Safety, food and hope replace youth crime at Fitzroy Crossing's Night Place

Australia Broadcast Center

13-05-2025

As the sun dips behind the red Kimberley horizon in Western Australia's north, children spill onto the streets of Fitzroy Crossing — but now they walk with a purpose as they go to a new and safe space.
Since opening in September 2024, the Night Place, run by Marra Worra Worra Aboriginal Corporation (MWW), has become a central hub for youth in the remote town, 2,400 kilometres north of Perth.
The Aboriginal-led program was created in response to concerns over disengaged children wandering the streets and rising youth crime.
Similar youth night spaces have also opened in Broome.
Research shows juvenile offenders make up just 3.7 per cent of the Kimberley youth population, with poverty and disadvantage driving criminal acts.Services including night spaces are seen as part of the solution.
MWW youth connection programs manager Rochelle Dolby said the need became clear through years of night patrols.
"Kids were just on the streets — outside the local supermarket, outside the information centre and at a park at the rec centre in town," she said.
"There was nothing the kids could go to or a place they could get food, just to be in a safe space and off the streets."
After consulting with families, Ms Dolby said many children had complex reasons for being out.
"Mum and Dad are probably not at home, or Nan or Pop, and they'd rather be in a place where they feel safe."
Nearly 400 young people have attended the space in its first seven months, with over 8,000 visits and 12,500 hot meals served.
The Night Place started as a pilot program but has since secured longer-term state government funding.
On an average night, the centre will host 40 children, with numbers exceeding 90 on some evenings, while more than 20 local Indigenous staff have been employed through the service.
The Night Place offers dinner, first aid, structured activities and transport home.
Some nights include cooking classes and workshops on kids and the law or substance use.
Employees say Uno cards are the highlight of the night, along with the open basketball court.
Aaliyah Cox, 17, said the space gave her and her cousin Ebony a place to hang out with their friends at night.
"Instead of walking around town, we come play Uno or have a feed or come play basketball, and other things," Aaliyah said.
Cyeahni Wallaby, 11, said she was also happy to "get to play basketball and eat a feed and play Uno".
The space was born out of a desperate need to tackle rising juvenile crime in the town and deep frustration from locals and visitors.
Between January and March last year, the town recorded 34 car thefts, which police attributed to youths.
However, the Fitzroy Crossing Police officer-in-charge, Senior Sergeant Mark Howes, said there had been a "significant drop" in juvenile crime.
This year, thefts dropped to five over the same period — an 85 per cent fall.
"It's to do with being out at night unsupervised, opportunistic, and looking for a good time," he said.
"The Night Place gives the kids somewhere to go, somewhere to have a feed, be around positive people.
"It gives the opportunity to start with intervention for some of the issues the kids face and intervene at an early stage."
He said coordination with other youth services had strengthened outcomes.
MWW education, engagement and attainment initiative coordinator Luke Sim said the Night Place had helped reconnect young people with school.
"There are kids at the Night Place that have not been at school for a number of months," he said.
Between January and March, he re-enrolled nearly 30 students.
Local mum Edith Cox said the space gave her peace of mind, knowing her children had somewhere safe to go at night.
Since helping in the kitchen, she has seen the value of local staffing.
"They feel more comfortable with that … [the kids] see us around town and in here," Ms Cox said.
MWW manager of community programs Nicola Angell said the model worked because it was locally driven.
"We've been able to provide an employment pathway that has been so fulfilling," she said.
"We could not be prouder of the work that we're doing."
A WA Department of Justice spokesperson said there were plans in place to design and deliver another night space in Kununurra.
"Aboriginal-led programs play a key role in delivering crucial services to support vulnerable young people in regional WA and keep them and the community safe at night," they said.