Gunnedah domestic violence crisis accommodation Allawah Cottage officially opened by Jobs Australia

Allawah Cottage is a project two years in the making for Jobs Australia, which hopes to unveil more domestic violence refuges across the region in the future.

Jobs Australia CEO Nigel Barlow said the organisation exists primarily for people doing it tough, and the dire situation in Gunnedah caught their attention.

"We're fortunate enough to have a board that supported a project like this," he said.

"Its been a significant investment for Jobs Australia. We received $190,000 from the state government, but people just keep giving.

"We have a team of people who are on a fundraising committee and around 80 per cent of everything inside this property has been donated."

The proposal for the cottage was put forward two years ago when Gunnedah's reported rates of domestic violence were twice the state average. Since then, the rates have only worsened.

Gunnedah Police Inspector Michael Wurth said before he attended the facility's opening on Friday, he had already been on the scene of two incidents of domestic violence in the early hours of the morning.

Gunnedah police have attended in excess of 60 domestic violence related incidents in 2022, he said.

"It's certainly constant," Inspector Wurth said.

"They range from verbal arguments, where there's no formal action taken by police, through to serious assaults where action has been taken by police.

"We're working closely with the management of Allawah Cottage, and being next door to the police station might provide a sense of security as well."

In the beginning, the three-bedroom cottage will support up to one family at a time, but there is capacity to expand and build an additional unit out the back.

However, Mr Barlow said the project must be sustainable, so the idea is to start small.

He said the project was "special" because it's been driven by the community.

"It's not just a bland, cold building that's there for emergencies and you see that when you look in there, just the little touches. The artwork has been donated," he said.

"It seems to me that Allawah Cottage and the reasoning behind it has just brought the community together."

G.J. Gardner Homes Tamworth built the home at a significantly low cost and donated a range of upgrades along the way, including in the kitchen.

The house is fitted out with donated items from the Gunnedah CWA, PRAMS, McLean Care and the wider community.

Jobs Australia's Tracey Reid has been central to the project, and the driving force right from the beginning, however was overseas and unable to attend the opening on the day.

The state government pitched in $196,314 from the Stronger Country Communities Fund for the project, and Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson particularly applauded Tracey Reid and the Allawah Cottage committee.

"There's been significant work done by the community to get Allawah Cottage up and running, and if there's a call for further support services I'll be backing them 100 per cent," he said.

"It's a concern to me where ever domestic violence occurs. In Gunnedah, we've heard from Inspector Wurth and police about the seriousness of the issues around this area, so we'll continue to do what we can to support those who need it."

The shelter will connect victims with support through Jobs Australia and the Salvation Army's Doorways Program.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: