25/08/2026
The Sunny Coast Sleeper is making a real difference, but demand is becoming greater than the number of beds available.
Over the past week, 37 people accessed the Sunny Coast Sleeper and received a safe and welcoming place to sleep.
Sadly, we also had to turn eight people away because the bus was already full by boarding time. Three on Friday evening, two on Monday evening and another three tonight, Tuesday.
Turning anyone away is difficult, especially when we know they have nowhere safe to sleep.
For those who do access the Sleeper, the quality of sleep they receive is priceless. Guests regularly tell us how grateful they are that the bus is now operating five nights a week. Having several nights of continuous, safe and uninterrupted sleep gives people the chance to rest, think clearly and face the next day with renewed hope.
The people accessing the Sleeper come from many different circumstances. Some are working but still cannot afford a rental in the current housing market. Others are New Zealand citizens who have worked and contributed to our community, but after losing employment are ineligible for Centrelink support and have been left with no safety net.
These are people doing their best in extremely difficult circumstances. They need more than a temporary bed on a bus. They need access to affordable housing and emergency accommodation.
The Sunny Coast Sleeper is providing an important service, but a bus cannot solve the housing crisis. Turning eight people away in one week clearly shows that more emergency accommodation and long-term housing are urgently needed across the Sunshine Coast.
Thank you to our bus drivers and drivers’ drivers, who make sure the Sleeper gets safely to its locations and back again; our night boarding and caretaker volunteers, who welcome guests onboard and ensure they are settled and comfortable; and our housekeepers, who reset the bedding and make sure everything is ready for our guests each evening.
To our funders, supporters, and everyone in the community who continues to stand behind the Sunny Coast Sleeper, thank you. You are helping provide safety and quality sleep to people when they need it most.
Our community needs more than a bus. It needs housing and more emergency accommodation. Because no one should have to sleep on the streets.
