Queen Victoria Women's Centre. (1994-)

Function
Women's Services Provider and Historical Landmark
NLA Persistent Identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-728074

Biographies

The Queen Victoria Women's Centre was established in 1994 by an Act of Parliament, following the closure of the Queen Victoria Women’s Hospital in 1989. Community campaining to save part of the site as a permanent monument to this historically significant landmark in Victorian women's history, led by by the Queen Victoria Hospital Action Group, was successful. The government agreed to hand over control of the central tower of the original building to the women of Victoria. The Queen Victoria Women's Centre Act 1994 – administered by the Minister for Women’s Affairs, established the Queen Victoria Women's Centre Trust and provides for the management, operation and use of the Queen Victoria Women's Centre and for the ownership of the Queen Victoria Women's Centre land. The centre offers a range of services and exists ‘to provide a physical and virtual space for the women of Victoria to reach their full potential, bring about social change and provide opportunities for women to be inspired for the future’.

Community campaigning in the late 1980s to save part of the site was led by the Queen Victoria Hospital Action Group, incorporated to become Queen Victoria Hospital Action Group. When the Government agreed to preservation of part of the site as a women’s centre, the Action Group recommended to the then Premier, John Cain, that he request the Victorian Women’s Consultative Council (VWCC) to undertake consultation with women to establish how the site could best be utilised for them. Over 2000 women participated in the consultation process.

In 1991 the Queen Victoria Hospital Action Group incorporated to become the Queen Vic. Women's Centre Inc. (the Inc. Group).

Premier Joan Kirner presented the Inc. Group with the VWCC's final report in 1991 and provided funds for the group to develop an architectural brief. The Inc. Group also developed marketing, fundraising and enterprise development plans in relation to the Centre.

The coalition parties (liberal and national) and the Labor party agreed that after the closure of the hospital the centre tower of the building would be refurbished and handed over to the women of Victoria. The Minister of the day Hon Jane Wade made comment to Parliament in 1997 stating 'The Cente is a unique facility for the women of Victoria and, as I said, the project has had the bipartisan support of parliament'. To honour this commitment the Kennett government and the then Minister for Womens affairs, the Hon Jan Wade, spent $4.7 million refurbishing the building and provided $1 million in seed funding to the Women's Centre Trust to ensure the Centre could establish itself as a place for the women of Victoria.

In 2000 Minister Sherryl Garbutt, Victorian Minister for Women’s Affairs, established a Ministerial Advisory Committee to advise her on matters relating to the future of the QVWC. As part of that report to the Minister it was recommended that the Centre should develop and house a Central Information Hub and a Capacity Builder for women’s organisations as well as provide training and conference and meeting rooms.

Since that time the Centre has continued to be supported by the Office of Women’s Policy in all its development initiatives. It has recently received major funding from the Community Support Fund for the first stages of development of both its core programs and has been self-funding for the past two years.

The Queen Victoria Women’s Centre is part of the QV residential and business development. The city block bounded by Swanston, Russell, Lonsdale and Little Lonsdale Streets has six new laneways crossing it. They are: Shilling Lane The Queen Victoria Shilling Fund helped pay for the building that became the Queen Victoria Women's Hospital. Albert Coates Lane Albert Coates was a leading surgeon at the Melbourne Hospital from 1927. Artemis Lane Artemis is the Greek goddess of the wildness and wild animals, who became known in cities as a goddess of fertility and childbirth. Jane Bell Lane Jane Bell was matron of the Melbourne Hospital from 1910-1934. Red Cape Lane Named for the distinctive red capes worn by nurses of the era. Constance Stone Lane Constance Stone was the first female registered as a doctor in Australia.

View the full record at Australian Women's Register

Related people and organisations

Resources for Queen Victoria Women's Centre.

