Our 100-year legacy to women and children

Good Samaritan Inn’s legacy of helping women spans over 100 years. When the Sisters of the Good Samaritan opened Saint Magdalene’s Refuge in Sydney in 1887, it became one of Australia’s first shelters for women and children in need.

Now run by lay people, Good Samaritan Inn Melbourne has continued the legacy of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan in supporting women and children in need who are experiencing family violence and
homelessness.

Witnessing the overwhelming need in the Melbourne community, and following in the footsteps of the Sisters in Sydney all those years ago, Sister Helen Mills and Sister Anne Dixon opened their home in Westgarth to the homeless in 1996. The Good Samaritan Inn was firmly established.

Quickly outgrowing its original location, the Inn later moved to the site on which it stands today. Initially operating Monday to Friday, the Inn began to focus on providing support to women and children experiencing family violence and homelessness.

Following the findings of the 2017 Royal Commission into Family Violence, Good Samaritan Inn received additional ongoing funding from the Government of Victoria. This allowed the organisation to extend its vital operations to a 24/7 basis.