For women seeking support
Talk with a trained worker about safety, housing, health, finances, children, or what to do next. You decide what support looks like.
Free call: 1800 005 352 →
Safety. Dignity. A way forward.
Free, confidential support for women and children experiencing domestic and family violence or homelessness across New England.
Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Start where you are
Talk with a trained worker about safety, housing, health, finances, children, or what to do next. You decide what support looks like.
Free call: 1800 005 352 →Service providers can use our referral pathway to connect a woman or family with the right support.
Referral pathway →If you are worried about someone, we can help you understand the signs and have a safer conversation.
Learn about family violence →What we do
Our team works alongside women at their pace, recognising that safety and recovery rarely follow a straight line.
Explore what we do →Safe, supported accommodation for women and children experiencing domestic and family violence or homelessness.
Practical, trauma-informed support across Armidale, Guyra, Uralla, and Walcha, shaped around each woman’s goals.
Accessible health care, specialist referrals, and coordinated support through our local service network.
Nutritious meals, household essentials, and immediate material assistance when resources are stretched.
Our purpose
Our vision
Our mission
To provide trauma-informed, person-centred support to women, children, young people, and their families, including those experiencing homelessness, crisis, instability, domestic, family and sexual violence, and related trauma. We work alongside people to secure safety, housing, wellbeing, connection, and choice, while advocating for stronger systems and communities that support long-term stability.
Our values
These principles guide our decisions, relationships, and everyday practice.
We prioritise physical, emotional, cultural, and relational safety in every setting.
We meet people with dignity, privacy, compassion, and accountability.
We support people to make decisions about their own lives, goals, and futures.
We speak plainly, advocate strongly, and act when systems fail the people we serve.
We respond to regional disadvantage, complexity, and barriers to support.
We commit to culturally safe, healing-centred practice and to listening to First Nations knowledge and community.
We are honest, disciplined, and accountable for the quality and impact of our work.
We work with others when partnership improves safety, housing, health, and recovery outcomes.
Serving New England since 1975
The Womens Shelter Armidale is one of NSW’s longest-serving women’s refuges. We support women and children across Armidale, Guyra, Uralla, Walcha, and many smaller communities throughout New England, with local knowledge, strong partnerships, and respect for every woman’s choices.
Read our story →We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the many Countries where we live, work, and support our communities. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and recognise the continuing connections of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to land, waters, culture, and community.
Doing good matters
Donations help fund the services, essentials, meals, and flexible support that government funding does not fully cover.