Our Story

We began as the result of goodwill and tenacity of the St Peter’s Women’s Group, who wanted to make a difference to the lives of other women to mark the first International Women’s Year in 1975. Their survey gave them the understanding that women from all walks of life were looking for a place to meet as a community outside of their home. Their proposal for a meeting place was well responded with generosity and wisdom by the St. Peter’s Council, who in the beginning, offered a building free of rent. In 1977, we received funding from the Government of the late Premier, the Honourable Don Dunstan through the lobbying of Ms Deborah McCulloch and  the Women’s Electoral Lobby. Being the birth place of the first Women’s Shelter, Rape Crisis Centre and Women’s Information Service in SA, the Women’s Community Centre’s history has been interwoven into the history of the Women’s advancement in South Australia. It soon evolved to a state-wide service which is now called the Women’s Community Centre SA Inc. Today the centre has more than 800 registered members, 250 who use the centre weekly and 70 members who volunteer at the centre. The Women’s Community Centre is one of the oldest Community Centres in South Australia and the only “women’s only” community centre in the metropolitan area. We provide a wide range of services to the women of Adelaide and surrounding communities.