Apply for Housing
The Murchison Region Aboriginal Corporation manages over 115 properties throughout the Mid West and Gascoyne region of Western Australia.
The Murchison Region Aboriginal Corporation manages over 123 properties throughout the Mid West and Gascoyne region of Western Australia. We aim to provide quality homes for rent to Aboriginal people.
We have all sizes of homes from small 1 bedroom units to large 4 bedroom homes. Our homes are regularly maintained, have at least one split-system air conditioning unit and are located in regional towns and cities such as Mullewa, Yalgoo, Northampton, Geraldton, and Carnarvon.
Am I eligible?
We understand that housing is hard to find, and we have a high demand for our homes. However, all applicants must meet our eligibility criteria to be approved and placed on a waiting list. Download our current criteria list to see if you can rent a home from us as per the below, and refer to the below Financial Eligibility Assessment.
Applying for a Home
We ask you to complete and return an application form. Please get in touch with us early in the process if you need assistance; we are happy to help. To process your application, we need you to:
complete all sections of the form;
provide all requested documents; and
include current details of two recent rental references – If the Department of Housing and Works is one of your references, please complete a release form to provide permission.
Tenancy Agreement
Before you move in, we will ask you to sign an initial six-month tenancy agreement and become familiar with your rights and responsibilities.
During the first six months, we’ll visit twice to make sure everything is ok. If the house suits you and you have settled into the location well, you will enter a periodic tenant agreement. This means you can stay for as long as you meet your obligations as a tenant.
Click here to find out more information about what we expect from our tenants.
Submit your Application
You can submit your application in person or via email. Once we receive your application and all documentation, we will assess your eligibility, check that your rent payments will not cause financial hardship and contact your references. Assessment takes 2-3 weeks but can only be completed if we reach your references. We will send you a letter to advise of the outcome of your application.
Previous poor rental history does not automatically disqualify you from renting a home from us.
Successful Applications
If your application is successful, we will add you to the waiting list and match you to a suitable home depending on availability, location and your requirements. This can take time. Please let us know if your contact details change so we can be in touch when we have a home for you.
Unsuccessful Applications
Refer to the eligibility criteria to ensure that you meet all aspects. There are operational reasons that vary from application to application which may cause an application to be unsuccessful. We will explain our decision but if you feel it is not right, you can appeal. An Independent Appeals Committee will review your application and our decision and make their own decision upon their findings. If they find your application to be successful, you will be added to the waiting list.
Accessing Urgent Housing
Please be advised.
MRAC has no crisis or priority housing.
MRAC commonly has full occupancy of our rental properties.
The waiting list to receive a MRAC rental is generally 3 – 5 years.
If you are seeking urgent housing, please contact the below agencies.
Department of Housing and Works: (08)6414 3320 – Social and affordable housing
The Salvation Army: (08) 99640600 - Community Housing Provider / Regional Supportive Landlord & Emergency Accommodation Referral and Support Service (EARSS)
Desert Blue ConnectChrysalis House Women’s Refuge: (08)9964 2173 – women & children domestic violence refuge
STAY: (08)9921 5696 - Short Term Accommodation for Youth
Neami National: (08)6323 8980 – Mental Health Step Up/Step Down Service short stay accommodation
Bundiyarra Aboriginal Community Aboriginal Corporation: Geraldton Aboriginal Short Stay Accommodation (08) 9920 7900
Horizon House Geraldton: (08)9964 3042 / 0447 275 494 – youth accommodation
Ruah Community Services supports: (08)6496 0001 or 1800 124 684 – Homeless and housing support
Centacare Family Services: (08)9921 1433 – support services / accommodation
Sun City Care Inc.: (08)9964 1000 – support services / accommodation
Mission Australia: (08)9921 5441 or (08)9941 4260 - THRIVE Midwest and Gascoyne, Housing support program
Financial Eligibility Assessment
MRAC Rents
MRAC sets rent at a maximum of 75% of the regional market rent, as benchmarked by the Australian Tax Office (ATO). This is the same as other not for profit community housing providers across Australia. This means MRAC rents are at least 25% below current regional market rates, ensuring affordability for eligible tenants.
Financial Capacity and Housing Eligibility
MRAC is dedicated to providing long-term, sustainable housing across our communities. To protect applicants from financial stress and ensure tenancies remain viable, we assess financial capacity during the application process using standard affordability benchmarks.
Affordability Benchmark: Rent must not exceed 30% of gross household income (including employment wages and Centrelink payments).
Rent Setting: MRAC properties are already discounted against regional market rates, set in accordance with relevant benchmark guidelines. As such further rent reductions are not available.
Adhering to the 30% guideline ensures that tenants can comfortably meet their housing costs while retaining enough income for everyday living expenses.
Example: Assessing Tenancy Affordability
Consider an applicant receiving $1,000 per fortnight in base Centrelink payments who applies for an MRAC property rented at $700 per fortnight:
Without Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA): The rent represents 70% of household income.
With CRA: Even with maximum CRA applied (increasing total income to approximately $1,200), rent still consumes over 58% of total income.
This exceeds the 30% affordability benchmark, leaving less than $250 per week for essential living costs—such as food, utilities, medical care, transportation etc. Allocating a tenancy under these conditions places the household in immediate rental stress.
Referral Pathway:
Where an applicant's income falls below MRAC's affordability threshold, staff will guide them toward public housing options through the Department of Housing and Works, which provides heavily subsidised income-based rents.