The St Vincent de Paul Society Tasmania proudly opened the newly constructed campus of Bethlehem House at 225 Harrington St, Hobart, in November 2023. Through the support of the Tasmanian Government and funding from Homes Tasmania, the facility was specifically designed to provide a contemporary, trauma-informed centre that can assist up to 50 men who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness. The spacious, modern accommodation and associated facilities, including individually self-contained rooms for each resident, large living and dining areas, plus meeting rooms, a rooftop garden and workshop, create a safe and comfortable environment. Providing an initial welcome to men at our Harrington St campus of Bethlehem House during a period of crisis and transition enables our model of case managed support to deliver an individually tailored pathway as residents begin to establish goals and steps to achieve these. This location, where men can live with dignity, enables them to thrive on their journey towards independence, attaining financial and social stability.
As part of the St Vincent de Paul Society of Tasmania, Bethlehem House is acknowledged as one of the primary charity-led facilities supporting those experiencing homelessness in Hobart. Bethlehem House enjoys strong support from the community, State and Federal Governments and Vincentian Volunteers from local St Vincent de Paul Society Conferences. The ‘new’ House continues the Society’s long-held commitment to addressing the cycle of disadvantage homelessness inflicts upon the lives of vulnerable community members.
The first iteration of Bethlehem House opened its doors in Hobart in September 1972. In the beginning, Bethlehem House provided older men with a place to sleep overnight. The doors opened at five o’clock each night, residents were given a towel and pyjamas and had to leave by eight o’clock the next morning.
The assumption was that the men who used the service were only temporarily experiencing homelessness. It soon became clear that the men had complex needs including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, mental health challenges and a more permanent experience of homelessness. As a result of identifying these issues and the introduction of the Homeless Persons Assistance Act 1974, the government provided assistance so that Bethlehem House could offer additional daytime support.
By 1977, Bethlehem House had grown with the addition of 20 new beds, a kitchen, a dining facility and a medical centre. These aspects of the campus were contained in a modern annexe behind the original Warwick Street heritage building.
The Dominican Sisters assisted Bethlehem House by providing spiritual support and hard work. This determination helped to save Bethlehem House from closure in 1981, when finances could not keep pace with demand.
Over the years, the support provided by government and private benefactors has enabled Bethlehem House to respond to the changing needs of disadvantaged men living in the community. Fundamentally, Bethlehem house is a safe place to stay for men experiencing homelessness, but our facilities and support services have grown to fully cater for the diverse needs of our residents – many of whom have experienced problems with family and relationship breakdown, mental health issues, alcohol and substance abuse and periods of unemployment and/or imprisonment.
In 2020-21, the St Vincent de Paul Society Tasmania took further steps toward delivering holistic services attuned to the complexities of homelessness in a more contemporary environment. Working with Homes Tasmania and the owner of a private property adjacent to our original Warwick St site, eighteen independent living pods were established, providing fully self-contained unit accommodation for men in the process of transitioning to independent lives in the broader community. Co-location of these pods on our original site enabled the wrap-around support offered by our case management approach to be effectively scaled to reach a larger and more expansive cohort of men at varying stages on their journey toward independence.
Later in the same financial year, through landmark collaboration with the Tasmanian Government, the former Waratah Hotel in Murray St, Hobart was transformed into modern, middle-to-long-term accommodation. These facilities offer a fusion of independence and support, giving comfort and certainty to men whose personal circumstances may hinder successful transition to fully independent living. The Murray St campus of Bethlehem House is immediately adjacent to the new Harrington St campus – both share resources, enabling us to deliver an efficient service that simultaneously maximises our capacity to support men with a varied level of need for support across two campuses.
It is through the forethought of Vincentian members, together with the generosity of private benefactors and philanthropists, that Bethlehem House has come to deliver the vitally important service it provides today. This has been enabled by crucial and ongoing funding support of federal and state governments, together with deep partnerships formed with community service organisations and business, plus the donations of community members. Together we have ensured that Bethlehem House is able to continue to make a real difference to the lives of men experiencing homelessness in Hobart.
Today, across our various locations, Bethlehem House is truly a home. It is one that offers safety and security to approximately 75 residents where they find compassion, dignity and the personalised support they need to forge a positive, healthy and connected future.
