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AEIOU unveils new Indlia centre following Kirwan arson attack

Freya Lucas

Oct 08, 2024

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The autisim specific early intervention service AIEOU has unveiled its new Indalia centre after a previous location in Kirwan, Queensland, was destroyed in an arson attack, leaving Townsville families devastated.

Thankfully the new multi-million dollar centre in Idalia has restored hope, ensuring that local families can access specialist support for their young children living with autism spectrum disorder.

The new facility has also increased the capacity of the service, meaning it can provide support for more families in Townsville and surrounding areas.

While the families waited for the new service to be fitted out, attendees of the Kirwan site were supported by local service Billy Lids Kindergarten, who provided rooms for AEIOU’s staff and children.

In speaking with local media about the opening of the new centre AEIOU chief executive Alan Smith said the support from the community had been a vital part of the centre reopening, with $245,000 raised from an emergency appeal to replace resources such as visual aids, something which he said demonstrated the vital role that AEIOU plats in boosting the number of autism support services available in North Queensland.

Mr Smith said the opening of the new centre was a collaborative effort, thanking the AEIOU team, families and government, community and business partners for their ‘shared vision’.

Designed by Buchan Group and constructed by Hutchinson Builders, funding for the $5.6 million project, including $1 million from the Queensland Government’s Resources Community Infrastructure Fund grant program and $2 million from the Australian Government, was already secured when the previous centre in Kirwan was destroyed.

To read local coverage of this story please see here.

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