Selected resources (1)

Australian Women's Register

  1. Public Record Office Victoria, Victorian Archives Centre: Office of Major Projects (1987 - 1992)
    The Major Projects Unit is responsible for major projects assigned to it by the Government. The modus operandi of the Unit is for the Government to formally assign responsibility for specified approved projects to the Unit. Any liabilities arising from Government approved activities are the responsibility of the State. The Minister responsible formally assigns responsibility in accordance with the Premier's order of 13 February 1987 and Section 4 (1) (c) of the Urban Land Authority Act (No.9320). Initially there were eight projects managed by the Unit, all of them important to the development of inner Melbourne. In 1989, there were thirteen projects reflecting the Government's determination to accelerate the development of government-owned land. The Unit works closely with all the relevant government departments (Ministry of Planning and Environment, Ministry of Conservation, Forests and Lands and the Ministry of Transport). The Unit brings together people with management skills from a number of departments and agencies and uses the services of consultants and contractors. Recruitment is primarily through secondment and contract employment. Each project is headed by a Project Director, supported by a small project team assembled from the and public sectors. Project Directors report through the Director of the Unit to the Minister and are supported by a core staff which provides legal and financial expertise. In accordance with the provisions of the Annual Reporting Act 1983, the annual report of the Unit is submitted to the Minister Responsible for Major Projects. The Minister, as chairman of the Special Committee for Major Projects, reports to the Economic Committee of the Cabinet. Functions The functions of the Unit include acquisition, consolidation and preparation of sites. Its task is to facilitate the development of large strategically significant areas of government-owned land for commercial, tourist and residential purposes. It is responsible for major state projects assigned to it by the Government. It provides a central contact point for developers interested in investing in major government projects. The Unit has the authority to invite tenders, evaluate competitive development proposals, select developers, facilitate planning approvals, execute financial and legal agreements and supervise construction. Some of the projects managed by the Unit as at March 1989 were: Bayside Lynch's Bridge South Bank Prince Henry's Hospital Jolimont Railyards Willesmere Hospital Site World Congress Centre Redevelopment of the State Library Docklands (proposed Olympic Games Village) Queen Victoria Hospital Museum Old Treasury Location of Records Only a small quantity of records has so far been transferred to the Public Record Office.

No Comments for this organisation

 

Add a comment



Possibly related

Digitised newspapers and more

Searching...

Minimise

Diaries, letters, archives

Searching...

Minimise

Archived websites (1996 – now)

Searching...

Minimise

Pictures, photos, objects

Searching...

Minimise

Books

Searching...

Minimise

Music, sound and video

Searching...

Minimise

People and organisations

Searching...

Minimise

Journals, articles and data sets

Searching...

Minimise

Maps

Searching...

Minimise

Lists

Searching...

Minimise
  1. Queen Victoria Women's Centre (1994-)
    ... The Queen Victoria Women's Centre was established in 1994 by an Act of Parliament, following the ...
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.079)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.079)

  2. Queen Victoria Hospital (1896-1977)
    ... handed over to the women of Victoria. It is now known as the Queen Victoria Women's Centre. ...
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.037)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.037)

  3. Women's and Children's Hospital (Adelaide, S. Aust.)
    ... On 15 Mar. 1989 Adelaide Children's Hospital and Queen Victoria Hospital (Rose Park, S. Aust ...
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.01)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.01)

  1. Website: Australian Women's Archives Project
    www.womenaustralia.info
    Matching pages:
    View 138 matching archived pages
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.054)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.054)

  2. Website: Office for Youth at the centre
    www.youth.vic.gov.au
    Matching pages:
    View 233 matching archived pages
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.042)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.042)

  3. Website: Australian Women in War
    www.womenaustralia.info
    Matching pages:
    View 82 matching archived pages
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.041)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.041)

  1. National women's health report
    National Women's Health Resource Center (U.S.)
    [ Periodical : 1983-2012 ]
    View online (access conditions)
    At 72 libraries
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.666)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.666)

  2. Q magazine / Queen Victoria Women's Centre
    [ Periodical : 1990-1998 ]
    At 2 libraries
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.627)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.627)

  3. Annual report / Queen Victoria Women's Centre Trust
    Queen Victoria Women's Centre Trust
    [ Article : 1990-2011 ]
    Possibly online
    At National Library
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.569)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.569)

  4. QV-update / Queen Victoria Women's Centre
    [ Periodical : 1999-2011 ]
    At 2 libraries
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.532)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.532)

  1. City queens from the country
    The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956) Saturday 3 January 1948 p 3 Article
    ... Anderson, of the Queen Victoria Hospital, comes from Mepunga West, in the Western district. Sister ... Coleman, another Women's Hospital candidate, comes from Frankston; and Nurse June Clausen, of Queen ... orial morial Centre contest because some of the city queens hail from the country. Sister "Mickey" ... 130 words
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.01)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.01)

