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The Hoofbeats Sanctuary charity at Yandina, which supports vulnerable women and girls across the hinterland, has paused new enrolments amid a funding crisis.
I 9 June 2026
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Hoofbeats Sanctuary seeks urgent community support BY SARAH JANE SCOTT A Noosa hinterland equine therapy charity, Hoofbeats Sanctuary, which supports vulnerable women and girls has been forced to stop taking new clients as it battles a worsening financial crisis. Hoofbeats Sanctuary, now based in Yandina after relocating from Doonan last year, provides free twelve-week equine therapy programs for women and girls experiencing trauma, mental health challenges and crisis.
Founder and facilitators say the decision to pause enrolments has been distressing, particularly given the growing demand for support across the region. “At its heart, Hoofbeats Sanctuary is a place where women and girls who are really struggling finally find something that works for them,” Barb Blashki, CEO said. The Sanctuary runs two programs, Go Remarkable for girls and young women aged 12 to 24, and Recovery and Discovery for women over 25. Participants work one-on-
one with trained facilitators and rescued horses in a private paddock setting. “What makes our approach different from clinical therapy is that it meets people where they are emotionally and physically,” Barb said. “Horses are extraordinarily attuned to human emotion. They respond honestly and without judgement.” The organisation says all programs are offered free to those who need them most, despite increasing financial pressure. The crisis has been driven
by a combination of declining donations, tougher grant competition and the loss of its previous Doonan home after Sunshine Coast Council reallocated the land. The move to Yandina brought additional costs and complications, including the loss of eligibility for some regional grant programs under Australian Statistical Geography Standard classifications. Just days after relocating, the property was heavily impacted by Cyclone Alfred, forcing programs to pause for almost five months.
“We run an extraordinarily lean operation,” Barb said. “We have less than two fulltime equivalent staff and more than 35 volunteers. We have no debt. What we do have is a funding model that was always precarious.” Despite the challenges, a recent independent evaluation by University of the Sunshine Coast researchers found the programs delivered “exceptionally significant” improvements in mental health and wellbeing. Continued page 2
Living in the Hinterland Where Lifestyle Guides You Home In the Noosa Hinterland, lifestyle is never an afterthought – it is the starting point. That is why property decisions rarely begin with “How many bedrooms and bathrooms do we need?” Rather, they take shape with a simple but powerful question:
“How do we want to live?”
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Cooroy Rag, 9 June 2026 - Page 1