Proceeds from the sale of the historic Julia Farr Centre will fund one of the largest disability grant programs introduced under the Malinauskas Government.
The new Julia Farr Disability Inclusion Grants, to be delivered by the Department of Human Services, will offer two tiers of funding: up to $20,000 for 12-month projects, and up to $100,000 for 24-month projects.
The state government is looking forward to receiving applications from creative, community-driven projects that enhance:
Active participation and inclusive communities
- Inclusive behaviours and attitudes
- Accessibility to natural and built environments
- Accessibility of communication and information
- Cultural and creative participation
- Access to technology and digital inclusion.
Projects supporting people in alignment with the Disability Inclusion Act 2018 and State Disability Inclusion Plan will be given priority.
Applicants eligible for the grants program include SA organisations that provide support services to locals, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, local government entities, community centres and neighbourhood houses.
The grants will ensure the legacy of Julia Farr Centre, known most recently as Highgate Park, continues by supporting the needs of people with disability for years to come.
After the announcement of the $42 million sale of the 2.8-hectare site at Fullarton in January 2024, a working group facilitated by JFA Purple Orange provided advice on how the proceeds would be best managed to ensure people with disability are the beneficiaries and always at the centre of decision making.
Applications are open now and close on 14 November 2025, with successful applicants expected to be advised in early 2026.
For more information, visit: https://dhs.sa.gov.au/how-we-help/grants/available-grants
As put by Nat Cook
These grants will ensure the legacy of Julia Farr and the facility she created to improve the lives of people with disability more than 140 years ago live on.
This funding from the Home for the Incurables Trust will help to get innovative projects off the ground so that we can work towards a more inclusive South Australia.
We are dedicated to working with people with lived experience so that the voices of people with disability are considered in all decisions we make and that they continue to be the beneficiaries of the Trust.
We look forward to receiving applications for what we know will be lots of deserving projects and can't wait to see what a difference this money makes.
As put by grant evaluation panel member Scarlet Secomb
As a 19-year-old who lives with disability, has supported family, and grown up in a regional community, I know how important it is to create opportunities that work in real, everyday contexts. Hopefully these grants will do just that.
I'm excited to see the innovative approaches people are taking to accessibility. Grants like these can support new ideas and help turn good intentions into projects that lead to genuine inclusion and better outcomes.
Being part of the panel is about more than reviewing applications, it's about supporting, encouraging and enabling projects that can make a difference in people's lives.
