2026 03 30 Media Release
Malanda gains an unusual new home.
A bold vision for a new kind of living has come to life on the Atherton Tablelands, as the first residents settle into the collaborative housing project at 42 Ginn Road.
Local artist’s rendition of the Ginn Road Mob’s ‘homehold’.
What began as an idea—part practicality, part idealism—has evolved into something more tangible: a functioning, connected community. The new residents, already calling themselves The Ginn Road Mob, bring together a diverse mix of personalities, backgrounds, and life experiences. Each individual arrives with their own goals, strengths, and challenges, yet together they are forming something greater than the sum of their parts.
“They may still be in a bit of a honeymoon phase,” says project lead and property owner Christine Doan, “but what we’re seeing is extraordinary. There’s a genuine sense of connection, mutual respect, and willingness to engage. It already feels like a team.”
The initiative was inspired by a concept from Townsville’s Darren Finlay, who envisioned “homeholds” rather than just houses—spaces that balance privacy with meaningful social connection.
“My vision was to create affordable households combining privacy and sociability,” says Finlay. “A better word is ‘homeholds’. Houses are everywhere, but true homes are becoming rare. We need to return to building places where people can genuinely live well together, using the best of what we know today.”
Early signs suggest the idea is working. Initial meetings among residents have combined practical organisation with open, honest communication—ranging from day-to-day logistics to shared hopes and aspirations.
“GRM is already a team,” says Doan. “Conversations have covered everything—from the nitty-gritty of living together in a new space to solving challenges constructively, to expressing optimism and making concrete plans for a shared future.”
The PeoplePurposePlace credo is that the development of the whole person has to be the basis of improving our housing situation. Good design and affordable rent is only the start of the its ‘homing’ solutions. Its primary purpose is to offer residents tools and guidance in communication, collaboration, and conflict resolution—key elements in sustaining a healthy collective ‘homehold’ over time.
For Jana Mueller, a PeoplePurposePlace ambassador and member of the support team, the project represents something deeply meaningful.
“The gratitude I feel is hard to put into words,” says Mueller. “To see such a diverse group of people come together with a shared intention to live collaboratively—not just in theory, but in the day-to-day reality of life—is incredibly powerful. This is about more than housing. It’s about rediscovering what it means to belong.”
As the Ginn Road Mob settles in, the project stands as a living example of what can happen when thoughtful design, careful selection, and a shared purpose come together.
From concept to community, Ginn Road is no longer just a place—it’s becoming a way of living.
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