About Womenspace

‘HERSTORY’

In 1997 Womenspace was formed as an Incorporated Association by a small group of eight women who dreamed of creating a space where women could connect, share their stories and explore their spirituality.

Their planning culminated in an open meeting in September 1997, which was attended by 68 women. At this meeting the women agreed on one theme: ‘a space where women could reflect together as women, their life patterns, and above all, their spirituality’.

Womenspace was established with the support and hard work of many women, and in August 1999, a property comprising an old bakery and shop in Homebush Road, Kedron, was purchased by the Presentations Sisters for the Womenspace. After renovations, it was officially opened in November 2000. Sisters of Mercy supported the project with funding for the Womenspace Coordinator.

In 2009, the old building was declared structurally unsound. Womenspace then had to move. Undaunted, they continued to hold events in rented spaces and public libraries.

In 2011, The Jani Haenke Charitable Trust offered to purchase a property for Womenspace so a permanent home was established once more. In 2013 a suitable place in Sandgate was found. The downstairs area was simply a dirt floor and the garden was wild and uncared for. Womenspace members continued to develop the dream, through sheer hard work and generous support – they cleared, enclosed downstairs, tiled the floor and wove magic into the space.

The drive and determination of the 2013 members of Womenspace generated an upgrade to the property to incorporate a downstairs event space for workshops, meetings and activities and to display the Womenspace Spiral, the organisation’s symbol which had been initiated at the old Kedron home. The gardens were planted and nurtured and Womenspace became the relaxing, beautiful and welcoming place it is today.

In early 2019 the downstairs area, including full kitchen, accessible toilet, shower and second toilet, was finally complete. Thanks to a successful grant application in 2019-20 to the Gambling Community Benefit Fund, in 2021 Womenspace completed further works of external repairs and painting, and installation of an insulated ceiling in the downstairs space.

In September 2022 the Womenspace – a Not-For-Profit organisation - built and further developed by generations of dedicated volunteers – celebrated the 25th Anniversary - a weekend of talks and performances, displaying new posters of significant points in the development of the organisation, and unveiling the outside version of the Womenspace Spiral.