Our History

Every Age Counts.

The Benevolent Society continues to advocate for older Australians with the launch of a campaign against ageism called Every Age Counts

Fix Pension Poverty

The Benevolent Society launches research with Per Capita and the Longevity Innovation Hub to determine the adequacy of the Age Pension – research determined it was inadequate. The Society launched an advocacy campaign for better conditions for older Australians including the Fix Pension Poverty campaign.

The Shack saved

The Benevolent Society saves The Shack Youth Services in Maroubra from closure.

The Benevolent Society launches $10 million social benefit bond

The Benevolent Society launches a $10 million five year social benefit bond, also known as a social impact bond, in partnership with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Westpac to fund early intervention program Resilient Families.

Apology for past adoption practices

The Benevolent Society ran an adoption service between 1969 and 1975. At the time, adoption was widely assumed to be the only possible option for unmarried pregnant women. We now understand and acknowledge the deep grief that many mothers experienced after the loss of a child to adoption, and the lack of support available to manage their grief.

The Benevolent Society apologises unreservedly for any pain, unresolved grief or suffering experienced by mothers, fathers, adoptees, adoptive parents and their families as a result of the past adoption practices of The Benevolent Society, the Royal Hospital for Women or Scarba Welfare House for Children.

Click here for The Benevolent Society’s Statement of Apology

ABC Learning Centres

Joint foundation of GoodStart to acquire the ABC Learning Centres.

The Benevolent Society starts operations in Queensland

First Queensland service opens: North Gold Coast Early Years Centre (also a first for the State).

Social Leadership Australia

The Benevolent Society established, transforming leadership thinking and practice. Closed in 2017. Social Ventures Australia, established in 2002 as part of SLA, involved investing in social change and supporting social entrepreneurs; closed in 2017.

Post Adoption Resource Centre (PARC)

PARC (Post Adoption Resource Centre) opens, the first of its kind in NSW, to coincide with the implementation of the NSW Adoption Information Act.

First female president at The Benevolent Society

The Benevolent Society elects its first female president, Mrs. Judith May OAM.

Parenting services for single mothers introduced

The Benevolent Society began providing parenting services to single mothers.

New retirement villages opened

Walter Cavill Retirement Village at Bondi and Rockdale Centenary Village at Bexley opened. Walter Cavill was closed in 2016, and Rockdale sold to Scalabrini in 2009.

Benevolent Society opens their first retirement village

First Village for the Aged: William Charlton Village at Allambie Heights. Ownership transferred to another aged care provider in 2016.

Development of ultrasound commenced

A joint research venture between The Benevolent Society's Royal Hospital for Women and the Commonwealth Acoustic Laboratories, in the Federal Department of Health, was established to develop ultrasonic equipment for obstetric applications.

Royal Hospital for Women registered under NSW Public Hospitals Act

Royal Hospital for Women registered under NSW Public Hospitals Act and opened to private and intermediate patients. In 1937 the hospital was approved as a research institution by the National Health and Medical Research Council.

Royal Hospital for Women established

Royal Hospital for Women established by The Benevolent Society (inspired by Sir Arthur Renwick) and operated until 1992, pioneering medical care for women and babies and groundbreaking programs such as the first baby health clinics to give children the best start in life and pioneered the use of pasteurised milk to reduce infant death rate.

Sir Arthur Renwick advocates for the Old Age Pension

Sir Arthur Renwick is a leading advocate in the campaign for the Old Age Pension. The Old Age pension was eventually introduced by the NSW government in 1901, the first of its kind in the world.

Free legal aid to poor women introduced by The Benevolent Society

The Benevolent Society began to provide free legal aid to poor women in order to pursue cases of maintenance against the fathers of their children.

The first maternity hospital

Part of the Benevolent Asylum designated exclusively as a lying-in (maternity) hospital. By 1876, the Lying in Hospital of NSW recorded the lowest infant mortality rate and lowest rate of childbirth deaths of any hospital in Australia, and it became a teaching hospital for medical students at the University of Sydney in 1888.

The government takes over care of men and older destitute people

Government takes responsibility for the care of men and older destitute people, due in part to the scale of demands for support and relief and subsequent overcrowding at the Asylum, relieving The Benevolent Society of this responsibility.

Liverpool Hospital

The Benevolent Society uses the Liverpool Hospital to house male paupers.

Benevolent Asylum opened

Benevolent Asylum, a refuge for homeless older men, deserted women and children and the mentally ill, opened at the corner of Pitt and Devonshire Street in Sydney. It was built at government expense, as directed by Governor Macquarie. The site was reclaimed by the NSW government in 1901 to build Sydney’s Central Railway Station.

The Benevolent Society to encourage industrious habits

In June 1818, The Benevolent Society of NSW was formed, with a broader purpose to ‘relieve the poor, the distressed, the aged, and the infirm’ and to encourage industrious habits. It provided cash loans, grants, food and clothing. Governor Macquarie was the patron and successive governors of NSW occupy the position to this day.

The Benevolent Society was formed

The Benevolent Society was formed on 8 May 1813 by Edward Smith Hall, Rev. William Cowper and five other like minded gentlemen and was originally known as The NSW Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge and Benevolence. It was the first private charitable organisation dedicated to meeting needs of vulnerable groups in Australian society, assisting people far beyond the capacity of government. While its origins were Christian, it soon went on to become a non-religious, unaffiliated organisation.