THE statewide Walk in Her Shoes exhibition will be on display on the Mornington Peninsula next month, bringing the lived experiences of women facing homelessness into the public spotlight.
Hosted at Mornington Central Shopping Centre from 2-16 March, the exhibition shares real stories of women who have experienced housing insecurity, aiming to build understanding and challenge common misconceptions about homelessness.
The exhibition comes as homelessness on the Mornington Peninsula continues to rise. The region now records the highest number of people sleeping rough in Victoria and the highest proportion of women experiencing homelessness among local government areas that collect this data.
Women, older residents, young people and families are increasingly being forced into cars, tents and unsafe temporary living arrangements.
At the same time, local community support centres are under growing pressure to provide emergency relief and crisis support, despite receiving no State or Federal Government funding.
Delivered by the Council to Homeless Persons, Walk in Her Shoes uses personal stories to highlight that homelessness can affect anyone and that it is not inevitable when the right investment and policy choices are made.
The exhibition will conclude with a Community Forum and local launch on 16 March from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at the Peninsula Community Theatre.
The forum will bring together housing leaders, service providers, advocates and people with lived experience to discuss the local impact of homelessness and what action is needed.
The evening will include a walkthrough of the exhibition, featuring stories and portraits of women navigating housing insecurity, followed by a panel discussion. Panellists will include Rosie Batty AO, campaigner against family violence; the Hon Harriet Shing, Victoria’s Minister for Housing; local homelessness workers; and people with lived experience. Attendees will also learn practical ways to support change at a local level.
Mornington Peninsula Shire Mayor Councillor Anthony Marsh said the exhibition highlighted an issue affecting communities across the Peninsula.
“Homelessness isn’t something happening somewhere else. It’s happening across the Peninsula, and increasingly affecting women, older residents and families who never expected to find themselves without a safe place to live.”
“We’re seeing women over 55 living in cars, families moving between unsafe arrangements, and people stuck moving through crisis with nowhere stable to land. That’s the human impact behind the statistics.”
Marsh said council was taking action locally while continuing to advocate for broader reform.
“At a local level, council is funding community support centres, working directly with people sleeping rough through the Functional Zero program, and progressing our Triple A Housing Plan to improve coordination and outcomes.”
“But local government cannot solve a national housing crisis on its own. Demand is growing faster than local resources, and frontline services are under real strain.”
He said Walk in Her Shoes was an important opportunity to centre lived experience.
“Initiatives like Walk in Her Shoes help cut through assumptions and remind us that homelessness is solvable when governments back the solutions that work.”
“Reducing homelessness requires sustained State and Federal investment in outreach, crisis accommodation and long-term social housing, not short-term fixes.”
Walk in Her Shoes is delivered in partnership with Mornington Peninsula Shire, the Council to Homeless Persons, the Municipal Association of Victoria, CSVic and the Peninsula’s three Community Support Centres.
First published in the Mornington News – 10 February 2026