New housing complex rises from holy grounds

The apartment complex is providing both solo occupants and families safety and security. Photo: Adam Carswell.

A new 73-unit apartment complex on the fringe of the CBD and just a short walk from Bendigo Station is providing both solo occupants and families a safe and secure place to call home.

Built on underused land around St Andrew’s Uniting Church at Myers Street, 75 per cent of the apartments have been allotted to individuals on the priority housing waitlist.

These include families who are homeless and people living with disability or in unsuitable housing, or are over 55 years of age, victim-survivors of family violence or whose home is no longer habitable after an emergency.

The development has been partly delivered to the tune of more than $26 million courtesy of the State Government’s Big Housing Build, which is scheduled to fund 648 new homes in Greater Bendigo alone at a cost of $320 million.

Built on underused land around St Andrew’s Uniting Church in Myers Street, most of the apartments have been allotted to individuals on the priority housing waitlist.

Uniting Vic.Tas also contributed about $10 million, a private donor just over $4 million, while Uniting’s Bendigo Central and Axedale congregation provided the land, valued at approximately $3.7 million, for free.

“These homes represent 73 families who now have stability, dignity and a real foundation to build their lives on – that’s what the Big Housing Build is all about,” Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards said.

Her counterpart, Member for Bendigo East, Premier Jacinta Allan, said every Victorian family deserves a safe home.

“We’re not waiting – we’re delivering modern, accessible homes in every corner of Victoria,” she said.