Raising homelessness awareness

MOORABOOL Shire Council and Cafs will be raising awareness of those without a home during Homelessness Week next week.

Council officers, their children and staff from the child and family service organisation have committed to folding 387 paper origami houses, representing the people in Moorabool who accessed homeless support services in 2022.

Mayor Cr Paul Tatchell said the area is not free from the homelessness crisis.

“The statistics in Victoria are terrible and sadly, we are not immune in Moorabool, with hundreds of people accessing homelessness support,” he said.

“Having affordable and secure housing supports better health, education for our children and opportunities to be a part of the local community.”

During Homelessness Week (4 to 10 August 2025), leading community organisations come together to raise awareness about the need for more social and public housing in Victoria.

Data from the last census showed that every night at least 30,000 Victorians are homeless, including 6800 children.

Many live in cars, stay in tents, with a friend, in a shelter or refuge, while some have nowhere to go.

The top causes of homelessness are family violence, financial difficulties, and the housing crisis.

To highlight the urgent need for governments to fix the housing crisis and end homelessness, organisations have been asked to contribute to folding 60,000 origami homes and display them before and during Homelessness Week.

It is estimated that 60,000 social homes are needed to meet current needs.

Last year, 6000 origami houses were displayed on the steps of Parliament House to represent 10 percent of the need for social homes.

This year the focus is on raising awareness in local communities.

The origami houses will be on display at the Lerderderg Library in Bacchus Marsh.