After what has been a particularly distressing Christmas period for many Australians, there is hope a program to help families struggling with back-to-school costs in regional Queensland will be rolled out around the country.

Key points: Hundreds of people attended Centacare's School Savvy Initiative in Bundaberg

Hundreds of people attended Centacare's School Savvy Initiative in Bundaberg The Queensland Council of Parents and Citizens' Association says the cost of sending children to school is rising

The Queensland Council of Parents and Citizens' Association says the cost of sending children to school is rising One parent said of the Centacare initiative: "It is very helpful for people doing it hard."

Last week, hundreds of people attended Centacare's School Savvy Initiative in Bundaberg, a pop-up market offering cut-price stationery, uniforms and free haircuts.

Queensland Council of Parents and Citizens' Association chief executive Kevan Goodworth said the cost of sending children to school was rising.

"Sometimes students are required to purchase things like laptops and iPads — they're expensive items," he said.

"I know in many cases there are teachers dipping into their own pockets to help disadvantaged children."

Centacare's business development coordinator, Maija Stewart, said adequately preparing children for school could help boost attendance rates.

"It is all about communities coming together to get children back to school," she said.

"Research has shown that if kids don't have what they need to go back to school, they don't go to school in the first four weeks.

"That disadvantages them in their studies for the entire year.

"I spoke to one lady this morning — she said she got a great big bagful for $30.

"If she had shopped retail, one pair of pants would have been $30."

'A lot of people have gone through drought, fires'

Parent Katrina Pearse, who was among the 1,378 people who attended last week's market, said she was relieved when she heard the program was coming to town.

"It is very helpful for people doing it hard," she said.

"I came for the books and the stationery, because as we know they all add up.

"The program should be spread across Australia — a lot of people have gone through drought, fires … those poor farmers, so it would help a lot."

Kalila Farrow said she took the opportunity for her son Xander to get his first professional haircut.

"I usually cut his hair at home, but being that it's the beginning of school I can't get it as straight as hairdressers," she said.

"Once we saw the opportunity for the haircut we went for it.

The volunteer hairdresser at the pop-up said she enjoyed giving back to the community. ( ABC Wide Bay: Jenae Jenkins )

"It definitely helps, especially having three kids."

The event proved so popular organisers had to restock with additional donations.

Centacare's manager of risk and innovation Lisa Kilsby said it was great to see the community come together and support each other.

"A gentlemen put items aside to pay for them on Wednesday, but a lady in the line paid for his items for him that day," she said.

"The response we got from the community was overwhelming and from there we knew we needed to take it out further."

A simple way of reusing resources

Executive director of Centacare in Far North Queensland Anita Veivers said she hoped that other organisations could come together in order to get the program, started in Far North Queensland in 2016, happening across the country.

"The initial concept was to reduce the need for people that were looking for second-hand uniforms, of having to go five or six charity shops, and have it all in one place," she said.

"Also add value by asking people to look through their stationery supplies at home, and companies, that might be useful to donate.

"The goal is to send out organisers to assist with the Centacare network program to all Centacare locations and other organisations across the country.

"It is a simple way of reusing resources, stop it from going to landfill or just not being utilised."

Ms Veivers wants to connect the dots with organisations that help children get on the right track with education, and disburse resources where needed within Australia.

"It's not only about the resources, we work with other community organisers (who help financially)," she said.

"There are a lot of other ways we can support people, to see how they can best support their child to see them reach their potential in terms of their education."

Crowds of people lined up at the door for the pop up shop. ( Supplied: Centacare CQ )

State school parents also have costs

Mr Goodworth said there was often a misconception that state schooling didn't have costs, but it was particularly hard for parents to bounce back from the expense of Christmas and school holidays.

"Thankfully in our public school systems, which I support, there are no $12,000 or $20,000 fees to enrol in school, such as there are in private or independent schools," he said.

"But there is a cost, and the more we can do to keep those costs low the better."

He said the Centacare was commendable, and encouraged parents to discuss any issues they were having with their school.

"I encourage any parent who has a problem with finances to talk to their school's principal. In a number of schools I know, they provide payment plans for hardships," he said.