Earlier this year, our housing development in Ipswich Queensland was fully completed and tenanted, providing ten safe and secure homes for women and gender diverse people.
This $5M development was funded in partnership by YWCA Australia and the Queensland Government, made up of:
The homes were all developed to a gold standard under the Social Housing Design Guidelines making them suitable for people with disability or mobility issues.
One of the new residents who moved in, Kirsty*, shared with us what the new home has meant for her family.
Kirsty’s Story
As a single Mum and carer to Jessie and Scarlett, Kirsty spent 17 years in the private rental market in homes that never quite met her needs and always felt tenuous.
“I was just stuck having to rent privately as I wasn’t eligible for any housing with my income, even though I was always on Centrelink. I worked here and there as a teachers’ aide, but as the kids’ medical needs escalated, I really needed to be at home,” said Kirsty.
Kirsty kept advocating for housing support, with the Statewide Tenant Advice and Referral Service, occupational therapists, and eventually her local MP, who recognised how urgent and exceptional their needs were. Her own advocacy and determination got her onto the social housing list.
However, getting onto the list was just the first step, as they needed a home that was accessible and accommodated for both Jessie and Scarlett’s needs. Accessibility requirements, sufficient storage space for mobility aids and incontinence supplies and a location within the catchment zone for Scarlett’s school were all essential but hard to come by. Turning down offers was painful for Kirsty but she knew they weren’t suitable.
“We saw places that had ramps but doorways too narrow for wheelchairs. Or nowhere to store equipment. Or they weren’t in Scarlett’s school zone and with her autism and trauma history, changing schools just wasn’t an option.
“I’d cry. Every time it felt like something slipped through our fingers again.”
In July 2025, Kirsty received a call from Barb at YWCA Australia that felt unreal.
“Her voice was just calming, supportive… you could hear her kindness. If she said something, you trusted it.”
The home sounded too good to be true.
“A brand new home in Ripley. Wheelchair accessible. Internal garage access. Air-conditioning. Close to Scarlett’s school. I honestly didn’t believe it at first.”
Kirsty cried through the interview process, exhausted from years of instability and hope that had often led to disappointment. Jessie happened to have a seizure during the visit, which helped the team understand the reality of their day-to-day life.
“The next day Barb rang and said, ‘I’ll put you out of your misery, you’ve got the house.’”
For Kirsty, it felt like winning the lotto or an early Christmas present. Within two weeks, they were moving in, and since then life has transformed.
The accessible layout means the family can seamlessly transfer from the car easily into the home without ramps, stairs, or risks.
“I remember in our old rental just getting from the garage to the door was a huge challenge because it was a highset house with lots of stairs – it made us reluctant to leave home because it’s so hard just to get back in.”
“The mental strain has just… lifted.
“Ripley’s lovely, it’s got everything, we can still access things we had before to keep it familiar for Jessie’s mental health as well as positive changes for Scarlett, and with the extra freedom of not worrying about stairs getting back in.”
“Scarlett has been able to keep going to the same school, and loves the nearby water park and the modern Rocket Park and they suit her developmental needs.”
For Kirsty, the biggest gift is security.
“With no end of lease date, we can settle in. I am not living in fear that the place will be sold. No wondering if we’ll still have a home next year. That kind of stability… it changes everything.”
*Names changed for privacy reasons