Consumers at Gold Coast’s Secure Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit (SMHRU) are gaining new skills, confidence and connection through a hands-on café project designed to support their transition back to community life.
Located within the first ward of the $122.7 million, 40-bed facility, the Banksia Café is a consumer-led, occupational-therapy-driven initiative that uses meaningful activity to build practical life skills.
The SMHRU is the first purpose-built secure mental health rehabilitation service of its kind in the public sector on the Gold Coast, designed to support longer-term recovery in a safe, therapeutic environment.
Since opening to its first planned admissions in March 2025, 20 consumers have settled into the Banksia Unit, supported by a multidisciplinary workforce of doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, lived experience peer workers and Torres Strait Islander health workers. The unit is connected to the Gold Coast University Hospital through a semi-enclosed linkway, ensuring seamless integration with broader clinical services.
Gold Coast Health SMHRU Senior Occupational Therapist Gurjeet Kaur said the café reflected a modern, recovery-oriented approach.
“The Banksia Café allows consumers the chance to practice real-life skills in a supported and safe environment,” Gurjeet said.
“We see significant growth in confidence, communication and teamwork – skills that support independence and give consumers a genuine sense of purpose.”
The weekly café operates with consumers working in teams of three, supported by the senior occupational therapist, peer workers and occupational therapy students.
Before participating, consumers complete training in food handling, hand hygiene, money management and a Banksia café induction, where they receive informal customer service training to support their safety and readiness.
Roles are graded to match each person’s functional abilities and comfort levels, beginning with simple drink preparation and progressively moving to more complex tasks.
The staged approach supports steady skill development and increases readiness for the community and potential employment.
Gold Coast Health Allied Health Team Leader John Chacksfield said the project was already demonstrating strong therapeutic outcomes.
“The Banksia Café project is an excellent example of occupational-therapy-led rehabilitation,” John said.
“Consumers are applying new skills in a real setting and gaining confidence through teamwork and customer interaction.
“We’ve seen individuals who previously struggled to engage really thrive – with smiles and a clear sense of achievement.”
Each session ends with a structured debrief, where consumers reflect on their progress, identify learning outcomes and receive certificates recognising their participation and achievements.
The café is exclusively open to Gold Coast Health Mental Health staff and SMHRU consumers. It operates every Thursday and will pause over the festive season before resuming in the new year.
Planning is underway for the opening of Sandalwood, SMHRU’s second ward, within the next year. The additional capacity will bring the 40-bed facility closer to full operation and support more consumers as they progress toward independent living.
