Pathways for overcoming adversity

Pathways for overcoming adversity
by Erle Levey, Sunshine Coast Daily, Gatton Lockyer and Brisbane Valley Star
23rd Jul 2018 1:36 PM

IT was a night of inspiration and emotion as the Sunshine Coast community came together at Lake Kawana Community Centre in support of the first centre in Australia for those suffering eating disorders.

More than $35,000 was raised on the night for EndED (End Eating Disorders) but the real success was the level of awareness about eating disorders and the Sunshine Coast project that is being created for the community.

Triumph Through Adversity was the theme of the night and speakers included Curtis McGrath OAM, a soldier who had both his legs blown off while serving in Afghanistan when he was 24 but went on to become a gold-medal winning paralympian.

He was joined by Millie Thomas, who went through 15 years in anorexia hell before becoming the face of EndED on the Sunshine Coast.

For Millie Thomas, she has fought and overcome her battle with the little-understood disease, which claims the lives of more of its victims than any other mental illness.

Millie isn’t one of them. Her story is one of survival and hope, and that’s what she now represents to the 30-plus Sunshine Coast women and girls aged 10 to 40 who she mentors through EndED

That hope that wasn’t offered to her but will be to hundreds of patients battling illnesses just like hers.

A million-dollar specialist facility based at Mooloolah Valley will be constructed by 2020, said to bring life-changing treatment to the Coast.

The centre, endED Butterfly House, is an Australian-first residential facility.

Instigators of the facility, Mark and Gayle Forbes understand the eating disorder world only too well. Between them they have two direct family members who suffer from bulimia.

They deal with parents on a daily basis who have had to mortgage their homes to cover the treatment costs of such illnesses.

It is estimated that well over one million Australians currently experience eating disorders with only 10% of those receiving appropriate treatment and care.

What is astonishing is that there are no dedicated residential facilities in Australia that specifically treat eating disorders. Until now.

Mark Forbes and Millie Thomas are working together to make a difference for Australians who suffer from eating disorders and have plans approved to build the country’s first eating disorder residential.

They have found 10ha in the Sunshine Coast hinterland where they will build Australia’s first live-in residential eating disorder facility.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has referred to this project as the National Trial Centre.

It already has the backing of 36 Sunshine Coast businesses that are donating their time and money.

Businesses such as Blackburne Jackson who have created the designs for the facility pro bono, and $1m donated by local philanthropists Roy and Nola Thompson for the purchase of the land.

Other businesses are donating time and resources for construction of the project.

“I’m so incredibly proud of everything we have achieved together in such a short space of time,” Millie Thomas said after Friday night’s event.

She said that standing the next day at the site of endED Butterfly House it started to finally sink in.

“Our dream is coming true. We are making history with Australia’s first residential Eating Disorder treatment facility.

“We are without a doubt paving the way for real systemic change.

“I’m so incredibly proud of everything we have achieved together in such a short space of time.”

“Thank you to everyone that has supported, contributed and believed in the endED journey. We couldn’t have done it without you.”

The night was an outstanding success due to the level of support. Yet when a sufferer spoke bravely for the first time about her battle with anorexia not a person in the room was untouched by her words as she shared her story. It gave everyone a real insight into what a living hell fighting this monster they call “ED” must be.

For Curtis McGrath, 30 minutes after being stretchered from the bomb site in 2012, he was already thinking about pursuing a career as an amputee athlete.

Fully aware of his grim situation and partly to maintain consciousness as a survival mechanism, in true Australian style he joked with those helping him about becoming a paralympian.

To understand what he has been through and still been able to come out the other side is an inspiration to all.

He didn’t know what sport he was going to do, but his positive outlook and determination to rebound and get on with achieving his driving ambitions is what has made this man get to where he is today.

He tried his hand at a few sports but settled on canoeing, an activity he’d dabbled in at school.

In October 2013, Curtis with his father Paul, participated 1000 km paddle from Sydney to Queensland to raise funds for the Mates4Mates program, to support wounded, injured or ill Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel and their families.

Curtis won two gold medals at the 2016 ICF Paracanoe World Championships then went on to win a gold medal in the KL2 Paracanoe Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

He has consistently won gold and silver medals in the Paracanoe World Championships and is looking forward to defending his title at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games.

Supporters of the endED Butterfly House include Blackburne Jackson, Mosaic Property Group, Port City Airconditioning, McGraths, Colliers, Go Transit, Ron Grabbe and they were joined by so many other people and businesses to support the first event.

All auction items were donated which meant 100% of what was raised will go towards the construction and fit out of this facility.

For further information on the Sunshine Coast project, go to the endED website (endED.org.au).

Changing Plans to Meet Demand

The developers behind a luxury residential project will reconfigure one entire block to meet the demand for large penthouse-style apartments in Noosa.

Peregian Beach-based Altum Property Group and Thakral Capital are constructing Parkridge Noosa, and have fast-tracked stages due to strong sales.

“We knew this project would be popular, everything from the location, views, design and value for money has really resonated with buyers,” development director Alex Rigby said. “The true test is always when it hits the market and it’s pleasing that we’ve had such a good mix of stock sold to a wide range of buyers.”

