22 May 2026

WollCon drums up support for the crisis in our backyard

11 May 2026 | By Dione David

Usually a hub for music and creativity, WollCon’s heritage grounds will host the 2026 CEO Sleepout to raise vital funds for homelessness services in the Illawarra. Photo: Region.

The air around the heritage sandstone walls of the Wollongong Conservatorium is usually filled with the sound of scales and orchestral rehearsals, but next month it will play backdrop to an education of a different kind.

WollCon is set to host the 2026 Vinnies CEO Sleepout for the first time, joining business and community leaders across the Illawarra to raise vital funds for the organisation’s work in providing both immediate assistance and long-term pathways to stability for people experiencing homelessness.

Among those raising funds is WollCon CEO Annette Brown. She’s no stranger to the hustle for funding, but this event marks a personal commitment to addressing a crisis that sits just outside the music school’s doors.

“A lot of people may ask, ‘Why are you doing this when you’re a not-for-profit yourself?’ I work to drum up musical opportunities for people in our region, but when people don’t have a bed to sleep in, how can I not help shine a light on that?” Annette says.

“I think in a region like ours it’s easy to think homelessness isn’t a big problem. But go to your local beach carpark late at night and see if any vehicles haven’t been parked there more than once. It’s absolutely possible that in our beautiful backyard, there’s a mum and her child sleeping in that car.”

With blessings and help from Wollongong City Council and Wollongong Botanic Gardens, Annette will join 15 other local leaders already signed up to spend the night at WollCon, primarily sleeping on the concrete verandah of the single-storey building.

It’s double the previous participation, but that doesn’t mean organisers are resting on their laurels.

“Vinnies’ goal is to hit 30 participants,” Annette says. “I personally would love to see it swell to 50.”

The push for more participants isn’t just about record-breaking numbers; it’s about the tangible impact on the Illawarra.

Crucially, every dollar raised by these local leaders stays within the region, directly funding Vinnies’ local services and support programs.

“That was important to me,” Annette says.

“Too often, you don’t know where your dollar really goes. When I started at the conservatorium, there was no donate button. When I added it, I made it clear what each amount could pay for, from scholarships to printed music.

“It’s wonderful to know any money raised will come back to people in our community doing it tough.”

Graham Lancaster of Lancaster Law & Mediation has so far raised well over $40,000 over 11 years of participation.

Returning this year after a brief hiatus, he says it’s more important than ever for community leaders to use their influence to raise awareness of homelessness — not only the presence of the issue in the Illawarra, but the nature of it.

“We can tend to judge or make assumptions about the circumstances around homelessness. The truth is, we might all be one or two bad turns away from being homeless, especially in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis,” he says.

“Shelter is up there in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs — a fundamental biological human need, and a safety need as well. If you can give, great. If you can’t, please spread the word.”

Illawarra leaders participating in the 2026 Vinnies CEO Sleepout are: