Sunshine Coast's own 'Kindest Person' nominee continues the crusade of hope in Woombye

Mark Forbes at the Woombye village “What has been enormously rewarding from the very start of our journey, is the incredible synchronicities we have experienced along the way.”

Five years after building Wandi Nerida, Australia’s first residential eating disorder treatment centre in Mooloolah Valley, Mark and Gayle Forbes have come full circle in their crusade to support those experiencing an eating disorder, and their families.

The couple have dedicated the past 19 years to helping support and educate families and individuals impacted by eating disorders and have used their lived experience as the motivation to address this illness, which affects around 4% of the population.

The Forbes’ established their not-for-profit organisation, endED, to provide grassroots support, education and advocacy for people in eating disorder recovery, and in 2020, endED purchased an acreage property in Woombye, now called the House of Hope, to continue to support those experiencing an eating disorder as well as their loved ones.

The facility offers a home-like environment with allied health spaces to support those who have completed residential treatment at Wandi Nerida, which is now managed by the Butterfly Foundation.

“Just recently I had one of our House of Hope attendees tell me that she had struggled with her eating disorder after completing her time at Wandi Nerida because she did not have the outside support to implement what she had learnt,” Mr Forbes said.

“She started attending House of Hope after her second round of residential treatment and was far more confident, and had the wrap-around services to help her as she integrated back into her everyday life. It is so gratifying to hear stories like this.”

In March this year, eight tiny homes on the Woombye property marked the final stage of endED's vision to provide practical, community-based support for vulnerable people.

“Opening of the village delivers a full circle model of care, we know it to be an Australian first and quite possibly a world first. There is now a 90-day residential program connected to our 90-day short-term accommodation village, connected to our step-up, step-down day program house; House of Hope.”

“What has been enormously rewarding from the very start of our journey, is the incredible synchronicities we have experienced along the way,” said Mr Forbes.

“What started out as a support facility and network for those with eating disorders now encompasses a community garden which not only provides therapeutic benefits to our village residents, but the surplus food grown goes to Urban Angels, who prepare nourishing meals for those in need across the Sunshine Coast,” he said.

In a public, nationwide recognition of his tireless work and advocacy, Mr Forbes reached the Top 50 national shortlist for the inaugural 2026 Australia's Kindest Person Awards, from a field of over 5,000 nominations, earlier this year.

“To be honest, I was completely taken by surprise,” Mr Forbes said.

“But the way I see it is that it is wonderful exposure for our charity and celebrates the incredible volunteers and the community that supports us.

“There have been so many touch points and it is exciting to see in which direction we head next.”