Graceville Centre helps cultivate independence and creativity

For more than 50 years, Lutheran Services’ Graceville Centre has provided disability and mental health services and supported living accommodation at its Nambour site. 

Now the centre is tooling up its NDIS support by encouraging clients to pursue their passions, from woodworking to cultivating thriving vegetable gardens, to build skills and lift moods. 

Program Manager Ola Olubiyi said a community services team provided support programs to 140 residents from Glasshouse Mountains to Gympie. 

“Our vision of inclusion and connection to the community is at the heart of what we do at Graceville,” she said. 

Ms Olubiyi said two long-term clients Luke and Richard, who lived in supported accommodation at the Centre, were thriving by developing passions for building and growing things. 

“Luke has become a talented craftsman and it’s a joy to see how happy he is when he heads off every Thursday to the Nambour Men’s Shed with his support worker,’’ Ms Olubiyi said. 

“He is very creative and loves working with his mentors at the Men’s Shed.’’ 

Luke said attending Men’s Shed was a highlight of his week. “I’m now building a timber and glass cabinet to store all the things I make. 

“It will have a mirror inside and I’m going to put lights in it to make it more special,’’ he said. 

“The two projects I finished at the Men’s Shed that I like most are a model Spitfire plane and my special saw that I painted. 

“The guys at the Men’s Shed always show me what the next step is and then they let me do it myself.  

“One day I want to build a model of the Titanic.”

Fellow resident Richard has created a productive garden in the grounds at Graceville that is also enjoyed by other clients and staff. 

“I was looking for something to do because I like to keep busy, so I came up with the idea of growing my own vegetables, ’’ Richard said.  

“I like watering the garden, pulling out weeds, fertilising the plants and buying new ones, but most of all, I like eating the veggies.  My favourites are cucumbers, tomatoes, capsicum, spring onions and pineapples.’’ 

Richard has plans to expand his garden with the help of his carers. 

Lutheran Services provides a range of community services for disability, family, youth, mental health, domestic violence and seniors across Brisbane and regional Queensland. 

The Graceville Centre

The Graceville Centre is located at 5 Sydney Street, Nambour. For more information call 1800 960 433.

Luke has become a talented craftsman.