“The statistics gathered from the ABS 2016 Census shows that 28,000 Australians aged between 12 to 25 are homeless on any given night,” Moree Family Support’s Crystal Trotter said. “The first and most common way young people experience homelessness is couch surfing. Seventy percent of young people leave their homes to escape family violence, child abuse or family breakdown.”

On that score, local man Wyatt Roberts shared his struggle with homelessness.

“I was living with my brother for a few years but we just had a big blew, we weren’t getting along,” he said. “I just left one day, I didn’t feel welcome. I went to a mate’s and was there for four to six months. After that things were going downhill, I couldn’t live there. They asked me to leave and find my own place to stay, so I went and got help.”

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With the help of Moree Family Support, Homes North and Byamee Homeless Support Wyatt found a flat and bought household basics such as linen, cutlery, crockery and a bed.

With the serious talk of homelessness aside, children had the chance to catch up with former NRL player Nathan Blacklock. Arts and crafts projects, a game of handball and basketball, frozen slushies, fruit and roast potatoes and nachos were also on the plate of things to be enjoyed on the day.

Some of Moree’s rising music stars also delivered an incendiary music performance after collaborating with Australian hip-hop figure Nate Weatherall.

““Music allows you to speak your mind and connect with people,” he said.

The made-in-Armidale singer and music producer said he planned to return to Moree and collaborate with locals.

“I’ll be setting up a studio at Salvos and hoping to push out seven or eight songs to make into an EP. I’d like to get people from Moree to tell their stories. Just as music helped me to speak my mind, I want it to help them.”