Free call us now

Our Story

Dignity and justice for all people in the Kimberley

KCLS is an independent, not-for-profit community legal and social work service based in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia with offices in both Kununurra and Broome, delivering free legal and support services to clients in major towns and outreach locations.

The Kimberley region in northern Western Australia is a culturally rich and diverse area with a significant Indigenous population. KCLS is the largest remotely located civil law service in Australia, and 85 per cent of our clients are Aboriginal.

Cable Beach from above
staff 13.14

KCLS is an independent, not-for-profit community legal and social work service based in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia with offices in both Kununurra and Broome, delivering free legal and support services to clients in major towns and outreach locations.

The Kimberley region in northern Western Australia is a culturally rich and diverse area with a significant Indigenous population. KCLS is the largest remotely located civil law service in Australia, and 85 per cent of our clients are Aboriginal.

KCLS is governed by a community-based Board of Management that is reflective of the region.

Our Mission

To support and empower Kimberley people and communities to understand their rights and responsibilities, and to overcome injustice.

Our Vision

Dignity and justice for all people in the Kimberley.

Our History

KCLS grew from the efforts of a small group of Kimberley women from professional and community work backgrounds, who came together in 1996, to address the growing need for a legal service for women.

In 1998, funding for specialist family and domestic violence services wasn’t available and so, assisted by Gawooleng Yawoodeng Aboriginal Corporation (women’s refuge), a Kununurra-based steering group applied to establish a generalist community legal service. The purpose of the new service was to offer culturally appropriate legal assistance and community education to women experiencing family and domestic violence and youth.

Kununurra was chosen as a base, because victims of domestic violence were required to wait for legal services to visit according to the court schedule.

From humble beginnings sharing Anglicare’s office with one mobile phone and a lap top computer, KCLS opened its doors in 1999, with one solicitor, an administrator and an Aboriginal Liaison Officer. KCLS moved to its own office later in the year.

Community Legal Education (CLE) sessions started immediately and included a radio program called ‘Half an Hour of Legal Power’ on Waringarri Radio, that was presented in collaboration with the ALS. CLE and solicitors also took to the road, travelling to Balgo, Halls Creek, Warmun, Billiluna and Mulan. 

In our first year, 58% of our clients were women, of whom only 27% identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. Today, 66% of our clients are women, of whom 85% identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.

Over time, KCLS has continued to expand and today provides an integrated range of services to complement and enhance our free legal programs, including financial counselling, social work, tenant advocacy and support, legal education and law reform.

Today KCLS has offices in Kununurra and Broome and conducts outreach across the Kimberley. KCLS is the largest civil law practice in Australia covering an area of over 400,000 kms.

Please choose the desired office to call:

Kununurra Office
Broome Office