The “Sleepbus” charity was founded to serve the homeless through specially fitted out buses which provide sleep pods and access to a tablet, internet and information about local supports.

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In 2023 a fundraising campaign was launched to bring one of these buses to Coffs Harbour, led by local support worker Doris Cowan and LifeHouse Care.

The community supported the initiative and the $100,000 target was met.

Funds were then donated and Sleepbus founder Simon Rowe projected the bus would be completed by the end of 2023.

Recently Mr Rowe announced that the charity was unable to fulfil the current builds due to financial reasons and was closing down at the end of June.

As of February 2025, Coffs Harbour’s Sleepbus requires an additional $50,000 to complete the build, a sum Mr Rowe is currently fundraising for.

In the past Sleepbus would provide ongoing support and management once a bus was delivered.

With the charity folding that provision is no longer an option and a local operator is being sought.

It’s a rallying call to the community, LifeHouse Care’s Nathan Hannaford told News Of The Area.

“The organisation which takes possession of the Coffs Sleepbus will be required to manage the bus, its site, maintenance, volunteer staffing and cleaning,” he said.

Locals close to the project suggest City of Coffs Harbour (CoCH) is the best option to initially operate the homeless service.

However, Mr Hannaford said CoCH has advised him it is not in a position to take on the bus or fund its outreach work.

“We are hopeful an individual, a group or an organisation will take on the bus,” Mr Hannaford said.

“LifeHouse Care engaged in the Sleepbus project, alongside the Coffs Coast community, in good faith… it’s disappointing to see this is where we are at.”

Doris Cowan said she initiated the project in March 2023 after being impressed by the charity’s ability to “supply a quick fix for short term emergency accommodation for our growing homeless population”.

“In three short months the fundraising efforts of myself combined with LifeWalk gave us the $100,000 required for this to become a reality, and now it’s wrapping up.

“However I would like the community to know that if a solution is found for ownership of the bus and it is completed I stand by the project, offering to volunteer in the day-to-day operations whenever possible as I have experienced first-hand what it is like to need a place to sleep in difficult times.

“No one ever deserves to be homeless,” she said.

Anyone interested in supporting this project can email Nathan Hannaford at nato@lifehousecare.org.au.

By Andrea FERRARI