Our History

Three Anglicare WA workers standing looking at the camera from the side smiling.

Early History

In 1969, Geoffrey Sambell was enthroned as the 5th Archbishop of Perth. Sambell came from Melbourne where he was an assistant Bishop and amongst other duties he was executive director and de facto chairman of the Brotherhood of St Laurence – an iconic community service agency.

Realising there wasn't a similar service in WA, Archbishop Sambell made it his mission to produce a quality community welfare system on the west coast.

On 3 June 1976, the Anglican Health and Welfare Services (AWHS) was formed as the result of the work done by Archbishop Sambell. This marked the beginning of Anglicare WA.


Learn more about our connection to 

The Anglican Church

Anglicare Geoffrey Sambell Centre East Perth

A New Name and Place

Our change to the name 'Anglicare' came in 1987, when the receptionist at the West Perth office grew tired of repeating the full name 'Anglican Health and Welfare Services' each time she answered the phone. A few staff members gathered around the desk and coined the simpler name 'Anglicare', which is now used nationwide. 

The Sambell Centre Today

For more than 15 years Anglicare WA staff worked from the iconic Sambell Centre in West Perth until the building was marked for demolition as part of a major development in the area. 

These days, you'll find us at our main office at 23 Adelaide Terrace, in East Perth, where we continue to use the Sambell Centre name. 

Photo of the outside of the Anglicare WA Office in Karratha where the Bounce Wellbeing Program runs from

Expanding Across Regions

In 2008, we opened our first regional office in Broome in order to better support remote communities. We knew that regional centres were all different and their unique needs could not be met while we were based only in Metropolitan Perth.

What followed was a string of offices opening in regional towns, including in the St John's Centre, Albany in 2010 and Derby in 2013.

By opening regional office, we could work side-by-side with local people to create real impact. Our place-based approach means that services were shaped by, and delivered within, local communities.

Today, Anglicare WA delivers over 100 services across 201 locations, spanning across the state from the Kimberley to the South West.

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Help Us Make a Difference with Your Donation

Your generosity can transform lives. 

By donating, you are helping provide critical support to Western Australians in need.

Donate here

We acknowledge Aboriginal Peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands that our services are based on and pay our respects to Elders of these lands both past and present. Anglicare WA delivers services across many Countries in WA, from Balanggarra Country in the North to Minang Noongar Country in the South. In particular, we wish to acknowledge the Custodians of the lands where our offices operate. We would like to thank the Noongar, Miriuwung Gajerrong, Tjurabalan, Yawuru, Nyikina, Ngarluma, Kariyarra, Nyiyaparli, Martu, and Wangkatja peoples for their wisdom and generosity.

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