New South Wales
Regional
The Centre offers comprehensive services for victim/survivors of family, domestic, and sexual violence, with practical, evidence-based support. A collaborative effort involving the Leadership Team, Women with Lived-Experience Advisory Group, and Aboriginal Women’s Reference Group, the Centre was designed with a trauma-informed approach. Co-design workshops focused on themes of welcome, support, privacy, and security, integrating natural light and scenic views.
A ”Connecting to Country” framework informed cultural safety for Aboriginal women, with the design featuring symbolic elements like a coolamon in the ceiling. The Centre, imagined as a turtle shell – protective externally and warm and inviting internally – prioritizes a calming, secure environment for recovery. Flexible spaces accommodate various practitioners, with careful attention to acoustic and visual privacy. The project’s all-female team directed its holistic design.
Fast-tracked due to urgent need and supported by ongoing evaluation, the Centre serves as a prototype for future expansion to combat Australia’s family violence crisis.
The Australian Institute of Architects acknowledges First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands, waters, and skies of the continent now called Australia.
We express our gratitude to their Elders and Knowledge Holders whose wisdom, actions and knowledge have kept culture alive.
We recognise First Nations peoples as the first architects and builders. We appreciate their continuing work on Country from pre-invasion times to contemporary First Nations architects, and respect their rights to continue to care for Country.
