Thanks to Gary Lancaster

22 May 2024

It is with the greatest sadness and heavy heart we will say farewell to one of the kindest humans to walk this earth.


Gary Lancaster.


Gary and his beloved best friend and wife Melissa have been staunch supporters of Protea Place since the very beginning. Mel joined the Protea Place team in Dec of 2023 as our Admin Queen. When we got Mel we also got Gary as a package deal.


Gary was always fixing things around Protea Place, doing gardening and always calling in favours to help us out. Gary’s love for family, community & most of all his beautiful Mel is etched in our hearts forever.


In honour of Gary and in heartfelt support for Mel and family, Protea Place will be closed on Monday 27th May so that we can celebrate his life and special place in our lives.


Sadly missed, never forgotten.

Gary Lancaster

"Our dear friend Gary, we are richer for knowing you and struggling to grieve for you.  We will miss your beautiful smile and kind giving spirit. We see your beautiful moonbeam face everywhere Gaz."


Protea Place

A man and a woman are standing next to each other in front of a building.

Important Update: Louise Hunt

22 April 2025
It is with the heaviest of hearts that we, the Protea Place team, try to articulate the profound sadness and grief we feel at the loss of our beautiful friend, Louise Hunt. Today, standing alongside Mayor Geoff McDonald , we struggled to find words adequate to express the devastation that has gripped our community. The raw emotion and visible distress of our Mayor spoke volumes about the impact Louise had on everyone who knew her.

Thanks to the Toowoomba Community

15 April 2025
MASSIVE SHOUTOUT: Celebrating Our Amazing Local Supporters! Today, we want to shine a light on the incredibly generous and supportive local businesses who are the backbone of Protea Place, helping us make our everyday operations possible. Many of these wonderful businesses have been with us since we opened our doors in 2019 and continue to stand alongside us in unwavering support of our community. From having 100% of our rent covered by the incredible TUFF Australia , to the beautiful complimentary floral arrangements provided by Floral Image Ipswich & Darling Downs , every single contribution is deeply valued and treasured.
A group of women are posing for a picture on a balcony.

Thanks to Lou's Place

8 April 2025
Huge thanks to Lou's Place ! Six years ago, in our early days of dreaming and building Protea Place, we journeyed to Sydney to visit the incredible Lou's Place . It was the closest model we could find to the vision we held, a beacon of hope in action for vulnerable women. We spent a day surrounded by kindred spirits – women utterly devoted to creating a better world. We spoke the same language, shared the same unwavering determination, and knew we had found our tribe. [ Link to ABC Compass story about Lou's Place ] Lou's Place generously shared their invaluable knowledge, learnings, and insights from their many years of incredible work. While six years have brought changes – a move to a new home in Redfern and the natural evolution of staff – the bond forged that day remains a cherished part of Protea Place's history. Amanda D, Jacqui, and Amanda T made that crucial trip possible six years ago, allowing the Toowoomba Women's Collective to learn from Lou's Place's 20 years of impactful work. We continue to admire your vital work in providing a safe and non-judgmental space for women in crisis. Thank you for your pioneering spirit and for showing us what's possible!