The Ernest & Maud Hoolihan
Elders Village

“My husband had been diagnosed with stomach cancer, and it became necessary for us to move closer to specialist care. At first, it was hard to leave our home of 50 plus years in Malanda, where we’d raised our 6 children to adulthood.”

However, on sighting the Innes Estate village, designed specifically by Yumba-Meta for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders, Margaret’s decision was made.

“We came down to see the village. As soon as I walked through the home, I knew, ‘Yes! This is for us!’”

Mrs. Gertz’s first impression of the estate is perhaps unsurprising. Surrounded by natural forest, the village is a prime example of how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander housing facilities benefit from community-based planning at a grass-roots level.

While Margaret’s husband has since sadly passed away, she herself has gone on to remain at the village as a tenant for some 6.5 years.

“We’re completely independent,but we also enjoy the company of close neighbours. We all keep an eye out for each other. My cousin Glenda is there too, so we have plenty of social interaction.”

Yumba-Meta provides a weekly bus service to the estate, ensuring all tenants are able to access the community and attend to their weekly errands.

“The bus service is a big help; it comes in on Wednesdays and Thursdays and is a routine we look forward to.”

The estate’s relaxed and peaceful setting also makes it accessible for visitors. Being a mother of six adult children, Margaret has a large number of grandchildren, so this element of the village is particularly important.

“I see my family regularly! They drop in for a cuppa, or we share a meal together. I had them all over for dinner last night on the patio actually!” Margaret finishes with a laugh, “but instead of me cooking up a storm as I used to in my younger years, now they bring the dinner. I don’t mind that change one bit!”

Margaret has a large number of grandchildren, so this element of the village is particularly important.

‘Home’ for Robert is Yumba-Meta’s Ernest & Maud Hoolihan Elders Village, where he has lived for the past eight years since the village first opened in 2012. In fact, Robert was the third tenant to move into the 16-unit complex, and today he is the village’s longest residing tenant.

What’s kept Robert content in his unit for so long is the convenience. “The shops and the doctor are within walking distance, and I walk to the shops every day,” tells Robert.

“The [Yumba-Meta housing] staff are good to deal with, and prompt in fixing things. All the maintenance is done for you. As soon as I say there’s something wrong, they are onto it. My hot water broke down just a couple of weeks ago, and they sent an electrician out the same day.”

In 2018, the Elders Village was one of the first Yumba-Meta-owned housing developments to receive solar panels, which Robert says has drastically reduced his electricity bills. “My bills used to be $150 per quarter,” shares Robert, who estimates his energy bills now total just $50-60 per year.

“Now I’m always in credit; I’ve never been in the red, I’m always in the black. I bought a small air conditioner, and had it running in summer, all the time, and my highest bill was about $41. It’s cheap as. We’ve all got solar panels on out here now, which helps everyone out because we don’t have to worry about big power bills.”

It’s the peace and quiet that Robert says he enjoys most about his home. “It’s very quiet out here. It feels safe and private, and we’ve had not one break in,” says Robert. “I get along with everyone out here, they’re all good people,” he adds of his fellow villagers.

“We have had a few barbeques with the neighbours. We look out for each other. Loneliness is a killer; it’s good to get together.”