Purpose Takes Centre Stage at PeoplePurposePlace

2026 02 20 Media Release #38

Purpose Takes Centre Stage at PeoplePurposePlace

as Residents Settle In

MALANDA, QLD – Doors are open, the rooms are lived in, and the kettle is boiling at the newly completed Ginn Road collaborative living project in Malanda. But the real work is only just beginning.

This project was never just about walls and roofs. PeoplePurposePlace is shifting its focus from building to belonging — from premises to purpose.

“Creating the physical space was the easy part,” Jana Mueller, local Ambassador, said. “Now we turn to what really matters: rebuilding the art of communication and community.”

From left: First investor Christine Doan, Jenny Sader, and Jana Mueller, local ambassadors for PeoplePurposePlace, celebrating the next chapter of the Ginn Road collaborative living project in Malanda.

Relearning the Skills of Living Together

In a fast-paced, digitally driven world, many people have lost the practical skills needed to live well alongside each other. Misunderstandings escalate quickly. Assumptions replace dialogue. Conflict is often avoided — or handled poorly.

Community does not simply happen because people share a postcode. It must be nurtured intentionally.

Beginning in early March, structured support sessions will commence for the five residents now calling Ginn Road home. These sessions will focus on communication techniques, conflict resolution skills, and collaborative decision-making processes, including principles drawn from the Nonviolent Communication (NVC) framework. Residents will learn how to navigate differences without division and how to transform tension into growth.

“We don’t assume people automatically know how to live in community,” Mueller explained. “Most of us were never taught how to build agreements together, how to give feedback constructively, how to express needs clearly, or listen without defensiveness. These are skills — and skills can be learned.”

From Experiment to Example

What began as an ambitious local housing initiative is evolving into something deeper: a living laboratory for a modern community.

With the educational component now commencing, organisers believe it can become a replicable model for other regional communities.

“This is where the real juice of PeoplePurposePlace lies,” said Christine Doan, the first investor. “Not just in providing housing, but in teaching the human skills that make a house feel like home. If we can help five people build a healthy, communicative micro-community here in Malanda, we’re demonstrating something powerful. We’re showing that community can be learned, practised, and sustained.”

As the dust settles from construction and residents begin daily life together, one message is clear: this project was never just about walls and roofs. It is about rediscovering the lost art of communication — and proving that with the right tools and intention, community can thrive again.

For more information about PeoplePurposePlace or the Ginn Road collaborative living project, please contact:

• Jenny (Ambassador):                 0458 928 344
• Jana (Ambassador):                   0439 229 169
• Christine (Ginn Rd Investor):    0419 656 247
• Email: tablelands@peoplepurposeplace.com.au

The Ginn Road project is proudly supported by Start-Up and Innovations Tablelands (ST), underscoring its role as a leader in innovative solutions for the region.