Benevolent Living

13/02/2026

Happy Valentine’s Day ❤️

Today we celebrate our sweethearts who are with us, and we hold close those who will forever remain in our hearts 🫶🏻

13/02/2026

This morning we had the pleasure of coming together to celebrate the incredible career of Jo Champion, sharing morning tea and plenty of well‑wishes ahead of her farewell.

After nearly 18 years of dedicated service, Jo’s final day with Benevolent was today. Over the years, Jo has made an enormous contribution to our organisation and has supported countless colleagues and residents with her care, commitment and generosity.

It was wonderful to pause, reflect, and thank Jo for everything she has given to Benevolent, and to wish her all the very best as she begins her next chapter.

Thank you, Jo, for your dedication and the lasting impact you’ve made, you will be greatly missed 💙

12/02/2026

Congratulations to Our Catering Team! 👏🏻

We are incredibly proud to congratulate our catering team on successfully completing the 12‑month Maggie Beer Foundation Trainee Program.

Under the leadership of our Head Chef, Raelene, the team has shown outstanding dedication to building their skills, enhancing their capabilities, and continually improving the dining experience for all residents. Their commitment to learning and excellence truly shines through.

We marked this wonderful achievement with a special celebratory lunch, showcasing techniques and skills developed over the past 12 months, including a delicious tender roast pork and zesty lemon butter baked fish. A true reflection of how far the team has come!

Well done to Raelene and the entire catering team. We are so proud of your hard work and passion — great job, team!

09/02/2026

Thank you to everyone who came to view The Small Collectives: Wilderness, Woods and Wanderings. Which brought together three Brisbane neighbours turned collaborators, Leigh Shutter, Janice and Richard Williams, for their first-ever gallery showing as a trio.

Their practices span digital painting, hand‑carved timber and imagined landscapes, each offering a different path through the wild worlds that inspire them.

The exhibition will now run through to 5th of April and is open daily.

04/02/2026

Playgroup is back for 2026 with Play Matters Rockhampton 🌈☀️ Whether you are new to our playgroup or a returning family we can’t wait to welcome you to our community. Join us every Monday morning from 9.30am.

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.