Wendy’s legacy of courage and community change at Jenny's Place
A powerful story of advocacy, resilience and lasting impact
Nearly 50 years ago, Wendy and two friends answered a call in a Newcastle newspaper to join a small community group establishing a refuge for women and children escaping violence.
What began as a simple desire to help saw Wendy go on to forge paths few had dared to tread. Wendy spent decades advancing welfare work, establishing legal-support centres and advocating to government, including advising ministers.
Building Jenny’s Place and broader support pathways
“We believed it was a cause worth dedicating ourselves to,” Wendy said of those early days when public understanding of domestic violence was minimal.“The term domestic violence did not exist. Affected women were called battered wives or deserted wives.”
Women’s lack of power was real. They couldn’t sign a lease, access money or secure housing without a man’s approval.
In 1977, the group opened Jenny’s Place as a safe refuge for women and children in immediate need.
“Everything had to be voluntary,” Wendy says of the first three years, recalling the long hours spent organising rosters, supporting families and advocating for better protections.
It quickly became clear that safe shelter alone wasn’t enough. Impacted women and children needed legal pathways, childcare, housing assistance and systemic change. Wendy became a key connector, helping women navigate courts, police and early legal‑advocacy networks.
Wendy also represented the Hunter Community Council at state and national conferences, and delegations to ministers and premiers. As a representative of the organisation, Wendy pushed for childcare funding, worker salaries and government recognition of domestic violence as a public‑policy issue.
“We came out fighting and spent a lot of time negotiating politically to try and get things changed,” Wendy said.
A life shaped by service, resilience and community
Now aged 83 and a client of integratedliving, Wendy’s memories of her refuge years are not only of hard and important work but also of a remarkable sense of community and even fun.
“There might have been five families crammed into a tiny three‑bedroom house, but there was a lot of care and heartfelt laughs along the way. The resilience of the women was wonderfully humbling.”
Wendy and her supportive husband Robert, also a client of integratedliving, raised four children throughout this time.
With no childcare available and Robert working full-time as an engineer, Wendy took their children with her to the refuge. “They grew up with the refuge kids,” she said, a reminder of how deeply the work shaped her family life.
Over the decades, Wendy helped establish extra services, strengthened partnerships with Newcastle City Council, and contributed to the development of a broader and much improved social‑welfare system.
The legacy and ongoing fight for women’s safety
Today, Jenny’s Place stands as a powerful testament to the unwavering determination of its earliest advocates. Wendy remains deeply proud of the progress made, yet she is keenly aware of the ongoing challenges.
“While creating pathways to escape violence was a crucial first step, the battle for women’s safety in our communities is far from over,” Wendy said. “What we have achieved so far, though significant, is still not enough.”
Wendy’s achievements are a reminder that lasting change often begins with ordinary people willing to step forward, speak up and look out for others in extraordinary ways.
_______________________________
Wendy’s story is one of many. Discover more heartfelt client journeys, including Jim’s enduring love of music and rich stories of culture, identity and connection from Phil, Eric and Victor.