Branch History

The Cooloola/Sunshine Coast Branch was established to provide a formal regional housing network. Key local agencies identified this need and invited Queensland Shelter to address a meeting in July 1999. The Branch was formed in August 1999.  

Early activities included:

• Hosting a Housing Policy Seminar presentation by Bill Randolph - ‘Understanding Social Exclusion, Community Renewal and Public Housing Estates'.
• Producing a regional resource - ‘Housing Referral Guide' for the Cooloola and Sunshine Coast region
• Supporting an application for boarding house style accommodation in the Gympie area, and;
• Contributing to the local, ‘Emergency Housing Report 2000'

More recently the Branch conducted research into housing need in the region and produced the report ‘The House that Jack Built' Subsequently recommendations from the report have led to the establishment of a community based housing company addressing regional affordable housing need. 

The Branch has gone through several name changes over the years and currently operates under the Sunshine Coast Housing and Homelessness Network banner. The branch is currently undertaking scoping and planning work to hold a “Day in the Park” event in 2011.