For more than 40 years, Narelle Lockett has considered Queensland’s Sunshine Coast her home. Recent changes in her circumstances made it necessary for her to move. She relocated her practice north, to the idyllic, rural, seaside small township of Toogoom, just outside Hervey Bay. Lockett still lives there today with her young-adult children. Now, they encounter a different array of obstacles, as she and her family adapt to living in a community that has few of the resources she had grown accustomed to.
She’s having a hard time paying for her new home. She currently pays about $500 a week, a $50 jump from when she first moved in two years ago. Faced with a proposed rental increase to $700 a week, she felt compelled to seek a more affordable option elsewhere. It’s clear that Lockett is willing to continue making sacrifices to stay in Toogoom. She’s still fighting her feelings of isolation and processing the emotional impact of leaving behind the only home she ever knew.
The Move to Toogoom
The final push for Lockett to leave the Sunshine Coast was due to rental prices just continuously going up. They were eating up almost 70 percent of her paychecks. That fear of being priced out of her home compelled her to take a radical step.
“I was prepared to make sacrifices so I could stay in Toogoom,” she stated, emphasizing her commitment to providing stability for her children despite the challenges that lay ahead.
While he loves the lifestyle change, adjusting to life in Toogoom has been difficult. Life in this small rural town quickly becomes dominated by its small-town nature, and Lockett soon feels separated from friends and family. She remarked on the lack of community facilities, saying, “Basically, I don’t have any friends up here, and because Toogoom is a very small town it doesn’t have any facilities. We don’t even have shops or anything here.”
Struggles and Resilience
Personally, the emotional toll of this transition has taken a heavy toll on Lockett. While she’s realistic about the challenges, her spirit is sunny as ever.
Fortunately, I’m not the kind of person to get bummed out, but it has been really tough at points. You can sort of get really isolated,” Lockett shed light on her experience since relocating.
It’s hard to overstate her resilience, as it is still on display as she begins this next chapter in her life. She really does miss the social camaraderie. Through it all, she remains optimistic and excited to develop a new circle of support in her new surroundings.
Lockett experiences secondhand stress from her precarious financial situation. The sudden jump in her rent has put an even greater squeeze on her meager income. For many, finding affordable housing remains a stressful struggle. She has made up her mind to avoid another move.
Community Response and Local Concerns
The local community and their elected representatives have begun to notice the housing crisis harming locals like Lockett. Jarrod Bleijie, the local politician representing the area, has raised alarm over recent advances. To that end, he noted how transit deserts make public transportation a challenge. This void is especially felt by newcomers, who are often seeking a place to belong.
Prior to the election, I had raised a red flag about that development. On the one hand, it was in a cul-de-sac and public transport didn’t exist. Bleijie made no secrets about the urgent need for better infrastructure. This upgrade will make people from small communities such as Toogoom less cut off.
Lockett’s experience is emblematic of the national trends that have left Australians contending with escalating rents and a scarcity of public housing. She is busy not just making progress on her book, but adjusting to her new life. Her story is a testament to the struggles of many who are forced to move away from familiar neighborhoods, in pursuit of affordability and safety.
