Hunter Community Legal Centre

Hunter Community Legal Centre The Hunter Community Legal Centre (HCLC) provides free legal advice to people in the Hunter region. The Hunter Community Legal Centre.

Telephone Advice Service
The Hunter Community Legal Centre (HCLC) provides free legal advice by telephone to people who live, work or study in the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens, Great Lakes, Taree and Hunter Valley Regions. HCLC may also provide limited ongoing advice and assistance to disadvantaged people in the above geographic areas, who meet the criteria for ongoing assistance, in t

he following matters:
- Discrimination;
- Traffic Offences;
- Fines and Penalties;
- AVO's;
- Motor Vehicle Accidents;
- Credit and Debt
- Employment;

Family Law Program (FLP)
The FLP is a free duty solicitor service for unrepresented parties in the Newcastle Family Courts, which provides the following services:
- Legal advice and information;
- Explanation and help with court forms;
- Limited representation in court; and
- Limited help with negotiations. The FLP also provides free legal advice by appointment in separation, divorce and parenting matters, to parties who meet the criteria for assistance. Outreach Services
HCLC provides free monthly face to face legal advice by appointment at:
- Yacaaba Centre, Nelson Bay
- Cessnock Samaritans Information & Neighbourhood Centre

21/08/2026

Closing our intake lines is always a very difficult decision, but it's our only means of controlling the workload of our already over-capacity service. Our dedicated team always want to help, but we can't help everyone who needs it. This funding will allow us to help more people in the Hunter.

📢 Big news for the Hunter region!Hunter Community Legal Centre has been awarded an additional $2.5 million over the next...
21/08/2026

📢 Big news for the Hunter region!

Hunter Community Legal Centre has been awarded an additional $2.5 million over the next four years through the National Access to Justice Partnership.

Announced today by Sharon Claydon MP and Tim Crakanthorp MP alongside our CEO, Toobah Choudhari, this funding will help us expand access to free legal services and support across more of our catchment and regional communities.

For more than 35 years, we've been helping people access justice when they need it most. This investment means we can reach even more people across our region. 💙 We look forward to celebrating this and other milestones at our October 17 Fundarising Gala
https://events.humanitix.com/hclc35years

🎉 Join us as we celebrate 35 years of supporting our community! 🎉For 35 years, Hunter Community Legal Centre has been pr...
14/08/2026

🎉 Join us as we celebrate 35 years of supporting our community! 🎉

For 35 years, Hunter Community Legal Centre has been providing free legal advice and helping people access justice when they need it most. Now, we're inviting our community to celebrate this incredible milestone with us at our 35th Anniversary Gala Dinner.

✨ Saturday 17 October 2026
✨ Customs House Hotel, Newcastle
✨ Cocktail hour, three-course dinner, drinks package, entertainment, silent auction and raffles

There are several ways you can support this special event:

🎟 Purchase a ticket and join us for an unforgettable evening
🎁 Donate an item, experience or service for our silent auction or raffles
🤝 Become an event sponsor and help us continue our vital work in the community

Sponsorship packages are available on request.

Hunter CLC is a registered charity with DGR status; donations over $2 are tax-deductible.

Every ticket purchased, item donated, and sponsorship secured helps us continue to provide access to justice for people across our region.

To learn more or enquire about sponsorship opportunities, contact: 📧 [email protected]

We look forward to celebrating with you!

#

💙 A heartfelt thank you to the team at Costco Lake Macquarie for their generous donation of backpacks and essential item...
12/08/2026

💙 A heartfelt thank you to the team at Costco Lake Macquarie for their generous donation of backpacks and essential items, including socks, deodorant, and sanitary products.

These much-needed supplies will help support vulnerable members of our community who are experiencing crisis situations, including women and children escaping domestic and family violence, and individuals experiencing homelessness.

We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing support of Costco Lake Macquarie and would like to extend a special thank you to Harriet and Beth for their continued commitment to helping those most in need.

Pictured is Harriet from Costco Lake Macquarie with Toobah Choudhari, Hunter Community Legal Centre's Managing Solicitor and CEO.

Partnerships like these demonstrate the power of community working together to create positive change. 💙

Hunter Comm📢 Temporary Office Closure NoticePlease be advised that our office and phone lines will be closed this aftern...
22/07/2026

Hunter Comm📢 Temporary Office Closure Notice

Please be advised that our office and phone lines will be closed this afternoon and tomorrow while our team undertakes an important strategic planning process.

