Our History of Providing Free Life-Changing Support

In 1975, John Keating and his friend Anita Day established Holyoake to offer more holistic services to people affected by alcohol and drugs, and their families.

John was determined to find a better way to address ‘problem drinking’, generally treated as a disease in the early seventies.

From the very outset, the Holyoake approach achieved excellent outcomes and was welcomed by consumers and the community sector.

More than four decades on, this bold vision has stood the test of time, with thousands of people experiencing the benefits of Holyoake’s approach.

John played a key role in setting up the WA Network of Alcohol and Drug Agencies (WANADA), an independent membership-driven not-for-profit organisation. He also assisted in the founding of Cyrenian House, and was elected President of the Alcohol and Drug Council of Australia.

We continue to work with WANADA to lead a shared voice to drive the positive change needed to achieve the best community outcomes.

Our name and growing impact

The name ‘Holyoake’ is derived from the site of an old timber settlement in Dwellingup in Western Australia, initially granted to John and Anita to build a residential facility to support individuals and families affected by alcohol and drugs.

Today, with our headquarters in Victoria Park, we deliver support services right across Western Australia. Our team is 100+ strong and hundreds of thousands of people have benefitted from the vision John Keating realised in 1975.

We’re here to give people the support, hope and confidence they need to live the life they choose.

Key milestones

• 1976: Open Holyoake City Centre at Havelock Street, West Perth.
• 1978: Launch WA’s first non-residential treatment programs for dependent persons, their loved ones, and children.
• 1988: Open our first regional office in the Eastern Goldfield town of Kalgoorlie.
• 1991-99: Open regional offices in Port Hedland, Geraldton, Northam, and Bridgetown.
• 1994: Relocate our headquarters to Newcastle Street, Northbridge.
• 1996: Secure major funding contracts for the ‘Prison to Parole Program’, ‘Midland Community Drug Service’, ‘Parents Program’ and ‘Outreach Art Therapy Program’.
• 2000: John Keating passes away.
• 2003: Our Wheatbelt Community Alcohol and Drug Service team launches DRUMBEAT into local schools.
• 2005: Relocate our headquarters to Canning Highway, Victoria Park.
• 2009: DRUMBEAT wins several major awards and expands internationally.
• 2015: Commence Justice Programs in partnership with Cyrenian House.
• 2016: Establish dedicated AOD and Suicide Prevention teams.
• 2022: New strategic plan focusing on services addressing co-occurring AOD and mental ill health.
• 2024: Launch the Northam Head to Health service from its Northam WCADS offices.
• 2024: Brand refresh with the ‘Whenever you’re ready’ tagline, new colour palette and new consumer focused website.