Argyle Housing CEO Carolyn Doherty said there was a “misconception” that there was no homelessness in the Highlands, which was far from the truth.

The other incorrect assumption was that it only affected people with “severe issues”, such as addictions or mental illnesses.

“In reality, many homeless individuals and families are simply facing heightened economic pressures and housing instability,” she said.

“Homelessness can happen to anyone, often due to unforeseen circumstances such as job loss, health crises, or family breakdown.”

“We’re basically seeing a lot more people access services that would have never accessed services before,” Southern Highlands Homeless Service manager Veronica Ritchie.

During Homelessness Week (August 5 to 11), the Southern Highland News is shining a spotlight on the realities of homelessness in the Highlands.

Why it’s hard to get local statistics

When it comes to statistics, the numbers do vary in the Highlands.

The Department of Communities and Justice releases has been releasing its NSW street count for the last five years, which aims to track how many people are sleeping on the streets.

Covering local government areas across NSW, the Wingecarribee has not been included in any of them.

A Homes NSW spokesperson said while there were people experiencing homelessness in the area, it was not considered a hot spot.

“Homes NSW relies on reports from local councils, NSW Police, local communities and local Specialist Homelessness Services and other community services to establish which areas require monitoring and warrant regular Assertive Outreach patrols,” they said.

“Historically, reports of rough sleepers in the Wingacarribee LGA have been rare, so it has not been considered an LGA hot spot for rough sleepers.”

Ms Ritchie said this could be because rough sleepers were in spots “where they’re not seen”, such as abandoned buildings, not in tents in the middle of towns, or were couch surfing.

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistic’s 2021 census reveals 78 people were classified as homeless in the Wingecarribee.

Of these, 45 lived in “severely crowded dwellings”, 26 stayed with other people, and 11 were in “supported accommodation for the homeless”.

Homelessness NSW data varies slightly with 82 people in 2021, and has more information breaking down the demographics.

From this number, 51 per cent were women and 49 per cent were men, with 21 per cent being children and youth aged 18 and below.

The data revealed that 12.2 per cent were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and 15 per cent were over 55 years old.

Twenty-eight per cent of those recorded were employed.

Ms Doherty said there was a rise in people to go to Argyle Housing when they were working.

“Increasingly we are seeing individuals and families who are engaged in full-time employment in a position of homelessness, due to lack of supply and unaffordability,” Ms Doherty said.

Ms Ritchie said the SSHS supported 302 clients in the 2023-24 financial year, which has increased, with a rise in couples, families, and single males reaching out for support.

Pop-In manager Michele Lanigan said between 40 and 45 per cent of the women who come to the organisation for support were facing homelessness.

When it came to accessing support services for accommodation, she said one issue was that some women were not deemed “eligible, by systems due to not meeting certain requirements.”

On paper, this includes households having dual incomes, or a woman requiring assistance being employed.

But the women might have “no power or control over assets”, she said, where the eligibility criteria needed to change.

Pop-In manager of marketing and philanthropy Jonathan Melrose-Rae, said there was “no real service provider” in the region, with the closest being Campbelltown, Wollongong and Goulburn.

A total of 24,416 women and children who experienced domestic or family violence were assisted by homelessness services in NSW in 2022-23, according to Homelessness Australia’s 2024 Homelessness and domestic and family violence State of Response Report.

Between 2012-13 and 2022-23, the amount of women and children sleeping rough or in a car has “more than doubled” from 245 to 581, it said, and couch surfing has “almost tripled” from 777 to 2238.

“To effectively support people in need of housing or those on the brink of homelessness in the Highlands, we require increased access to financial support services, mental health resources, and community education programs alongside additional housing supply,” Ms Doherty said.

“Enhanced collaboration between local agencies, government authorities, and non-profit organisations is essential to create a network of care that addresses both immediate needs and long-term solutions.”

Ms Ritchie said temporary accommodation was also needed, because clients were then sent to Bargo or Wollongong.