Services that can help – Victoria

This page includes suggestions for further research and a directory of services that can provide you with information and assistance.

Legal help

VIctoria Legal Aid Legal Information Service
Contact us for free information about the law and how we can help you. You can speak to someone in English or ask for an interpreter.
Monday to Friday, 8.45 am to 5.15 pm
Phone: (03) 9269 0120
Country callers: 1800 677 402

Victoria Legal Aid's (VLA) library staff can also help you research family law issues. The library is open 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday at 350 Queen Street, Melbourne.

For more information about VLA’s self-help kits and workshops call (03) 9269 0120 or 1800 677 402.

Federation of Community Legal Centres (new window)
Call to find your nearest community legal centre: (03) 9654 2204.

Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (new window)
Phone: (03) 9419 3888 or 1800 064 865 (country callers).

Women's Legal Service (new window)
Tel: (03) 9642 0877 or 1800 133 302 (country callers)
TTY: (03) 9642 0334

Family Relationships Advice Line
Free national telephone service providing information on family law and local services, call 1800 050 321.
Family Relationships Online (new window)

Law Institute of Victoria (new window)
Legal referrals: (03) 9607 9550

Legal Services Commissioner
Complaints against lawyers
Phone: (03) 9642 0655 or 1800 357 772 (country callers)

Government departments and agencies

Australian Federal Police (new window)
Missing children: (03) 9607 7777

Passport Office (new window)
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Phone: 131 232

Centrelink (new window)
Family Assistance Office: 136 150
Multilingual Service: 131 202

Child Support Agency (new window)
Phone: 131 272

Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (new window)
Phone: 1300 369 367

Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal (new window)
Phone: (03) 9628 7855 or 1800 882 752 (country callers)

Courts

Family Court of Australia
For court details, forms, do-it-yourself kits and information
Melbourne (and for information on regional services)
Commonwealth Law Courts, 305 William St, Melbourne 3001
Phone: 1300 352 000

Federal Magistrates Court
Melbourne (and for information on regional services)
Commonwealth Law Courts, 305 William St, Melbourne 3000
Phone: 1300 352 000

Commonwealth family courts website (new window)

Magistrates’ Court of Victoria (new window)
233 William St, Melbourne 3001
Phone: (03) 9628 7777
Call or see the website to find your nearest court location.

Court Network
Information, support and referral service: (03) 9603 7433 or 1800 681 614 (country callers)

Contact centres

Bethany Family Support, Geelong
Phone: (03) 5278 8122

Berry Street Contact Centre, Watsonia
Phone: (03) 9434 1488

Boyd House (Children’s Contact Centre), Morwell
Phone: (03) 5133 6855

Community West (Children’s Contact Service), Deer Park
Phone: (03) 9363 1811

Child and Family Services Ballarat
Phone: (03) 5337 3333

Gordon Care Contact Service
Mentone: (03) 9584 6777
Frankston: (03) 9783 5172

Mallee Family Care – Community Resource Centre, Mildura
Phone: (03) 5023 5966

Salvation Army Bendigo
Phone: (03) 5442 7699

Upper Murray Family Care, Wodonga
Phone: 02 6022 8220

Relationships Australia, Narre Warren
Phone: (03) 9704 7788

Family dispute resolution and other education services

Call the Family Law Courts for a full list of approved post-parenting service providers.

Family Relationship Centres (new window)
Ballarat: 1300 303 988
Berwick: (03) 8768 4111
Broadmeadows: (03) 9351 3700
Chadstone: (03) 9564 6999
Frankston: (03) 9770 0341
Geelong: (03) 5246 5600
Greensborough: (03) 9404 7800
Melbourne City: (03) 8625 3666
Mildura: 1300 667 382
Ringwood: (03) 9871 6300
Shepparton: (03) 5820 0444 or 1300 372 444
Sunshine: (03) 9313 0444 or 1300 792 400
Traralgon: (03) 5174 1055
Warrnambool: 1300 661 790
Wodonga: (02) 6022 8644

Centacare Catholic Family Services (new window)
Melbourne: (03) 9287 5555 (for details of your nearest branch)
Ballarat: (03) 5337 8999
Bendigo: (03) 5443 9577
Footscray: (03) 9689 3888
Geelong: (03) 5221 7055
Gippsland: (03) 5622 1188
Mildura: (03) 5051 0000

Family Mediation Centres (new window)
Moorabbin: (03) 9555 9300 (head office)
Narre Warren: (03) 9705 6277
Ringwood: (03) 9876 0677
Services are also available at Frankston, Sale, Traralgon and Wonthaggi. Telephone Narre Warren for details.

Family Services Australia
Phone 1300 365 859 to find your nearest service.

LifeWorks (new window)
Services at: Melbourne CBD, Bayswater, Brighton, Hawthorn East, Wyndham, Frankston, Geelong, Moonee Ponds, Preston and Wangaratta.
Phone (03) 9654 7360 to find your nearest office location.

Relationships Australia (new window)
Services at Ballarat, Croydon, Eltham, Greensborough, Kew, Narre Warren, Preston, Shepparton, Sunshine and Traralgon.
Phone 1300 364 277 to find your nearest office location.

Family violence and support services

Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service
Phone (03) 9654 3111 or 1800 105 303

Domestic Violence and Incest Resource Centre (new window)
Phone: (03) 9486 9866 or TTY (03) 9417 1255

Immigrant Women’s Domestic Violence Service
Phone: (03) 8413 6800

Kids Help Line
Phone: 1800 551 800

Men’s Referral Service
Free and anonymous telephone counselling, information and referral service for men.
Phone: (03) 9428 2899 or 1800 065 973 (country callers)

Mensline
Phone: 1300 789 978

Parentline Victoria
Phone: 132 289

Salvation Army Crisis Services
Phone: (03) 9536 7777 or 1800 627 727 (country callers)

Victims Support Agency/Victims of Crime Helpline
Phone 1800 819 817
Victims of Crime Support Agency (new window)

WIRE (Women’s Information and Referral Exchange)
Phone: 1300 134 130, 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday
WIRE website (new window)

Women’s Domestic Violence Crisis Service (24 hours)
Phone: (03) 9373 0123 or 1800 015 188

Interpreter services

Translating and Interpreting Service
A government service that can provide an interpreter for you.
Phone: 131 450 or 1300 655 010 (emergency). For onsite bookings call 1300 655 082.

Related websites

Austlii - legal research (new window)

ComLaw (new window)

Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department (new window)

Department of Justice (new window)

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade – embassies (new window)

National Legal Aid (new window)