A QUIET piece of Moree history unfolded at a meeting on Tuesday, December 11, 1979.
A small group of people, 17 in total, met at the Salvation Army Citadel on Heber Street to openly talk about domestic violence and violence against women.
In attendance was Deborah Mills, from the Department of Youth and Community Services in Sydney, Moree High School counsellor Rosalie Osland, Moree District Hospital occupational therapist Oona Redmond, and Anne Faulkner, from the Department of Social Security in Moree.
Ms Mills told the group, women using refuges were usually victims of domestic violence, involving physical abuse.
“It is the aim of a refuge to provide a household atmosphere and not an institutional one,” Ms Mills said.
She explained the Department of Youth and Community Services in 1977 provided funds to assist women in seven towns in New South Wales.
“There are now 29 such refuges in the State, including 16 in the country,” she said.
The group discussed myriad issues for more than two hours.
Stella Cusack moved “a steering committee be formed to investigate the need in Moree for a women’s refuge”.
The motion was seconded by Anne Faulkner.
The steering committee formed that night comprised Narelle Underwood, Rosalie Osland, Pat Harmer, Anne Faulkner and Rosalie Cameron, with provisions made to accept additional members.
That historic meeting between a small group of concerned Moree residents, opened the way for the establishment of Moree Women’s Refuge, Ngala House.
In the early days, there was no funding available and no government hand-outs – only a group of hardworking volunteers who relied on donations and fundraising to hold everything together and keep the doors open.
Historically, social welfare, health and judicial systems were unable to offer women and children affected by domestic violence much in the way of alternative assistance.
A woman’s safety was traditionally not even considered by welfare, legal and medical professions – let alone guaranteed.
The resurgence of the feminist movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s brought with it a new awareness of the problem of domestic violence.
By the time the group held its second meeting in July, 1980, plans for a refuge in Moree were well and truly underway.
Sister Winifred Cranley, who was working as a clinical nurse at the time, proposed the name, ‘Ngala’, for the refuge, originally located at Kirkby Park in the old CWA hostel.
Her suggestion was seconded by Diana Gall and unanimously carried by the committee.
In the Noongar language, Ngala means ‘the union between parents and children’.
Today, Ngala House is managed by a community-based committee of women, headed by president Penny Boydell, vice-president Sandra O’Loughlin and treasurer, Jan Sam.
Ngala House will hold its annual general meeting on November 13 and invites members of the public to attend.
The refuge provides an accessible, adequate and appropriately supported crisis accommodation service for women and children escaping domestic violence or who are homeless due to circumstances beyond their control.
A manager, three case workers and one administration worker are employed to provide services.
The refuge provides support services to assist women and their children to move towards independent living and is accessible 24hrs a day, seven days a week.
The refuge accepts women with or without dependent children, women with no income, women who are on the methadone program and women with alcohol, drug and mental health issues.
Women who are homeless are given emergency crisis accommodation if there is space in the refuge and if women escaping domestic violence are not disadvantaged.
Ngala House, on the corner of Frome Street and Thompsons Avenue near Boughton Oval, has five bedrooms, two bathrooms and two toilets.
One bedroom is suitable for wheelchair access and has toilet facilities suitable for a client with a disability.
There are also video security cameras installed on the premises, which are monitored at all times.
The Ngala House management committee is responsible to lead and oversee the activities of the organisation to make sure it is run well and delivers the outcomes for which it has been set up.
Nominations for positions on the management committee are to be lodged with the secretary by 5pm, November 8, 2024.
Only financial members of the Association may vote.
Annual General Meeting
The Moree Women’s Refuge – Ngala House
When: Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Where: 389 Frome Street, Moree (Corner of Frome Street and Thompsons Avenue)
Time: 9.30am
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