CQ farming families donate to Rockhampton's Fitzroy Community Hospice project

The hospice facility aims to address the critical lack of respite or palliative care in the region.

Construction of the first-of-its-kind community-owned facility located on Agnes Street in Rockhampton is well underway, expected to open between early to mid 2024.

The facility will include six patient rooms, three family rooms, and one self-contained family unit. Each room will have an ensuite and a balcony to allow the patient or visitors to sit outside.

Board chair Dr Vicki Richmond has taken leave from her role as a GP in Gracemere to focus on the project which has received $8 million in federal funding, but otherwise supported via community donations and fundraising events.

"There is an enormous gap here and I've tried to support and care for various people and there's just not been that infrastructure and services available to do it well," she said.

Dr Richmond emigrated from New Zealand and said she had seen what effective end-of-life care could look like with appropriate facilities and services, with her own father receiving great treatment in NZ.

She wanted to see improved palliative and respite care options for the central Queensland community to help families grieve together with their loved one/s.

"The reality is here that often people end up in the hospital when that's just not what they want and it's not ideal," she said.

For retired cattle backgrounders Leylan and Karen Sparke it was own their own personal experience with end-of-life care that gave them the understanding of why the facility was so vital for the community.

"My father-in-law got really ill and we went from laughing and joking with him one day to putting him into palliative care the next and we lost him a few days later," he said.

"We were very fortunate to end up with a private room but we could have been on a ward with several other patients while family was trying to spend time with him on his final day."

His passing came just after the Sparke's sold their property El Rocco, located around 45km west of Moura in the Roundstone district, meaning they were in the position to donate $100,000 from the sale to the project after first hearing about it at Beef 2021.

Following a tour of the facility while still in the construction phase, Mr Sparke said the additional beds for family members, family and outdoor spaces, as well as furniture that could be adapted to created shared beds would be exactly what families needed during that sensitive time.

"I see that this could be a really valuable asset for this area, especially when you consider the volume of country that comes back to Rockhampton for medical needs," he said.

Grain and beef producers the Dunne family of Sorrell Hills, Duaringa have also dug deep with a $50,000 donation to the facility.

Family heads, Colin and Catherine Dunne said the family had clearly identified the need for the facility and wanted to support a facility that would be available to everyone in the area regardless of economic status.

"It's not because you can or can't afford it, it's for everyone and that's a big thing for us," Ms Dunne said.

Dr Dunne said he felt his family had been very fortune to receive support over the years from the Rockhampton district and said, "we just owe it to the community to give something back".

Ron and Sterling Milne of Milne Bros have also donated $50,000 towards the project.

Joint director Dale Walters said the third generation family-owned business wanted to give back to their customer base, made up largely of rural people throughout Queensland.

"The community has supported the business and Milne family for 60 years so giving back is a good thing," he said.

Mr Walters sprung into action as a big advocate of the facility when his cousin joined the board.

He identified the need for it having had a personal experience, when a friend of the family went through motor neurone disease, and said respite care would have allowed the family a break and time to recoup.

Those contributing donations over $20,000 have been acknowledged as founding partners, with a total of $650,000 already raised through the support of local businesses and families.

The Fitzroy Community Hospice committee have hit the point where more donations are needed complete the build and fund essential and adaptive items like white goods, couches and chairs, fold-out sofas, televisions, and computer equipment.

To make a donation of any amount, please contact the committee by email.

Click here to see the walk-through of the facility.