Changes in circumstances can happen to anyone, which is why Adrian, who has recently moved into CHL’s new Skyline View development in Southport believes access to social housing for people at all stages of life is important.
“I’m 82 and my wife Net is 72 and we’ve been in social housing for about 35 years. I could write a book about the events that happened before this to help us to make us qualify for a social housing, but as you can imagine none of it was good news. We just put that behind us and we’ve recovered from the most amazing series of setbacks. It just shows that anything can happen at any time. People don’t think it can’t happen to them, but it can,” Adrian says.
Adrian’s health meant it was the right time to move to a new, low maintenance and accessible home.
“I’m pretty much immobile these days and looking after a yard has become too hard, so it was time to move on and into an apartment. Our new home has no steps which means I’m not going to be tripping over things.
“We’re both excited to lose the responsibility for a house that’s twice as big as it needs to be and the yard that needs so much physical work outside. It was a happy day when I sold the lawnmower and the whipper snipper!” Adrian says.
For Adrian, the move means more time for hobbies, reading and flying his drone, while for Net she’s looking forward to movies, other hobbies and more time with family.
“The apartment means we can have the kids and grandkids around and there’ll be community areas to share in the complex with barbeques, as well as a communal room that has floor to ceiling glass, air-conditioning and good comfortable chairs – it will be great for reading and I’m looking forward to using it,” Adrian says.
Adrian says the teams at the Queensland Department of Housing and CHL have supported them to learn about the new development and make the decision to move. The official opening event of Skyline View in October 2026, with attendance by The Hon. Sam O’Connor MP, Queensland Minister for Housing and Public Works, provided the opportunity to share their experience.
“Now we’ve been living in Southport for a few weeks, the help we’ve received to make the switch has been faultless. The official building opening gave us a chance to thank the Minister and the CHL team for their crucial support of people in need of a leg up.”
“We haven’t felt pressured to make the move but we felt in ourselves that the time had come as it was just getting too hard to keep the house the way we wanted and to look after a yard. When we were offered a place at Skyline View, we were happily surprised. We had decided to give up our larger home to give a deserving family the opportunity we had been given,” Adrian said. “For someone who is considering a move like this, I would say think about it and talk to housing providers because they have people who are experts in this kind of thing.”
Adrian says investment in social housing makes all the difference for people and their families when life and circumstances change.
“Social housing at times of vulnerability can absolutely turn lives around. It did for us – we were able to turn ourselves right around and now here we are, still in social housing after 35 years and it’s helped get ourselves and our kids up and running. Our former home has been vital – our kids have all been able to have the security and the benefits of going to one school. As a kid, I went to 10 different schools and I know how hard that was education-wise and socially.”
“Our kids are all settled now and either own their own homes or have a private rental. They all still call our last place home, so it’s a real wrench to leave but we are happy because it’s a three-bedroom home and there’s a family somewhere who would love to be in there. It’s only fair that we make room for that family.”
