A mobile overnight shelter will begin operating in Nambour from early 2026, offering people sleeping rough a safe place to rest as the Sunshine Coast grapples with a worsening homelessness crisis.
The Sunny Coast Sleeper, formerly known as Sleepbus, has been taken over by the Maroochy Neighbourhood Centre after the original service announced it would wind up due to financial pressures.
The Centre raised more than $200,000 in 2020 to bring Queensland’s first Sleepbus to the region and assumed ownership of the service earlier this year.
Relaunched in November 2025 with the support of volunteers, a philanthropic family, community donations and a grant from TURSA Employment and Training, the service will now operate through a partnership with Sunshine Coast Council.
Maroochy Neighbourhood Centre chief executive Mark Ellis said the sleeper bus was not a long-term solution to homelessness but provided crucial short-term support.
“Even one night of safe, uninterrupted sleep makes an extraordinary difference,” Mr Ellis said. “Volunteers see people arrive exhausted and overwhelmed and leave the next morning calmer and more hopeful.”
Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli described the initiative as a practical and compassionate response to a growing problem.
“When someone is sleeping rough, it affects the whole community,” she said. “This service offers warmth, safety and a pathway to connect with support services.”
The Sunny Coast Sleeper will operate in Nambour on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights, and in Maroochydore from Friday to Sunday, supported by trained volunteers and community partners.