Our Story
Orana House is a women’s refuge and not-for-profit organisation that provides crisis accommodation and holistic support services to women and children escaping family and domestic violence. With our main refuge in the City of Bayswater, as well as several transitional homes around Boorloo/Perth, we provided more than 13 thousand bed nights to women and their children in 2022.
Originally established in 1978 by the Association for the Care and Rehabilitation of Alcoholic and Homeless men (A.C.R.A.H.) who had identified that there was a gap in services for women and recognised the need for a Women’s Refuge to be set up. Two old houses in Aberdeen Street in Northbridge were then used for this purpose.
It wasn’t until 1989 that Orana Women’s Refuge decided that it needed more self-determination and so broke away from the overarching Organisation, A.C.R.A.H. and became an incorporated Organisation with its own Constitution and Management Committee.
We moved into our own purpose-built premises in Cambridge Street, Maylands and formally became known as Orana House Incorporated.
We moved to our current location, a modern, purpose-built building structure which can accommodate up to five families, or 25 women and children at a time.
Continuing to expand and meet growing need in the community, 2021 saw the opening of The SWitCH Centre, a hub for Orana’s many specialist outreach and education programs.