The majority of more affordable stock around the parklands and cafe have now sold, Mr Rigby said. Apartments with Lake Weyba views are also selling well.

“Due to the demand for large, four- bedroom, penthouse-style apartments, we have decided to reconfigure one of the buildings within the Luxury Parkridge Terraces to ensure we have enough of this stock to meet the growing number of buyers wanting a spacious residence with plenty of room to entertain guests,” Mr Rigby said.

Parkridge Noosa is the result of a collaboration between the developer and local designers and architects, who took their inspiration from the environment.

Blackburne Jackson director Rohan Jackson said the design brief was based around creating a luxurious modern living destination which reflected the Noosa lifestyle and the natural context in which it was located.

“We pay homage to Noosa’s light, bright, balmy days and its relaxed energy,” he said.

Sales consultant Jeremy Gilmore from 360 Property Group said Parkridge Noosa was proving particularly popular with local buyers.

He said the site’s location, which is surrounded by Girraween Nature Reserve, Noosa National Park and has 180 degree views of Lake Weyba, ensured privacy.

“Within Parkridge there is a range of quality communal facilities including a large gymnasium, 25m lap pool, restaurant and cafe, a local providore and over 2500sq m of lush parkland to relax, exercise or socialise,” he said.

“It’s also just minutes away from Noosa’s stunning beaches, world class restaurants, cafes and boutiques as well as local entertainment, sporting and cultural centres.”

Paint Right store owner Phil Fortington has secured a terrace apartment.

He said he had seen many new developments but Parkridge Noosa was “one of the best ones that I have come across”.

“My partner Jos and I have been looking at some properties to live in around Noosa, including Noosaville and Sunrise Beach, but nothing matched what we could find at Parkridge Noosa” he said.

The design of the apartments is great, the 180 degree water views of Lake Weyba are stunning and best of all it is privately tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Noosa and yet it’s just a few minutes from Noosa Junction and Hastings Street.

“Jos loves to swim and there’s a great pool within the community, I am a keen golfer and with the Noosa Springs Golf Course right next door it’s absolutely ideal.

“We also love the fact that we’ll have our own cafe, convenience store and gym within the development so it’s very similar to the facilities that we enjoyed at the Hyatt when it was at its prime when we lived in Coolum.”

T H E B A S I C S

PARKRIDGE NOOSA
Developer: Altum Property Group and Thakral Capital
Price: Apartments from $705,000
Location: Noosa

The Parkridge Social Club offers exclusive access to private event spaces, as well as barbecue areas and a swimming pool. A cafe will offer indoor and outdoor dining experiences.

Why build a new motel?

Generally speaking, there are three reasons you would build a new motel. They are:

  1. To maximise your occupancy
  2. To maximise your tariffs
  3. To Maximise the value of your motel

If you own an existing motel that is tired and not worth refurbishing, or if you can see a demand for motel facilities, you may want to build a new motel.

Building a new motel will allow you to maximise the number of guest rooms, take advantage of efficiencies in modern motel design, including advancements in technology and security systems, and provide the best return possible on your site.

What to build?

The design must meet your guest’s needs so determining what they are is critical. A person travelling on business will have very different requirements to a family, so it is essential to know who your guests are, what type of traveling they do, how long they generally stay and what facilities they use during their stay. Understanding your client’s needs will affect the size, shape and design of your rooms.

Your new motel must also comply with the town planning requirements, building codes and Australian standards so it’s important to understand what they are and ensure you engage a design firm with experience in this field.

How do we build a new motel?

As with every new building you need an appropriate site. This could be an existing motel site or a location that suits the needs of a new motel, such as on a main road or a site that is positioned close to a facility like a sports complex or entertainment precinct. It is important to note that not all locations will be acceptable to your local council and the motel will require town planning approval.

Once you are clear on what your guest’s needs are, a design can be created, taking into consideration their requirements and incorporating the facilities you wish to provide such as a bar or gym.

It is very important to understand the costs that will be associated with the creation of your new motel. Building, design and authority approval prices must be included in your costs to ensure your investment provides the correct returns on your investment. In addition, the quality of the build requires close inspection to ensure it is detailed in the design and to the expected quality standards. If the cost of the building works is acceptable, approvals are obtained and a suitable builder can be selected.

Achieving a great outcome by designing and building a contemporary new motel can be achieved if you have done your research, understand your guest’s needs, have a suitable location, and understand the return you can expect on your investment.

Where to Now?

Employing experienced design consultants that specialise in motels ensures assistance with all your building requirements. They can provide advice on the current building code requirements, meet on site and discuss your needs and provide a realistic budget before they start.

ABOUT BLACKBURNE JACKSON

Blackburne Jackson provides a complete design service with our Architects, Interior Designers and Landscape Architects on staff to answer the easiest questions from what colour carpet to an entire building refurbishment. Blackburne Jackson has provided superior design services for over 80 years and been responsible for many quality Motels from Mackay in Queensland to the Yarra Valley in Victoria. Let us assist you with your motel improvements.

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