NRL Cowboys House is a Townsville-based boarding facility that supports Indigenous students from remote Far North Queensland communities to access quality secondary education, removing geographic barriers and creating pathways from school into employment. Downer is a long-term financial supporter of Cowboys House and provides employment opportunities for Cowboys House students.

The House provides a stable and culturally connected environment for young people from some of Australia’s most geographically isolated communities. Students are supported to focus on their studies while remaining connected to their identity, families and communities.

NRL Cowboys House, established in 2017, provides a culturally safe boarding environment in Townsville for more than 100 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students each year, across dedicated boys’ and girls’ campuses. Students live onsite while attending local schools, supported through a wraparound model that combines academic support, wellbeing, cultural connection and career pathways, with more than 100 graduates to date.

Challenge

Students from remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities – from Badu Island and Bamaga to Doomadgee and Thursday Island – are often impacted by the sheer tyranny of distance, with many needing to leave small, isolated communities to access secondary schooling in Townsville.

For many families, accessing better educational opportunities requires students to leave home and community, representing a significant personal and cultural challenge.

Solution

Cowboys House provides a culturally safe boarding environment in Townsville, enabling students to live, learn and complete their secondary education while receiving structured, holistic support from their house parent community, which includes educators, carers cooks, and career transition advisors.

Downer partners with Cowboys House as a sponsor and supports students by creating employment pathways through paid roles on the Defence estate, including contributing to the delivery of essential services.

Key elements of this approach include:

• A safe, structured environment that supports consistent school attendance and engagement
• A holistic model supporting education, wellbeing, life skills and career readiness
• Sponsorship from Downer contributing to the ongoing delivery of the program
• Access to paid work opportunities on the Defence estate through Downer
• Exposure to real work environments, building confidence and transferable skills.

Outcomes

Cowboys House, supported by Downer’s sponsorship and employment pathways, is delivering improved educational outcomes and stronger pathways from school into employment.

Key outcomes include:

• Increased access to real-world work opportunities, supporting transition from school into employment
• Development of practical skills, confidence and workplace readiness through paid roles on the Defence estate
• Clearer links between schooling and long-term career opportunities for students from remote communities
• Creation of employment pathways, with Cowboys House students progressing into full-time roles with Downer Defence
• Broader social impact through employment opportunities, contributing to stronger outcomes for remote families and communities.

Enabling communities to thrive is at the heart of Downer’s purpose. Through its partnership with NRL Cowboys House, Downer supports opportunities that extend beyond education, helping young people build the skills and e needed to pursue meaningful careers.