Heritage Counts

14/05/2026

🛑 IMPORTANT UPDATE 🛑

Despite written support from the Federal Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, the South Australian Minister for Heritage, the local council, and more than 1,300 community members who signed a petition within just one week, the South Australian Heritage Council has chosen not to recognise or protect the legacy of one of the most significant women-led movements in our state’s history.

The Council has further advised that its decision applies to all entities within the site—effectively preventing any future attempts to nominate individual buildings for State Heritage protection. This raises serious questions as to why such an unusual and sweeping position has been adopted.

Many across the community are deeply saddened that the extraordinary sacrifice, resilience and hardship endured by these women has not been fully recognised. In the aftermath of World War II, they built a community by women, for women — widows who had already suffered immense loss through war, yet came together to create support, dignity and belonging for one another.

Without urgent government intervention at the highest level, including from the Premier, Jean Rouse Villa now appears destined for demolition.

This is not just a building. It is a powerful part of South Australia’s social history and the story of women who transformed grief into community and compassion. If this place is lost, an irreplaceable part of that history may be lost with it.

What makes this even more difficult to understand is that the Heritage Council itself acknowledged the site holds heritage value, and that the story of the SA War Widows forms an important part of South Australia’s shared history. The question remains: if this is acknowledged, why has the site not been granted the protection it deserves?

We encourage supporters to respectfully contact the Heritage Council and relevant decision-makers to express their disappointment and ask why a place of such clear historical and social significance has been denied recognition and protection.

These women deserved better. Their legacy deserves to endure.

Thank you to everyone who continues to stand with us. We are now considering our next steps, including a further community gathering at the site as we continue to seek support to save this important piece of South Australia’s history.

Please share this post.

30/04/2026

UPDATE: Heritage Refused — But This Isn’t Over

We’re very disappointed to share that the South Australian Heritage Council has refused the State Heritage listing.

The nomination specifically covered Jean Rouse Villa and Vasey House, but the decision appears to have assessed the broader site context rather than focusing on those individually nominated buildings. We are concerned those buildings may not have been properly assessed on their own merits. The decision also does not appear to clearly address the social significance of the buildings.

👉 We will now be seeking a review of this decision.

This matters urgently.

Two war widows still live on the site, including one aged 99. This is a living community with deep social and historical significance.

We would hope that no demolition would occur while residents are still living there At this stage, we cannot be certain.

💔 Thank you to everyone supporting this campaign. Your voices matter more than ever.

Please keep sharing. We’ll keep fighting 💪🏻

29/04/2026

⏳ 24 HOURS LEFT ⏳

We are so close.

In just 24 hours, this petition will be presented to the Heritage Council — and we are on the brink of reaching 1,000 signatures.

This is our final push to show just how much this place matters. Not just as buildings, but as a legacy — a community, a history, and a home for vulnerable residents whose stories deserve to be protected.

Every signature strengthens our voice. Every share brings someone new into this fight.

If you’ve been meaning to sign, now is the time.
If you’ve already signed — thank you — please share it one more time today.

Let’s finish strong and make it impossible to ignore.

Sign. Share. Stand with us.

Protect the SA War Widows Site with a Call for State Heritage Listing.

27/04/2026

⏱️ 48 hours to go — and we’re not there yet

We are 238 signatures short of our goal, with just two days left before the South Australian Heritage Council makes its decision.

This is the moment that matters most.

This site is more than buildings — it represents the legacy of war widows and a vulnerable community whose history deserves to be recognised and protected.

We’ve had strong and growing support from the community and South Australian public. It has even gained interbational support, but we need one final push.

👉 Please sign today
👉 Share this post — every share matters right now
👉 Send it to 2–3 people who would care

We are so close — don’t let this fall short when it matters most.

Every signature strengthens the case that this place matters.

Protect the SA War Widows Site with a Call for State Heritage Listing.

25/04/2026

🚨 545 signatures and growing — help us keep the momentum going

This is about recognising the real history and social significance of this site, and ensuring it is properly considered.

Every signature strengthens the community voice behind this. The more support we show, the stronger the message.

👉 If you haven’t signed yet, you can in just 30 seconds: https://c.org/hcf8g4mqnC

👉 If you have, please share this in local groups or tag someone who cares about heritage

Let’s keep building this together — every voice counts. 💪🏻 🌺

Protect the SA War Widows Site with a Call for State Heritage Listing.

25/04/2026

Today, on ANZAC Day, we pause to remember the courage, sacrifice and service of those who gave so much for our country.

We also reflect on the lives forever changed on the home front. War widows carried profound loss, yet showed extraordinary strength, resilience and solidarity in the years that followed.

Importantly, many of the supports and communities that emerged were not simply given—they were fought for. Through the work of the War Widows’ Guild of Australia and South Australia, women came together to advocate for recognition, housing, and dignity, creating lasting change for those who had been left behind.

The homes and communities established for war widows stand as powerful reminders of this legacy. They are not just places, but symbols of collective action, compassion, and hard-won progress.

As we continue our work to save the war widows’ legacy, we remain committed to protecting this important site through the retention of Jean Rouse Villa and the bungalow—ensuring these stories, and what they represent, are not lost.

Lest we forget 🌺

24/04/2026

🔥 316 signatures and growing! 🔥

In just a short time, hundreds of people have already stood up to protect the War Widows site.

But we need more—and we need them fast.

With a decision imminent and the heritage assessment on 30 April, every signature adds pressure on the South Australian Heritage Council to act.

👉 Help us reach 500 today:
https://c.org/hcf8g4mqnC

Please sign and share. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Protect the SA War Widows Site with a Call for State Heritage Listing.

23/04/2026

The decision is in — SCAP has REFUSED the proposed development.

The panel found the proposal was too tall, too dense, and failed to respond to the local context, particularly its impact on the surrounding established neighbourhood and historic character. It also did not provide an appropriate transition in scale or adequately manage the impacts of its bulk and massing on nearby homes.

To say we are happy is an understatement. This decision means so much to the people who have fought tirelessly to profect what is right and protect the War Widows site 😀

Now, our focus turns to the heritage assessment on April 30 — a critical opportunity to secure State Heritage listing and long-term protection for the War Widows site, which was protected for over 20 years prior to the removal of the heritage overlay.

We’re not done yet. 💙🌺

Sign and share the petition to protect the War Widows site for generations to come 💙

23/04/2026

🚨 URGENT – ACT NOW 🚨

A decision on the War Widows Site is expected TODAY.
If approved, demolition could begin immediately.

We are calling on the South Australian Heritage Council to urgently protect this irreplaceable site by granting State Heritage listing to:
• Jean Rouse Villa
• Vasey House
• The Bungalow

The official heritage assessment is 30 April — time is critical.

👉 Sign the petition and share now: https://c.org/6LgdcHMbpV

Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Please help us save this historic site before it’s too late.

Protect the SA War Widows Site with a Call for State Heritage Listing.

22/04/2026

Today we attended the SCAP hearing — and it was a loooong one.

There were so many strong verbal submissions presented against the proposal. The arguments were thoughtful, well-prepared, and incredibly cohesive. It was clear just how much time, care, and passion has gone into standing up for what’s right.

What stood out most was the strength of our community. People showed up, spoke with conviction, and supported one another every step of the way. An amazing team effort, driven by a shared belief that this matters.

Now… we wait.

20/04/2026

This interview wasn’t shown on TV.

A former resident from the war widows site further up the road and originally gifted to ACH, shares her experience of leaving her home and the impact that followed. 😢

We believe stories like this deserve to be heard.

Her account reflects her personal experience.