Strategic planning is essential for a Community Legal Centre. It gives us dedicated time to review community needs, strengthen our services, plan for future challenges, and ensure we continue providing high-quality legal assistance to those who need it most. This work helps us remain responsive, sustainable, and focused on achieving the best outcomes for our community.

If you require urgent legal assistance during this time, please contact LawAccess NSW: 📞 1300 888 529 🌐 www.lawaccess.nsw.gov.au

Our service will resume as normal on Friday, with our intake phone lines operating from 10:00am to 12:00pm.

Thank you for your patience and understanding while we undertake this important work.

Today we were proud to attend and support the City of Lake Macquarie’s NAIDOC Week Flag Raising Ceremony, joining commun...
07/07/2026

Today we were proud to attend and support the City of Lake Macquarie’s NAIDOC Week Flag Raising Ceremony, joining community members, leaders and organisations to celebrate the rich cultures, histories and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. [lakemac.com.au]
This year’s NAIDOC Week theme, “50 Years of Deadly,” marks an important milestone, celebrating five decades of recognising Indigenous voices, culture, strength and leadership, while honouring the legacy of those who have helped shape a stronger future for generations to come. [lakemac.com.au]
We are proud to participate in the City of Lake Macquarie’s NAIDOC Week celebrations and stand alongside our community in acknowledging the enduring contributions of First Nations peoples. As we celebrate this significant milestone, we also reflect on the importance of listening, learning and continuing to build meaningful connections based on respect and understanding.
🖤💛❤️

🎨🧡 Come and say hello to the Hunter Community Legal Centre team at the Port Stephens NAIDOC Week Street March and Fun Da...
03/07/2026

🎨🧡 Come and say hello to the Hunter Community Legal Centre team at the Port Stephens NAIDOC Week Street March and Fun Day in Raymond Terrace!
We'll be at this wonderful community celebration with:
✨ A free beading activity
📚 Free activity books for children
ℹ️ Information and brochures about Hunter Community Legal Centre and the services we provide
NAIDOC Week 2026 celebrates "50 Years of Deadly", recognising the resilience, leadership and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples over the past 50 years. The day features a community street march, Welcome to Country, Smoking Ceremony, entertainment, community stalls, children's activities and a free BBQ. [portstephe...nsw.gov.au]
📅 Thursday 2 July 2026
⏰ 10:00am – 2:00pm
📍 Riverside Park, Raymond Terrace
💙 Free event for the whole community [portstephe...nsw.gov.au]
We'd love to meet you, have a chat about our services, and join you in celebrating NAIDOC Week.

02/07/2026

🎨🧡 We're at the Port Stephens NAIDOC Week Street March & Fun Day today!
Come visit the Hunter Community Legal Centre stall and enjoy:
✨ Free beading activities
📚 Free activity books
ℹ️ Information about our free legal services
This year's NAIDOC Week theme, "50 Years of Deadly", celebrates the strength, resilience and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. [portstephe...nsw.gov.au]
📍 Riverside Park, Raymond Terrace
⏰ 10am–2pm
Drop by, say hello to the team, get creative, and learn more about how we support our community.
See you there! 💙

Over the past few weeks, representatives from Hunter Community Legal Centre have met with state and federal politicians ...
01/07/2026

Over the past few weeks, representatives from Hunter Community Legal Centre have met with state and federal politicians across our region to discuss the growing challenges facing the people we serve.
One theme dominated these conversations: the rising rates of domestic and family violence and the urgent need for support for victim-survivors.
We welcomed the additional funding for crisis relief announced in the recent NSW State Budget. Crisis support is essential, but we know that recovery doesn't end when a survivor leaves a violent home.
Many victim-survivors continue to need legal help with:
✅ Parenting arrangements
✅ Property settlements
✅ Divorce proceedings
✅ Accessing counselling and support services
✅ Securing financial assistance and entitlements
Community Legal Centres provide this support every day, helping people rebuild their lives and create a safer future for themselves and their children.
While we are grateful for the funding Hunter CLC receives through the National Access to Justice Partnership, demand for our services continues to grow. More people are seeking our help than we currently have the resources to assist.
We want to expand our services across the 10 LGAs we serve, including increasing our presence in courts and outreach locations so that support is available where and when it is needed most.
If you are able to donate, every dollar helps us provide critical legal assistance to vulnerable members of our community.
💙
💙 Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible.
Learn more about our work and make a donation via our GiveNow page.
https://www.givenow.com.au/helpushelpthehunter

Address

19 Queen Street
Newcastle West, NSW
2300

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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