Amelie House
A Safe Haven for Women Over 18 in the Heart of Hobart
In the midst of Tasmania’s worsening housing crisis, St Vincent de Paul Society Tasmania (Vinnies) has transformed a long-standing crisis accommodation site into something extraordinary. Amelie House, a meanwhile-use project located in central Hobart, now provides safe, stable accommodation for women who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
The site, once home to Bethlehem House – Vinnies’ supported accommodation for men – was left vacant after residents relocated to a new facility. With a full redevelopment years away due to heritage constraints plus the need to gain funding and planning approvals, Vinnies Tasmania saw an opportunity to repurpose the site for a meantime-use project. With support from philanthropic, government, and community partners, Vinnies Tasmania began work to bring the building back to life mid-2023.
With a $1 million donation from local philanthropist already locked in and allocated to the project, and funding support from the Tasmanian government for the ongoing running costs of the facility, Vinnies joined forces with Housing All Australians in late 2023, just as the refurbishment works began.
Housing All Australians brought in pro-bono project management, assisting the Vinnies team during the refurbishment project and working alongside their chosen builder, while rallying support and donations from high-profile corporate partners, including The Ascott Group, Dulux, and Mona, Museum of Old and New Art.
Quality furnishings, whitegoods, and appliances from the recently closed Somerset on the Pier, donations from The Ascott Group valued at $500,000, were redirected to Amelie House. “Suddenly, we weren’t just reopening with the same old furniture,” says Heather. “Women were walking into a space that said, ‘you matter.’”
Other compassionate local partners gathered for the project included Earthworm Landscaping, Fall Real Estate, Fearless Building Inspections, Greenhill Nursery, Wolf Property, Lily & Dot, New Wave Perennials, Playstreet Pty Ltd, Reveg Tasmania Pty Ltd, Ruth Malcolm, SLS Landscape Group and Westland Nurseries.
Amelie House stands as a powerful example of what can happen when community organisations, governments, philanthropy, and the private sector roll up their sleeves together. As Heather puts it: “In a crisis this big, no one organisation can do it alone – it really does take a village.”
25
Individual rooms
18+
Age of women housed
$300,000+
In-kind donations provided
Our Project Partners
