Home of Blackheath's CWA celebrates milestone

While it may not be too memorable in an architectural sense, although it does represent a common style of its time, it has served generations of local women as the home of the local Country Women's Association (CWA) and the Baby Health Centre.

The project to establish the centre had its beginnings with the formation of the Blackheath branch of the CWA in 1936 by 15 local ladies. When the first Baby Health Clinic opened in Sydney in 1914, one in 10 children died before the age of one, so these centres would play an integral part in educating new parents on infant nutrition and other health issues affecting infant mortality.

The centres were even more important in country areas, where access to doctors and hospitals were limited at best. So the establishment of these clinics was a high priority for the CWA.

Initially, the Blackheath CWA ladies fundraised to support the Gertrude Smythe King Baby Health Centre that was operating out of the Blackheath Council Chambers at the time. However, with the passing of the centre's namesake, they decided to take over the funding of a sister-in-charge and branch members took responsibility for the laundering needs of the clinic.

As time went on, it was decided that the funds raised by the branch would be best put towards the purchase of land and the construction of a purpose-built home for the clinic where the CWA could also have space of its own. However, the cost of land and construction during World War II put this goal further and further out of the reach of this small group of women.

Enter the local branch of Rotary. In 1944, Blackheath Rotary was looking to build a Baby Health Centre as its first project and approached the CWA to band with them to achieve their mutual aim. With the generous help of the council, the dream became a reality.

Blackheath CWA was handed the keys to the building at its official opening, and has been there ever since. The rest, as they say, is history.