The latest data from the NSW government’s 2024 Street Count has revealed a stark and troubling reality for Byron Shire and the Northern Rivers, which now accounts for the largest number of rough sleepers in NSW. This highlights the urgent need for support for local homeless services like the Mullumbimby and District Neighbourhood Centre (MDNC), Fletcher Street Cottage and other homeless services like Liberation Larder. that provide free breakfasts to homeless people and rescue food to support other homeless support services like MDNC and Fletcher Street Cottage.
The count found 2,037 people sleeping rough in 2023 in NSW, compared to 1,623 people last year, marking a significant increase, with 348 in Byron Shire alone.
The increase of approximately 16 per cent in Byron Shire starkly contrasts with a more modest one per cent rise in the City of Sydney. These statistics underscore the escalating crisis in regional areas, with the Byron Shire now at the forefront of people at risk of homelessness and those already sleeping rough.
Fletcher Street Cottage, Byron’s homeless hub, and the MDNC in Mullumbimby are at the frontline of efforts to support the growing number of homeless in our region.
MDNC
The MDNC has been in action since mid-1980 and was incorporated in 1987 and they provide assistance to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, support victims of domestic violence (DV), provide free meals and showers.
‘The Gulganni community pantry has 553 members who access affordable food in Mullumbimby. This service is unfunded,’ explained MDNC manager Julie Williams.
‘Since July 1, 2023 we have provided 1,520 showers, 7,280 free meals, again unfunded. We have received 504 referrals with 484 women supported in relation to DV from a service that is funded to support DV for 139 women. We’ve supported 3,038 people through our community support program that is only funded $9k per year. This service includes help with electricity, food parcels, Work Development Orders, material aid, referral (particularly housing support) and Centrelink assistance.
‘The Christmas hamper program, again unfunded, distributed 439 hampers this year,’ she told The Echo.
The Gulganni community pantry is located at 3 Bridgland Lane, Mullumbimby and is open 10am-12.30pm and 1pm to 3pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Fletcher Street Cottage
Since Fletcher Street Cottage‘s inception in 2022, the hub has become a vital resource, providing essential services and support to those in need in Byron Bay.
Over the past two years, it has served over 21,000 breakfasts, provided 9,200 showers and laundry services and helped countless service users access health and social services.
Lindy Swain, Manager of Fletcher Street Cottage, says the 2024 Street Count only gives a snapshot of rough sleepers in Byron Shire and doesn’t account for the many hidden homeless, those sleeping in cars, tents and couchsurfing.
‘We are in urgent need of social housing in our region. Fletcher Street Cottage remains committed to providing a lifeline to those affected by this crisis. The support we offer is more critical now than ever, and we are in dire need of funding to sustain our efforts,’ she said.
Rising interest rates, cost of living pressures, the local rental crisis and lack of social housing are driving the surge in homelessness in Byron Shire. These challenges are not new, but their impacts are becoming increasingly severe.
This is particularly evident in the growing number of women seeking support at Fletcher Street Cottage, reflecting the broader societal pressures that continue to mount.
Liberation Larder
Liberation Larder has been supply free meals to homeless people and people in need for 15 years. They are entirely a volunteer based organsiation and provided 31,170 freshly prepared and packed meals; 5,000 breakfasts of cooked food, fruit and snacks, 611 food boxes to families in need supporttting 6,685 clients in 2023.
‘We are an entirely volunteer staffed organisation and rely on donations from the community to continues,’ said Liberation Larder President, Liz Jackson.
Ms Jackson agreed that they have seen an increase in teh need for the services they provide and they have seen ‘an increase in older women who are accessing the service, as well as young women with babies’.
‘The service used to be used by around 20 per cent women, and 80 per cent men, but we have seen a real shift over the last few years, and it is now about 50/50.’
Liberation Larder rescued 45,500kgs of edible food in the last year and they are able to support groups like the MDNCD and Fletcher Street Cottage in their supply of meals and breakfasts.
‘We supply food to the MDNC to support their free community lunches Tuesday to Thursday, from 12.30 to 1.30pm. We supply food for the Food Box in Mullumbimby, The Winsome in Lismore… we supplied food to The Koori Mail following the floods so they could support their community, as well as working with the Consortium of Neighbourhood Centres (CONC) in Evans Head.’
Supporting rough sleepers
The Byron Community Centre has been supporting local rough sleepers since the early 2000s.
As demand for services consistently rises, sustained community collaboration and the generosity of supporters are more crucial than ever in addressing this escalating crisis.
Fletcher Street Cottage collaborates with various service providers, including Centrelink, My Momentum, Social Futures, Homeless Health Outreach Team and others, to provide comprehensive support to those in need.
Louise O’Connell, General Manager of Byron Community Centre, said that as Fletcher Street Cottage recently passed its two-year anniversary, the community’s support is more vital than ever in these challenging times. ‘We are deeply grateful to our dedicated staff, volunteers, donors and partners whose support has been instrumental in helping us address this escalating crisis,’ she said.
‘Our team works tirelessly to generate the necessary funding to keep Fletcher Street Cottage open and continue providing essential services to locals in need.’
The 2024 street count was completed between 1 February and 1 March 2024 and is published annually. For more information visit: www.facs.nsw.gov.au/housing/housing-reforms/homelessness/street-count.
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