Tragedy at Wagga Wagga Homeless Camp: Newborn Found Deceased

Police stated there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death, and a report is being prepared for the coroner.

Incident Timeline

On Saturday afternoon, police responded to a welfare concern at Cadell Place, a riverside homeless camp along the Murrumbidgee River near Wagga Beach. Upon arrival, officers located a 37-year-old woman and two infants. One of the infants was deceased.

The woman and the surviving infant received treatment at the scene before being transported to Wagga Wagga Base Hospital. The surviving infant was reported to be in critical condition as of Monday.

The camp consists of approximately a dozen long-term tents, with visible items including rubbish, prams, toys, and bikes.

Official Responses

NSW Minister for Housing and Homelessness Rose Jackson confirmed that the family had been in contact with Homes NSW for several years. She has requested a full investigation into the family's circumstances by the department. Jackson stated she will meet with local MP Dr. Joe McGirr and Wagga Wagga Mayor Dallas Tout to discuss the incident. She referenced the state's housing-first policy.

Wagga Wagga City Councillor Richard Foley called for a review of services that had contact with the family and for improved coordination among council, state, and federal authorities. He advocated for more transitional housing and support services.

Wagga Wagga City Council General Manager Peter Thompson expressed concern and has requested meetings with state agencies regarding the lack of appropriate accommodation.

Wagga Women's Health Centre President Vickie Burkinshaw stated the centre has a waitlist of 76 women.

Homelessness Australia CEO Kate Colvin noted that short-term and crisis accommodation services are unable to meet demand, and that one in three individuals or families seeking emergency accommodation do not receive it, according to the Specialist Homelessness Services annual report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

"One in three individuals or families seeking emergency accommodation do not receive it."
— Homelessness Australia CEO Kate Colvin

Local Housing Context

Official data from the 2021 Census counted 425 homeless people in Wagga Wagga. A 2024 local council report indicated 257 homeless individuals in the area, a 71% increase from eight years prior.

As of March 2024, 674 people were on the social housing waitlist in Wagga Wagga. According to the NSW Department of Communities and Justice, as of June 30, 2025, over 700 people were waiting for social housing in Wagga Wagga, with 102 classified as priority applicants. The expected wait time is between 5 to 10 years across all dwelling types. Statewide, over 68,000 households are on the social housing waiting list.

The rental vacancy rate in the Riverina region was 0.6% in January 2025.

Government Housing Initiatives

The NSW government identifies Wagga Wagga as a priority area for social housing renewal. The state government has allocated $6.6 billion to the Building Homes for NSW program, aiming to construct 8,400 new public homes.

Homes NSW has provided 123 new social homes in Wagga since April 2023, with 52 more in development and 16 scheduled for completion this year.

Homes NSW is working with the Aboriginal Housing Office and local council to redevelop the Tolland estate, aiming to deliver 490 new homes in the next decade. Most existing public housing stock was built in the 1960s and 1970s and is increasingly costly to maintain.

Community Response

A community meeting about the housing crisis is scheduled for Tuesday night.