Leaving Queensland behind was one of the biggest decisions I ever made for myself and my children. I was wounded physically, spiritually and mentally, and I knew I needed change. I knew from the moment we boarded that plane that life was either going to break me or make me. When we arrived, I paused […]

Our vigil at the beginning of the year commemorating the lives of women and children killed to violence in Australia in 2025 marked my fourth Bonnie’s Vigil. The first vigil I attended, I was responsible for compiling the list of names of all the woman and children killed in 2022. It was one of the […]

As a social work student, I was lucky enough to complete my placement at Bonnie Support Services. During my time here, I had the privilege of working with some amazing people and learning from a passionate team who are dedicated to supporting women and children experiencing domestic violence and homelessness. From my very first day […]

Bonnie’s Family Worker Peta Link recently took her voice, her story and her strength all the way to the United Nations. When I sat down to speak with her after her trip, I was struck by her calm strength, deep insight and poetic turn of phrase. A proud Gooreng Gooreng and Kabi Kabi woman, Peta […]

Bonnie’s Candlelight Vigil has been held for the last 7 years. I have been honoured to be a part of each Vigil from the beginning. The Candlelight Vigil came about to provide a space. A space to: Anyone who has attended a Bonnie’s Candlelight Vigil has experienced how devastating it is to hear the names […]

The word gaslight originates from the 1938 play by Patrick Hamilton (Philips, 2021). The play is about a husband who convinces his wife that she is losing her mind to distract her from his criminal activities. Patrick Hamilton coined this term to describe a form of manipulation where a person is made to doubt their […]

In 2022, I left my island home of Fiji, a place defined by its natural beauty, tight-knit communities, and a slower pace of life, to pursue my studies in Australia. Moving to Australia was a big decision. Fiji, with its stunning beaches and familiar faces, had always been my comfort zone, but I knew that […]

Dear Mums,  One of the things I miss from being a Family Worker is meeting all the families at Bonnie’s. As Team Leader, I don’t get to have a lot of interaction with you all, as my job is mainly to support and guide the team that in turn supports you.  While I don’t get […]

A colleague and I recently discussed how we often function as human Excel sheets. Microsoft describes Excel spreadsheets as follows: “Excel is an incredibly powerful tool for deriving meaning from vast amounts of data. It also works well for simple calculations and tracking almost any kind of information. The key to unlocking all that potential […]

Driving home under the quiet sky,   A song drifts through the radio’s soft sigh.   A voice, tender from the north,   Spoke of scars and their worth. “We are more than the sum of our scars,” she said,   A simple truth, profound and widespread.   Her words, like a gentle embrace,   […]

When I first decided to move out of home, it was a surreal feeling of taking my first triumphant step into real adulthood. The thought of having my own apartment made me flutter with excitement. I was ready to become a responsible and independent adult.   But – in the first few days of moving in, […]

My grandparents were married for 63 years. Their love story is truly one for the ages. They met when they were dance instructors at the Surreyville Dance Hall in Sydney. My grandfather proposed in 1950 at the Trocadero dance hall while they were dancing. The Canadian 3-step, La Bamba and the Jazz Waltz were some […]