CWA Victoria
Established in 1928
The Country Woman's Association of Victoria was inaugurated in March 1928 and is a self-funded volunteer philanthropic organisation with a focus on friendship, personal development and advocacy. The association encourages advocating on: community issues; sustainable development, protection of the environment and social issues. The CWA also encourages supporting community and taking an interest in education and the workings of government at all levels.
The CWAA is the largest women's organisation in Australia and in Victoria alone, there are over 5,600 members across 320 branches. These groups aim to improve conditions for urban & country women and children. This is achieved by fundraising for our local community and creating a support network for women.
To find out more, visit the official CWA Victoria website.
Ballan CWA Branch
1937 to 2007
The very first CWA branch in Ballan was established in September 1937; and the first meeting was held at Mrs. Rae's Coffee Palace. A committee was established and was run by Mrs J Rhodes (President), Mrs Turley (Secretary) & Mrs A.Flack (Treasurer) and consisted of 10 other members. For 70 years, the office bearers have passed on the torch to their fellow sisters, keeping alive the traditions, recipes & spirit of the CWA. The Ballan branch has had 34 presidents, 12 secretaries & 9 treasurers, with some members serving multiple terms.
During these 70 years, the extraordinary country women of the CWA Ballan branch had helped those in need by raising funds for medical, war and other charity groups. This was achieved by donations, providing entertainment, volunteering at the Ballarat Hospital, penny drives, hosting events such as debutante balls, film evenings, sports competitions, and were widely known and in high demand for their catering. In 2007, the last members of the branch said their farewells. If you would like to know more about the history of the Ballan CWA branch, click here. Thank you to the Ballan Historical Society for researching and sharing this information.
Ballan & District CWA Branch
2016 to Current
The Ballan & District Branch was established in October 2016 by six local women & within the first 18 months, grew to 19 members. Inspired and creatively determined, our modern group of women were ready to stand up and make a positive impact within their local community. The Moorabool Shire has an amazing community network and our CWA branch is dedicated & passionate about supporting their local & surrounding communities. One of the marvellous things about being part of our branch is that it enables us to welcome, connect & support people in ways we couldn't as individuals.
Our branch today has over 25 members that represent a diverse range of ages, abilities & cultures. New members are often inspired to join after seeing/hearing about our branch activities, initiatives & contributions we deliver to our local community. Our branch has received genuine interest in joining from others, which we believe reflects the good we are doing for the community. It’s very encouraging to have young women wanting to be a part of the CWA community, affirming that the CWA is definitely viable for the modern woman. We have been fortunate to meet many newcomers to our branch. We like to ensure all members feel welcomed and encourage them to have a voice in regards to what we do, who we support and how we do it. We are amazed & thankful for the energy & positive vibes each woman has brought to our branch.
Since 2016, our branch has raised funds by selling crafts, plants, baked & preserved goods at the Ballan Farmers Market, High Tea Sessions at the Ballan Autumn Festival, held Easter & Christmas Raffles, catered community events and hosted local dances. As a branch, we continue to build upon the great foundation laid by the women who have gone before us. We continue to strengthen our relationships with other CWA branches and groups within the local & surrounding community. And we invite all younger, middle aged & older women to join our branch.
Our current executive committee members are Symone (President), Chrissy (Secretary), Mel (Treasurer), Nishka (Creative Consultant).
To see a history of our branch positions, please navigate here.
