Community Legal Centres in Australia (Directory by State)
Updated 22 September 2026 · General information, not legal advice
A community legal centre (CLC) is an independent, not-for-profit organisation that gives free legal information, advice and, in some cases, representation, and there are more than 160 of them across Australia. To find one near you, use the directory run by the community legal centre peak body in your state or territory, listed in the table below.
Call the centre before you visit, because many serve a defined local area or specialise in one area of law. Have your documents and any court date ready. If a centre cannot help, it will usually refer you to legal aid, another centre or a private lawyer, and our lists of the best law firms in Australia compare private firms by practice area and city.
What is a community legal centre?
A community legal centre is a non-government, not-for-profit organisation that provides free and independent civil, family and criminal legal services to people experiencing financial disadvantage, discrimination or violence and abuse, according to Community Legal Centres Australia. Centres also provide community legal education and law reform work, and many employ social workers, financial counsellors and tenant advocates alongside lawyers.
The first centres opened in the early 1970s. Fitzroy Legal Service in Melbourne and Redfern Legal Centre in Sydney were among the earliest, and Redfern Legal Centre was established in 1977.
Who runs community legal centres?
Community legal centres are run independently, and they are organised in a three-level network.
- The national peak body. Community Legal Centres Australia represents and supports the sector nationally. It does not give legal advice to the public.
- Eight state and territory associations. These are the members of Community Legal Centres Australia and keep the directory of centres in their state or territory.
- More than 160 local services. Community legal centres, women's legal services, Family Violence Prevention Legal Services and some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services belong to the network.
Community legal centres by state
Each state and territory has one peak body that lists its community legal centres.
| State or territory | Community legal centre peak body |
|---|---|
| NSW | Community Legal Centres NSW |
| Victoria | Federation of Community Legal Centres (Vic) |
| Queensland | Community Legal Centres Queensland |
| Western Australia | Community Legal WA |
| South Australia | Community Legal Centres South Australia (central line 1300 860 529) |
| Tasmania | Community Legal Centres Tasmania |
| ACT | ACT Association of Community Legal Centres |
| Northern Territory | Northern Territory Association of Community Legal Centres |
What do community legal centres help with?
Community legal centres help with everyday civil and family law problems, and the range depends on whether the centre is generalist or specialist.
- Generalist centres serve a geographic area and commonly help with fines, credit and debt, parenting orders, family violence, child protection and victim support. Many also advise on tenancy, employment, Centrelink and minor criminal matters.
- Specialist centres focus on one area of law, such as tenancy, consumer credit, employment, social security, disability or elder abuse, or on one group, such as women, young people or older people.
Most centres give advice, write letters and help with forms. Some represent clients at court or tribunals in selected cases.
Who can use a community legal centre?
Community legal centres give priority to people who could not otherwise afford help, and each centre sets its own eligibility rules. Catchment areas are common. Kingsford Legal Centre, for example, advises people who live, work or study in the Randwick and Botany Bay council areas of Sydney. In South Australia, member centres of Community Legal Centres South Australia offer a first consultation to any member of the community, and ongoing help depends on eligibility.
Community legal centres in capital cities
The generalist centres below operate in or near each capital city, as at September 2026. They are listed for information only, and each centre decides which matters it takes on. Your state peak body lists every centre, including specialist services.
Sydney
- Redfern Legal Centre. Established in 1977. Helps with tenancy and housing, employment and discrimination, fines, debt and consumer complaints, domestic violence and police accountability.
- Inner City Legal Centre. Free legal services for residents of Sydney's inner city, north shore and eastern suburbs, with specialist support for LGBTQI+ people and employment law advice across NSW.
- Kingsford Legal Centre. Part of UNSW Sydney. Advises people in the Randwick and Botany Bay areas on matters including domestic violence, credit and debt, employment, discrimination and consumer problems.
Melbourne
- Inner Melbourne Community Legal. Free legal assistance for disadvantaged people in the City of Melbourne area.
- Fitzroy Legal Service. One of Australia's first community legal centres, which grew from free legal help first given in Fitzroy in the early 1970s.
Brisbane
- Caxton Legal Centre. Helping Queenslanders since 1976, with services in family and domestic violence, employment, financial rights and consumer issues, seniors' issues and discrimination.
Perth
- Sussex Street Community Law Service. Legal help in family law, civil law and minor criminal law, plus disability advocacy, tenant advocacy and financial counselling, from offices in the Perth metro area and regional Western Australia.
Adelaide
- Northern Community Legal Service. Free legal advice and assistance for Adelaide's northern suburbs, including tenancy, employment, minor criminal, family law and migration.
- Community Justice Services SA. Free legal advice in civil, criminal and family law from the Southern Community Justice Centre and regional offices, with court representation subject to eligibility.
Hobart
- Hobart Community Legal Service. Free legal information, advice and limited representation for southern Tasmania, including Centrelink, consumer, employment, family violence, child support and criminal matters.
Canberra
- Canberra Community Law. Helps people on low incomes with housing and tenancy, social security, disability discrimination and homelessness-related legal problems.
Darwin
- Darwin Community Legal Service. General legal advice plus tenants' advice, senior rights, disability rights and after-hours advice sessions.
Community legal centre or legal aid: which should you contact?
Contact the legal aid commission first for criminal charges and court representation, and a community legal centre first for local civil problems such as debt, fines and tenancy. Both give free advice, and both refer people on when they cannot help.
| Feature | Community legal centre | Legal aid commission |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | Independent not-for-profit organisation | State or territory statutory body |
| Number | More than 160 across Australia | One in each state and territory |
| Main work | Civil and family law, advice, letters, community education | Criminal, family and civil law, including court representation under grants of aid |
| Eligibility | Set by each centre, often by local area | Means test and merit test for grants of aid |
| Cost | Free advice; disbursements may apply if represented | Free advice; contributions usually apply to grants |
Legal aid phone lines and eligibility are set out in Free Legal Advice in Australia and Legal Aid in Australia.
When you need a private lawyer
A community legal centre cannot take every matter, especially property settlements, compensation claims, business disputes and serious criminal charges. When you need ongoing representation, start with Free Legal Advice in Australia for other free options, then compare private firms in your city on Law Firms in Sydney, Law Firms in Melbourne, Law Firms in Brisbane, Law Firms in Perth or Law Firms in Adelaide. How to Choose a Lawyer in Australia sets out 10 checks before you sign.
Frequently asked questions
Are community legal centres free?
Yes, their advice and legal help are free. Where a centre represents you in court, you may still need to pay disbursements such as expert reports if they cannot be waived.
Is a community legal centre the same as legal aid?
No. Legal aid commissions are government bodies, one in each state and territory. Community legal centres are independent not-for-profit organisations, and there are more than 160 of them.
Do community legal centres help with criminal matters?
Some do. Many generalist centres advise on minor criminal matters and refer serious charges to legal aid or a private criminal lawyer.
Can a community legal centre go to court for me?
Sometimes. Most centres give advice and help with letters and forms, and some provide court representation in selected cases, subject to their own eligibility rules.