• ACON history in the area
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ACON history in the area

ACON in the Hunter

ACON first started working in the Hunter in 1988 when the local gay support group received funding to support people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). In 1989 the Community Support Network (CSN) held its first volunteer training. These volunteers were rostered to work with PLWHA at the Royal Newcastle Hospital and at MacKillop House, a respite service sponsored by the Sisters of St Joseph.

In the year of the Newcastle earthquake 1989, ACON moved into an office in Bolton St, Newcastle and in the following year 1990 the first AIDS Memorial Vigil was held at Christ Church Cathedral. This vigil continues in the Cathedral around World AIDS Day, 1 December, each year as does the HIV Networking Group of service providers that began that year.

Rosemary Bristow and Mary Anne Saunders were employed after a period as volunteers to coordinate the CSN project and they remain with ACON still as this organisation’s longest continuous serving employees.

The 90s saw a number of significant events such as a World AIDS Day Concert held in Civic Park and attended by 500 people. ACON also moved into Watt Street in Newcastle and moved more strongly into HIV prevention with Beat Outreach. The psychosocial needs of our community were responded to by the start of our counselling service as well as the establishment of a group for parents of PLWHA. The late 90’s saw further expansion of services with the Positive Speakers Association formed and the Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOP) starting in 1998.

2000 saw ACON move to our current office at 129 Maitland Road Islington that has been renovated to become a two story community centre for the GLBT community in the Hunter.

ACON Outreach in the Mid North Coast

This Outreach service of the Hunter/MNC branch opened in January 1998.  After a number of years in Hayward Street, the Outreach Project now has its main base at Shop 3 146-150 Gordon Street Port Macquarie. Outreach covers from Pacific Palms, through Port Macquarie and Kempsey to Coffs Harbour and aims to assist at a local level in the provision of support and education to PLWHA and members of the GLBT community living on the Mid-North Coast.

More info

Contact: ACON Hunter

Tel: (02) 4927 6808

Email: hunter@acon.org.au