Accessibility of family services in Queensland mining towns : a case study of Middlemount, Qld

The delivery of family services for regional communities which are situated in resource intensive locations in Australia however presents a number of distinctive challenges. This paper explores the applicability of the trend in service delivery models that emphasise integration by geographical scale and by type of service and clientele base. A case study was conducted in the Queensland mining township of Middlemount which is located in the resource intensive Bowen Basin region. In order to evaluate the performance of family services, this study used a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods. Along with using secondary data, the study involved stakeholder’s discussion and a survey of mining employees in Middlemount. Support for cross jurisdictional family service delivery at the local scale in combination with strong regional centre based services is evident. Central however to the successful delivery of family services is the social and human capital capacity inherent within the township. Increasing funding and integration for family services is, not by itself, going to deliver satisfactory outcomes.