How Did Aunty Rosie Die? Kings Cross Hero Cause of Death Explained

Aunty Rosie who was much-loved by the Kings Cross community has passed away recently.

What Happened to Aunty Rosie?

Wayside Chapel a charitable organization reveals the demise news of Aunty Rosie on their official Face Book page, the statement reads,

*Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this post contains an image of a deceased person.* Our hearts are breaking with the news that Kings Cross icon, Aunty Rosie, passed away last night.

Aunty Rosie was much-loved by the Kings Cross community and has been a regular face at Wayside for many years. A memorial has been set up in Aunty Rosie’s honor in our chapel (accessed via the café) at Wayside Chapel, 29 Hughes St, Potts Point.

All are welcome to stop by to pay their respects, leave a message in the memorial book or place a flower or wreath on the altar. We will share details about a memorial service when they become available. Photo of Aunty Rosie by Paul Westlake from Stories from the Wayside.

Wayside Chapel

A charitable organization and parish mission of the Uniting Church in Australia, The Wayside Chapel is located in Sydney’s Potts Point neighborhood.

The Wayside Chapel offers programs and services that aim to ensure access to health, welfare, social, and recreational services. It is located close to Sydney’s most well-known red-light district, Kings Cross. The center provides support to those who are homeless and marginalized in society.

The Wayside Chapel’s goal is to “build a community without ‘us’ and ‘them,’” according to its mission statement. “Love Over Hate” is its motto, which was created under the direction of the Rev. Graham Long.

In a 2014 interview, Graham Long characterized the Wayside Chapel’s methodology as lacking “any interest at all in fixing problems.”

Instead, the Wayside Chapel describes their strategy as follows: “I don’t want to have to deal with you as an issue. I want to be able to meet you in person. And if we do meet, I believe both of us will have changed. I’ll make progress toward health, and you will too. That’s how it works.”

Aunty Rosie Cause of Death

Till now, there has been no official word on Aunt Rosie’s cause of death. Although a Facebook message mentions that aunty was ill for a while, the precise nature of her ailment has not been made public. We’ll update this page as soon as we have official information.

This news is very sad. Many of us know that Rosie has been unwell for a long time, but I did not expect this. Rosie was a very special person. Yes, she could be naughty and was not everyone’s cup of tea, but she had a great sense of humor, was always up for a chat, loved her reading, and was extremely intelligent.

To the surprise of many, who had encountered her on a bad day, she was also very caring. I was sitting in Macleay Street one day (not feeling well) and Rosie came over, asked if I was okay, did I want a bottle of water or any help, and was so lovely. We were always telling her to go home in winter when she would be sitting in the cold outside at Woolies.

And only last week she shot out in front of my car, against the pedestrian lights, with me calling our “Rosie be careful” as she hot-footed it across the road. Rosie, you were a big part of my time in Potts Point and there are many of us that will miss you and your cheekiness. I am sure there will be many tales spoken about you, and to the person who is privileged to your beginnings, possibly? there could be a book in the making. Vale Rosie.

Who was Aunty Rosie?

In Australia, there were over 100,000 homeless persons at the time of the 2011 Census, with 28,190 of them living in New South Wales. There is no denying that those figures have increased dramatically since.

While Rose and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people comprised just 2.5% of Australia’s population in 2011, they made up 25% of the homeless on Census night.

Kings Cross: One take on homelessness in Sydney

In the City of Sydney local government area, there were 433 rough sleepers as of February this year, and 489 people needed emergency or temporary housing. 11% of the beds at St. Vincent’s Hospital were occupied by people without a fixed residence on the night of the February count.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore has requested a multi-agency task force to address the issue as a result. Hold your breath, but don’t! Moore also favored policies that put housing first, including Common Ground or “The Camperdown Project,” which provide housing with on-site support services.

According to what she has told me, Rose’s tale is complex like everyone else’s and probably not mine to share. How to navigate the maze of people on the street begging for our spare cash and the concept of “homelessness” itself are hard issues.

Do you ignore everyone or do you accommodate everyone? It is preferable to donate to organizations like Mission Australia, which supports domestic abuse, mental health, and drug and alcohol recovery.

Concept of “homelessness”

What about the tabloid media reports about beggars who live in lavish “McMansions” and earn hundreds of dollars every day? Does my “niceness” make more enemies than friends?

It becomes more perplexing. Not all people who meet the statisticians’ definition of homelessness have rough sleep. Not all the homeless rely on begging, and not all beggars are. There might be a narrow line between busking and begging, just like the adorable crooner in the Devonshire Street Tunnel who uses a plastic water bottle as a microphone.

Rose has been homeless for a very long time, though she hasn’t always been without a roof. Even though she seems to be doing better at begging than many of her neighbors, it’s obvious that she won’t be able to place a down payment on an expensive Sydney home any time soon.

Elena Roberts, a resident of Potts Point, first saw Rose when crossing Oxford Street in Taylor Square late one evening. They have been friends for about twelve years. She claims that for one specific reason, she favors Rose over other people who are requesting assistance.

Roberts recalls Rose stopping him once while he was hurrying past her on his way somewhere. “And she replied, ‘I don’t need you to give me money, but please don’t ignore me,’ or something of that effect. I was truly stopped in my tracks by that. Even if I don’t always give her money, I’ll always say hello and ask how she’s doing.

Another local from Potts Point, Koryn Lloyd, claims that she frequently pauses to visit with Rose. She has given Rose money so that she can return to Moree, her homeland. Along with fruit and milk cartons, Lloyd also gave Rose. She’s picky, Lloyd replies with a smile. She has made it obvious that she exclusively enjoys full-fat milk.

I comprehend. Rose once questioned my advice on what to do with a good bottle of wine she had received from other kind people. I don’t drink, she exclaimed. Bread, soup, and a soft drink are provided for Rose by neighborhood store owners.

However, Rose does not all give and take. I recently passed her at one of her typical locations, outside Woolworths, on Macleay Street, holding a tiny dog in her arms. When its owner discovered his beloved dog clasped in the arms of what appeared to be an itinerant, he emerged from the grocery looking more than a little worried. He pleaded to be told what was happening.

Rose explained calmly that his dog escaped from its leash after wrapping it around a post and running down the street. Before he could go too far, Rose moved quickly, grabbed him off the ground, and kept him in custody.

After taking a deep breath, the owner responded, “Thank you, I appreciate it.” In the Inner West, Rose has lately acquired a more permanent residence. She does, however, still visit the Cross frequently. It’s complex, as I’ve already stated. It’s also rather comforting to know that she hasn’t abandoned the neighborhood entirely.