Stay With Us
…in a cozy private heated cabin with a bed and fresh linen!
Our accommodation also has bathroom and laundry facilities onsite.
When Can I Stay?
The shelter operates evenings and overnight seven days a week during the winter months of June, July and August.
What do shelter days look like?
| 5:00 PM | Make sure you are at Salvation Army Bendigo, Gravel Hill |
| 5:30 PM | After we sign you in, we take you on our Shelter Bus to the accommodation |
| 6:00 PM | At the accommodation we open a room for you to settle in |
| 6:30 PM | Around this time we will gather and share in a nice hearty meal |
| 8:30 PM | After dinner you are free to retire to your room or hang in the common area to socialise with other guests and our volunteers |
| 10:30 PM | Lights out |
| 7:00 AM | Rise and shine! |
| 8:00 AM | With your personal belongings, jump on the Shelter Bus and we return you to Salvation Army |
How Do I Apply?
Applications for the 2025 season (June-August) will open in February 2025. We will provide full details across all platforms and media approaching the season.
If you are experiencing homelessness or other hardships, please check the list of important contacts below.
| Emergency Triple-Zero | 000 |
| Non-emergency Police assistance | 131 444 |
| Lifeline Telephone Counselling (24/7) | 13 11 14 |
| 1800 RESPECT Domestic or family violence hotline |
1800 737 732 |
| Haven, Home, Safe | 1300 428 364 |
| Victorian Statewide Homelessness Line | 1800 825 955 |
| Bendigo and District Aboriginal Co-operative Aboriginal/Torres Strate people |
(03) 5442 4947 41-43 Myers Street, Bendigo Mon-Fri 9am-5pm |
| Centre for Non-Violence, Family Violence Women and children experiencing family violence only |
(03) 5430 3000 96-98 Pall Mall, Bendigo Mon-Fri 9am-5pm |
| Anglicare Victoria Young people between 16 to 19 years of age. Mental health. |
(03) 5440 1100 10 Mundy Street, Bendigo Mon-Fri 9am-5pm |
Conditions Of Shelter
To make Bendigo Winter Night Shelter a safe place for everyone, we expect:
Guests will not be intoxicated, or substance affected on arrival at the meeting point or the accommodation facility
Guests will not use or be in possession of illicit drugs or substances at the meeting point or at the accommodation facility
Guests will not consume or be in possession of illicit drugs or substances at the accommodation facility or engage in the use of these substances on the sites of the allocated accommodation, for the entire length of your stay
Guests will not be in possession of any type of offensive weapon at the meeting point or at the accommodation facility
Guests will only carry with them sufficient belonging/s for one night at the accommodation facility and will be responsible for the security of their own belonging at all times
Guests will be allocated their room at the accommodation facility each night
Guests will agree to a baggage search at the meeting point before being allowed to stay in the accommodation facility
Guests will not use violent, aggressive or disruptive behaviour at the meeting point or accommodation facility
Guests will not use offensive language at the meeting point or accommodation facility
Guests will treat other guests and volunteers with respect and with maintain a code of harmony and safety for all
Guests will be provided a breakfast pack every Friday, for the weekend period at MADCOW
Guests will only smoke in designated areas and allocated times at the accommodation facility
The following consequences of any breach of behaviour may look like this:
Denied entrance to the accommodation facility (denied boarding the BWNS bus)
Asked to leave the accommodation facility
Be subject to a ban
Subject to conditions of a support plan around your needs as they would apply to the accommodation facility, or
Permanently uninvited from all BWNS accommodation facility.