Hello Friends!
Sharing with Friends is excited to announce that now, at last, we have Building Approval and are on track to put the final processes in place to start building on the Darra site. Having confronted and resolved numerous challenges, we have only reached this point due to the commitment, determination and sheer doggedness of those in the design (Deicke Richards), planning (AECOM), building (Ownit Homes) and legal (Minter Ellison) areas whose belief in this project has sustained us all. Our own David Hamlyn-Harris deserves particular mention as the Project Control Group Coordinator.
We also acknowledge the patience and trust of the First Five residents who have travelled this journey with us and are now looking to the reality of moving into their secure and affordable future home.
Why is this co-housing project so important?
Our Mission: Sharing with Friends supports single older women with modest savings to invest in a secure housing future by developing seniors co-housing.
Our ultimate aim with the Darra project is that it provides the proof of concept for a different way of living for the "Missing Middle" older Australians. If successful, it could influence planners, policymakers, and other communities to embrace co-housing as part of the solution to this country's ongoing ‘housing crisis’.
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Concept model of Sharing with Friends designed by Eloise Atkinson (Deicke Richards Architects).
What is co-housing?
"Co-housing is an intentional housing model where residents design and manage their neighbourhood collectively. Originating in Denmark in the 1960s, it combines self-contained private homes with shared facilities like a common house, gardens, and recreation spaces. Daily life is semi-independent, promoting both privacy and regular social connection". (Rob Aberdein, May 2025)
Cohousing has been around for fifty years or more internationally but has not been adopted here in Australia in it's true form and requires planning reform to be included as a future housing option. Co-housing is based on a number of principles:
- intentional Community: ‘before moving in, residents have the intention to balance the privacy of their independent household with the creation of a community in which they will participate’ (Fromm 2012)
- a strong social dimension: co-housing projects place affordability, equality and sustainability at their core.
- autonomous housing units and the provision of shared common facilities: co-housing involves separate households based around shared facilities such as cooking and dining, gardens, laundry.
- active participation by households in the development, management, and life of the community
Research highlights the benefits of co-housing for older residents:
- Affordability and security
- Reduction is loneliness and isolation
- Fosters mutual aid and wellbeing
- Significant health benefits
- Aging in Place
- Increases social capital by community participation
*Co-Housing is NOT a share house/investment property - the SwF concept is built as a not-for-profit model where the residents choose their neighbours.
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Alison Gray (second from right) representing Sharing with Friends at the recent Queensland Gives Philanthropy Awards June, 2025.
Building a sustainable organisation
Sharing with Friends new Executive Officer Alison Gray (p/time) attended the launch of Queensland Philanthropy Week on behalf of Sharing with Friends this week. We were one of the fortunate recipients of a capacity building grant from Queensland Gives through the Queensland Community Foundation and will be used to assist in reviewing and planning for the organisation's long-term sustainability. Alison (second from right) is pictured with Tara Castle (CEO Qld Gives) and to Clare and Christine Ahern, daughters of the visionary Mike Ahern who set up the Queensland Community Foundation 15 years ago.
Sharing with Friends has also been successful in receiving grants from Sisters of Charity and Mary McKillop Today which will support the First Five's smooth transition into the Darra community. While our builders, lawyers and architects manage the construction side of things, every Monday morning a group of equally committed and determined women come together to plan, scheme and respond to the development and needs of Sharing with Friends. As the 'engine room' of the organisation, they manage strategic planning, grants, communications, relationships with residents, media, fundraising etc....etc....etc!
We are also getting great doggie support from Cassie, Gracie and Luna who have become great mates!
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Kitchen Cabinet members - Charlotte and Alecia (QUT Interns), Elaine, Susan, Fran, Anne, Robyn, Katie (visitor), Alison (Executive Officer P/T). Missing Adrienne, Fernanda, Jane.
While our builders, lawyers and architects manage the construction side of things, every Monday morning a group of equally committed and determined women come together to plan, scheme and respond to the development and needs of Sharing with Friends. As the 'engine room' of the organisation, they manage strategic planning, grants, communications, relationships with residents, media, fundraising etc....etc....etc!
We are also getting great doggie support from Cassie, Gracie and Luna who have become great mates
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Update on our First Five
The long-term development of the project has meant that we lost the fifth resident due to their need to find alternate accommodation. The good news is that we now have our fifth resident and she will be joining our current four residents as they move into Darra. They are excited to be a group of five and spend time enjoying each other's company, learning about each other and building relationships prior to the move to Darra.
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