahams said the new facility brought “safety, accommodation and dignity” to women and children in need.
“It will allow them to access the supports they need to move forward and live a life free from harm,” she said.
“The accommodation will help relieve pressure for existing services with limited housing options currently available, which is a major issue women and children face in our region that prevents them from escaping the cycle of harm.”
The central core facilities will feature indoor and outdoor play spaces for children and communal areas for residents to connect. This means they can recover and connect in a barbecue space and a dedicated yarning circle to support cultural healing.
The investment forms part of the NSW Government’s $426.6 million Core and Cluster program. Once complete, it will support more than 2900 additional victim-survivors of domestic and family violence each year.
In April, three units opened in the Eurobodalla Shire.
NSW Nationals Upper House member Nichole Overall also welcomed the new service.
“Domestic and family violence is one of the leading causes of homelessness for women and children,” she said.
“That’s why the Coalition backed a model that provides not just emergency accommodation, but a safe space to plan for the future.”
If this story has raised any concerns for you, 1800RESPECT, the national 24-hour sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line, can be contacted on 1800 737 732. Help and support are also available through the NSW Domestic Violence Line on 1800 65 64 63 (24 hours a day, seven days a week), 13 YARN on 13 92 76 and Lifeline on 13 11 14. In an emergency, call triple zero.