  2. CENTRE HELPERS
    Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954) Saturday 27 August 1949 p 7 Article
    ... CENTRE HELPERS THE 7EX Women's Centre was conducted. yesterday by the Queen :Victoria Hospital Auxilary ary and helpers were: Mesdames G. H. Hogg; J. A.. von Alwyn, R. J. Williams, A. E. Gee, D. Roache, G. Sherwin, H. Barnard,. and Misses L. Sheehan, D. Foley, P. Garrott, F. Dowling, J. Cane, I. ... 68 words
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.009)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.009)

  3. NURSES COLLECT £25,000 FOR MEMORIAL CENTRE
    The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956) Wednesday 3 March 1948 p 5 Article
    ... raised more than £ 1,000 are: Royal Melbourne, £3,025; Queen Victoria, £2.201: Children's, £1,903; ... NURSES COLLECT £25,000 FOR MEMORIAL CENTRE Victorian nurses have collected £25,000 toward the Memorial Centre to commemorate the nurses who died in World War II. It is expected that this sum will be ... 98 words
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.009)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.009)

  1. Blood on whose hands? : the killing of women & children in domestic homicides / Women's Coalition Against Family Violence
    Women's Coalition Against Family Violence
    [ Book : 1994 ]
    At 102 libraries
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.476)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.476)

  2. The host behind : the campaign for a Victorian Women's Centre / Barbara Cameron
    Cameron, Barbara Helen
    [ Book : 2006 ]
    At 6 libraries
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.466)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.466)

  3. [Queen Victoria Women’s Centre (Melbourne, Vic.) : Australian Gallery File]
    Queen Victoria Women’s Centre (Melbourne, Vic.)
    [ Book ]
    At State Library of VIC
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.349)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.349)

  4. Pilgrimage : a journey through the life and writings of Mary Durack / edited by Patsy and Naomi Millett
    Durack, Mary, 1913-1994
    [ Book : 2000 ]
    At 83 libraries
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.34)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.34)

  1. Census of population and housing, 6 August 1991
    Australian Bureau of Statistics
    [ Book, Map : 1989-1995 ]
    View online
    At 118 libraries
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.013)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.013)

  2. True history of the Kelly Gang / Peter Carey
    Carey, Peter, 1943-
    [ Book, Audio book, Sound : 2000-2011 ]
    Languages: English, Chinese, Portuguese, [22 others]
    read online at Open Library/Internet Archive
    View online
    At 152 libraries
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.008)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.008)

  3. Britannica atlas
    Rand McNally and Company
    [ Book, Map : 1969-1996 ]
    Languages: English, Spanish, French, [2 others]
    At 75 libraries
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.004)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.004)

  1. Papers
    Hardy, Frank (Francis Joseph), 1917-1994
    [ Unpublished : 1931-1988 ]
    At National Library
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.077)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.077)

  2. Pamphlets
    Grey, George Sir, 1812-1898
    [ Published : 1724-1902 ]
    At State Library of NSW
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.052)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.052)

  3. Speeches presented by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in Australia
    Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain 1926-
    [ Unpublished : 1954-1992 ]
    At National Library
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.043)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.043)

  1. Emma / Jane Austen
    Austen, Jane, 1775-1817
    [ Book, Audio book, Sound : 1815-2011 ]
    Languages: English, Chinese, Italian, [16 others]
    read online at Open Library/Internet Archive
    View online
    At 168 libraries
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.229)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.229)

  2. Settling in : a guide to crying and sleeping patterns in infants / presented by Nestlȩ ; Queen Victoria Hospital, Education Resource Centre ; producer, Kym Tank
    Women's and Children's Hospital (Adelaide, S. Aust.)
    [ Video : 1989 ]
    At 10 libraries
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.168)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.168)

  3. Leap of faith : memoirs of an unexpected life / Queen Noor
    Noor Queen, consort of Hussein, King of Jordan, 1951-
    [ Book, Audio book : 2003-2004 ]
    Languages: English, Serbian, Spanish, [2 others]
    At 87 libraries
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.15)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.15)

  4. Colour : travels through the paintbox / Victoria Finlay
    Finlay, Victoria
    [ Book, Audio book : 2002-2009 ]
    At 92 libraries
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.111)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.111)