NBWS first opened it’s doors as a women’s shelter in November 2010 and was then known as the ‘Manly Women’s Shelter’. From 2015 to late 2024, NBWS worked in collaboration with a number of other shelters throughout New South Wales. In October 2024, NBWS transitioned to operating as a fully independent women’s shelter.
NBWS currently provides crisis accommodation, transitional accommodation, low-cost accommodation and outreach support to over 500 women a year through our accommodation, information and support services.
NBWS was established in 2010 by Ellie and Peter Hunt. Ellie and Peter were determined to help homeless women and women at risk of homelessness on the Northern Beaches. Ellie and Peter rallied their friends, both professional and personal, lobbied local government and donated the majority of the funds needed to rent safe accommodation and employ professional staff to open the Shelter. Ellie and Peter established the Shelter with the philosophy of ‘for the community, of the community and by the community’. This philosophy has not changed and remains key to all our activities.
In 2015, we went into partnership with Women’s Community Shelters to assist us with governance and advocacy services.
Over the past 15 years, the Shelter has developed from strength to strength, accommodating over 600 women since opening. With the strength of experience and successful service provision, we are proud to announce our full independence as of October 2024.
We are very pleased to let you know that the transition to independence has been seamless for our staff, residents and outreach clients – which is our number 1 priority.
Together, the NBWS board and staff have worked tirelessly to create NBWS’s own governance & operational policies and procedures, risk management and compliance structures and have completed the ASES Accreditation process. We are stronger than ever and are proud of what has been achieved in a relatively short period of time.
As of 31 December 2024, NBWS was housing 175 women & children, and providing outreach support to 72 women. This is a 50% increase from December 2023.
NBWS currently operates:
- Manly Shelter, Crisis accommodation – 12 residents
- Pittwater Shelter, Crisis accommodation – 8 residents
- Narrabeen House, Transitional/Low Cost accommodation – 90 independent studios/1 bedroom units.
NBWS would not be in this position of strength and a leader in the sector without our community and its enduring support. Our community supports us by providing donations, volunteering their time and skills and of course financial support to ensure that the doors remain open.
The NBWS five-year strategy was completed and approved in 2024.
