Benevolent Living

03/02/2026

The February edition of Bene News is out! 🌟
Start the month with highlights from what our community has been up to, exciting events on the horizon, and get to know Andrew Baird in this month’s Resident Spotlight.

Stay updated with the latest happenings and exciting events at Benevolent Living in our February 2026 edition of Bene News! Let's dive into what our residents have been up to throughout this vibrant month. You can view the online version of Bene News here. Alternatively, you can download the printab...

30/01/2026

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to our valued board member, Rod Green, on being awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of his outstanding service to the community.

Rod's honour reflects decades of dedicated, volunteer-driven leadership across Central Queensland. His contributions span health advocacy, community governance and service organisations, where his steady commitment and genuine care for people have made a meaningful and lasting difference.

On behalf of the Board, staff and the wider community we serve, we thank Rod for his remarkable service and leadership. This national recognition is richly deserved, and we are proud to acknowledge the positive impact he continues to make through his work with our organisation and beyond.

Rotarian and former Rockhampton City councillor Rod Green admits feeling daunted to receive an OAM (Medal of the Order of Australia) for service to the community of Rockhampton.

“I don’t do what I do for the awards, I do it to gladly help people in need," he said.

Link to the full story in the comments. 👇

You can also read this article in today's midweek edition of CQ Today.

27/01/2026

We celebrated Australia Day the best way we know how at Benevolent Living – with a classic Aussie BBQ 🤍
Snags on bread, good company and a relaxed morning spent with our mates at the café.

Wishing everyone a happy and safe Australia Day for yesterday!

05/01/2026

The January edition of Bene News is out! ✨
Kick off the new year with highlights from our January activities, upcoming events to look forward to, and get to know Betty Loch in our Resident Spotlight.

Stay updated with the latest happenings and exciting events at Benevolent Living in our January 2026 edition of Bene News! Let's dive into what our residents have been up to throughout this vibrant month. You can view the online version of Bene News here. Alternatively, you can download the printabl...

24/12/2025

Holiday Closure Notice – Café 1866 🎄

We’d like to thank all our wonderful customers for your support throughout the year!
Please note that Café 1866 will be closed from 25th December through to 1st January for the holiday season.

We’ll reopen with our normal hours from 2nd January.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Stay safe and enjoy the festive season – we look forward to seeing you in 2026!

23/12/2025

Special Shout-Out to Our Christmas Decorating Winners! 🎄

A huge congratulations to Mardy McKean and Jack Fleming House for taking out the top spot in this year’s festive decorating competition!

All our staff truly got into the spirit, handcrafting homely festive settings that brought warmth and joy throughout our community. Even our residents joined in, creating and decorating beautiful items that made the celebrations extra special.
Well done to everyone for your creativity, teamwork, and dedication – you’ve made this Christmas one to remember!

22/12/2025

Celebrating Our Christmas Decorating Champions! ✨🎄

Our annual Christmas decorating competition brought out the festive spirit in full force! Judged on creativity, resident engagement, and teamwork, our incredible teams went above and beyond to make their houses and sections sparkle with holiday cheer.

The winners and our team celebrated with a lovely morning tea – and of course, earned bragging rights for another year!

🏆 First Place: Mardy McKean and Jack Fleming House
🥈 Second Place: Level 2 and Jim McRae
🎉 Special Mention: The Laundry team for their hilarious festive-themed Cheeky Elf Extravaganza!

A huge congratulations to everyone who participated – your efforts truly made this season magical for our residents and community.

19/12/2025

BoW Christmas Party – What a Night!

We had such a great time at the BoW Christmas Party. From the tasty paella to the amazing Croquembouche tower made by our own resident cook Shirley McMillan, the food was a real highlight.

Big thanks to Chef's Alex and Raelene and the catering team for keeping everyone well fed, and to Frank and Michael behind the bar for looking after the drinks.

A shout-out to the party planning crew – Kay Smith, Kay Souter, and helpers Fay, Frank, Alison and Ron S – for pulling it all together. It was a lovely way to wrap up the year and spend time together.

Here’s to another fantastic year ahead in 2026!

17/12/2025

Greg Rae’s End-of-Year Concert 🎶

What an incredible way to start to wrap up the year! A huge thank you to Greg Rae for sharing his time and talent with us throughout 2025. Your music has brought so much joy to our residents and created unforgettable moments.

We’re already looking forward to welcoming you back in the New Year for more wonderful performances!

15/12/2025

To our amazing Bene Bikes volunteer riders, thank you! ❤️🚲

We wrapped up our end‑of‑year with a beautiful afternoon down by the river, a slice of pizza, plenty of laughs, and of course a refreshing ride in the fresh air. It was the perfect way to celebrate everything you’ve given our residents this year.

To our incredible volunteer pilots, thank you for your time, care, and enthusiasm. Because of you, our residents get to experience the joy of getting out, feeling the breeze, and sharing moments that truly matter. 💖

Want to give back next year?

If you have riding experience and a heart for community, send us a message, we’d love to chat!

14/12/2025

Thank You, Playgroup Families!

As 2025 comes to a close, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all our playgroup families for spending time with us throughout the year. Your smiles, laughter, and energy have made every session special!

We’ll be taking a short break from playgroup from now until the end of January to recharge and prepare for another amazing year together.

Enjoy the holiday season, and we look forward to welcoming you back in 2026!

12/12/2025

This morning we were blessed to celebrate Catholic Mass with Bishop Michael. Our residents truly value your time and thank you for sharing the Word of the Lord during this Advent season.

Also a special thank you to our volunteers and residents who also shared the morning with us, Pat McDevitt, Sharyn Hogan and Kevin Hogan.

Your presence brought joy and meaning to this special time of year.

Merry Christmas to all! 🎄✨