Opening - Thursday Island Affordable Housing Project

We had the privilege of opening eight new homes for local families on Thursday Island as part of the Affordable Housing project funded by the Queensland Government’s Housing Investment Fund.

The concept originated from a vision by Rev Garry Hardingham, the Presbytery Minister for Carpentaria at the time, aimed at addressing local needs. This vision has culminated in a collaborative effort involving individuals, congregations, and organisations, spanning several years from inception to realisation.

The Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (Q.) made the land available for this project and the Queensland Government’s Housing Investment Fund funded the construction.  The prefabricated, modular homes were built by Oly Homes on the Sunshine Coast and then transported to Thursday Island via trucks and barges.

Work was completed on time and within the construction budget.  Work commenced in March 2024 and was completed by the end of 2024 with the first tenants moving in on 24^th February 2025.  These buildings were made to suit local climate and cultural needs, and will be used by low-income local households, including young couples and small families.

We are grateful for those with the vision to inspire the project, those who laboured in love to build and enable this project, and the generosity of spirit that made it possible for these homes to provide shelter and safety and to nurture community and belonging.

We look forward with hope to continue to build God’s kingdom in this way.

The following prayer of dedication was read at the opening:

Prayer for the Opening of the Housing Project Buildings
Loving and gracious God,
We gather today in gratitude and hope, standing on this sacred ground as we dedicate these homes to Your service and the well-being of all who will dwell within them.
We give thanks for the vision that inspired this project, for the hands that have laboured in love to build these spaces, and for the generosity of spirit that has made this day possible. May these homes be places of shelter and safety, of rest and renewal, where dignity is upheld, and community is nurtured.
We pray for those who will call these buildings home. May they find peace within these walls, companionship in their neighbours, and a future filled with hope.
God of justice and compassion, let this be more than just a building project —let it be a sign of Your kingdom, where all are welcome, all are valued, and all have a place to belong. May this project inspire others to work for a world where no one is without a home.
Bless this place, O Lord. Bless all who enter and all who leave.
May we all continue to walk in ways that are modelled by your example, that bring light and love wherever we go.
In the name of the Father, Son & Holy Spirit, Amen.