In this together
The refurbishment of the Kabayji Booroo Hostel in Western Australia’s Kimberley Region was completed one year ago as a temporary home for flood-impacted Fitzroy Valley community members. Now, the facility has been upgraded to accommodate people with complex health needs.
Leased by the Western Australia Department of Communities and operated by Emama Nguda Aboriginal Corporation (ENAC), the hostel provided accommodation for community members from across the Fitzroy Valley whose properties were being repaired or rebuilt.
The facility has been able to support a total occupancy of up to 40 people, with community members from across the Fitzroy Valley including Buruwa, Camballin, Darlngunaya, Muludja and Junjuwa having since been accommodated at the facility.
Federal Minister for Northern Australia, Madeleine King, said the refurbishment project was providing vital temporary accommodation support for affected locals.
“It’s so important to have refurbished accommodation services up and running to ensure recovery efforts are targeted to everyone affected, particularly those vulnerable members of the community with health care needs.
“We wanted to get people back into their own homes as soon as it was safe to do so, but in the meantime, this facility ensured residents had a roof over their heads as recovery works continued,” she said.
The Albanese and Cook governments were committed to supporting those in the Kimberley Region affected by the January 2023 flooding disaster through the provision of temporary accommodation on country, or as close to country as possible, while the repairs or rebuilds of damaged homes were undertaken.
The Derby Hostel was part of a temporary residential accommodation program jointly funded through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA). Today, the reinvigorated facility, known as the Kabayji Booroo Hostel, acts as a boarding school and safe house for its community.
Western Australian Emergency Services Minister, Stephen Dawson, said it was important that flood displaced residents could access temporary accommodation that was not only suitable for their cultural and health needs but was also located as close as possible to country.
“It was great to see the government and the ENAC working together to refurbish and operate the Derby Hostel,” he said.
