Katie Rose Cottage Hospice, a cornerstone of community-based palliative care in the Noosa hinterland, has temporarily paused inpatient admissions as it grapples with mounting financial pressure and funding uncertainty.
Chair of the board and treasurer Les Godwin FCPA [Fellow Certified Practising Accountant] said the pause was a difficult but necessary step. “The temporary pause to inpatient admissions means that, at present, patients who would otherwise have been admitted to the hospice are being supported to remain at home, where possible, through our outreach nursing services,” he said. “While inpatient care is central to our mission, outreach support continues to ensure individuals and families are not left without professional palliative care.”
Operating since 2016, Katie Rose Cottage Hospice relies heavily on community goodwill to provide specialist end-of-life care. Queensland Government funding currently covers only about one-third of nursing costs. “Like other community-based palliative care hospices in Queensland, Katie Rose Cottage Hospice relies on a combination of government funding, community donations, fundraising and bequests,” Les said. “Government funding does not fully cover the cost of specialist palliative nursing care, which makes sustainability challenging and requires ongoing community support.”
He said bequests, while important, were unpredictable and made long-term budgeting difficult.
Financial strain has intensified over the past six months, with a noticeable decline in donations. “The decline in donations reflects broader economic pressures being experienced across the community,” Les said. “Any reduction in donations has a direct impact on the hospice’s ability to fund services and maintain operations at previous levels.”
Katie Rose’s three op shops (including the one in Cooroy) remain a vital lifeline, generating about $150,000 a year in net proceeds after wages and operating costs. While modest in the context of overall funding needs, Les said they were both reliable and symbolic. “The op shops also play an important role in maintaining the hospice’s visibility and connection with the community,” he said.
Meanwhile, uncertainty also surrounds Stage Two of the hospice’s redevelopment. Construction activities commenced in January 2026, with elements of Stage Two incorporated into Stage One works following a revised federal project deadline. However, delivery of an additional inpatient room is not yet funded.
“Completion of that room will depend on securing further capital funding, including the opportunity to apply for future federal grants,” Les said.
Any delay would mean the hospice continues operating as a three-bed facility, albeit with essential upgrades to improve safety, compliance and quality of care.
For families across Cooroy and the Noosa hinterland, it is obvious that local funding and aid is critical. “Community support remains vital,” Les said. “Donations, fundraising initiatives, volunteering, and engagement with our op shops all directly assist the hospice in maintaining services and working toward the resumption of inpatient admissions,”