Community Laundry Reduces Heart Disease in Remote NT Communities 2026

The community laundry initiative in the Northern Territory is proving a powerful tool in reducing rheumatic heart disease among Indigenous Australians. When former Olympian Liz Morgan-Brett toured remote Aboriginal communities in 2018, she saw first-hand the impact of unsafe living conditions, including scabies infections leading to acute rheumatic fever.

How Scabies Leads to Rheumatic Heart Disease

Rheumatic heart disease was largely eliminated in developed nations by the mid-20th century with the advent of running water. However, in overcrowded and broken housing in many remote communities, the diseases persist. Up to 70% of Indigenous children in remote communities contract scabies before their first birthday. If untreated, scabies sores can become infected with group A streptococcus bacteria, which can lead to acute rheumatic fever and ultimately rheumatic heart disease.

The Role of Commercial-Grade Laundries

Morgan-Brett’s organisation, the Indigenous-owned not-for-profit Aboriginal Investment Group (AIG), built the first prototype laundry in 2019 and shipped it to Barunga, a remote community about 300km south-east of Darwin. Within two years of operation, scabies dropped 60% and there have been no new cases of rheumatic heart disease in Barunga. The project now has seven laundry sites across the Northern Territory, providing commercial-grade laundry facilities free of charge.

Key Takeaways from the Community Laundry Project

• Access to laundry drastically reduces scabies infections, a primary driver of rheumatic heart disease.
• Commercial-grade washers and dryers are essential for large families in overcrowded housing.
• The project has delivered over 88,000 cycles of washing across seven sites.
• No new cases of rheumatic heart disease have been reported in communities with laundries.
• This model can be replicated in other remote Indigenous communities.

How You Can Support

Supporting initiatives like the AIG community laundry project helps close the health gap for Indigenous Australians. Donations and advocacy can expand these life-saving services to more remote areas.

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