It has helped generations of Victorians and visitors through two global pandemics, migration waves, vastly changing times and a recent V/Line shutdown.
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It → help → pandemics
But it is likely you have never heard of Travellers Aid, a vital cog in Victoria's public transport system that helps more than 110,000 people a year.
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that → hear → people
These days, the not-for-profit organisation mostly helps people with mobility challenges get around the state's trains, buses and trams.
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people → help → trains
However, when it began in 1916, Travellers Aid was all about providing safe passage for women and children, during a time when many husbands had left to serve in World War I.
"All the men went off to fight the war, and the women were starting to come into the big cities of Australia and do the work that the men traditionally would have done," CEO Elias Lebbos says.
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Lebbos → begin → that
"That happened all over the world, but it was happening here as well."
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it → happen → world
Volunteers began meeting weary travellers arriving by boat at Melbourne's Station Pier, or by train at major city stations.
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Volunteers → begin → stations
Travellers Aid also helped to find suitable accommodation for women and children arriving in the city, along with job opportunities.
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Aid → help → opportunities
At one stage, Mr Lebbos says the service took the matchmaking a step further, helping to find husbands for some women.
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service → say → women
Throughout the years, the organisation has also helped greet and accommodate a post-World War II wave of migrants, young Asian students arriving as part of the Colombo Plan in the 1950s and anxious train passengers during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
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organisation → help → pandemic
More recently, when a Telstra outage shut down the V/Line network in early July, Travellers Aid assisted passengers by providing information, helping them to reach replacement coaches or contact family members, among other things.
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them → shut → things
An impact that grows each year
As it celebrates its 110th birthday, Mr Lebbos says Travellers Aid is by no means a small operation.
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Aid → grow → means
Its 100 or so staff members and about 150 devoted volunteers assisted tens of thousands of people last financial year alone, with the free service funded by a broad range of government grants, corporate partnerships, commercial revenue and public donations.
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service → assist → grants
At Southern Cross Station, a quiet lounge provides a spot to rest the legs and have a friendly chat.
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lounge → provide → chat
There are also showers that can be used for a small fee by anyone, from interstate footy fans arriving on overnight trains to people experiencing homelessness.
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that → be → homelessness
Travellers Aid, the only service operating at this scale in Australia, also operates out of the Flinders Street, Seymour and Ballarat railway stations.
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Aid → operate → stations
Late last year, it expanded to Geelong, the new Metro Tunnel station at Parkville and Melbourne Airport, where the service will expand when the airport's new pick-up and drop-off zones open next month.
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zones → expand → Parkville
Mr Lebbos says in the past 10 years or so, the team has also begun helping fans attend events including the Australian Open and the F1 Australian Grand Prix.
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fans → say → Open
"We made a conscious decision some time ago that people's disability or impairment, or whatever the mobility challenge, doesn't just disappear once they cross the kerb of the station," he says.
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he → make → station
"I've got a disability breathing and can't really walk much.
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I → get → disability
They come and get me [from the platform]," 83-year-old Ms Keane says.
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Keane → come → platform
"Bev's been staying with me back in Melbourne.
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's → stay → Melbourne
I sit here and wait for her to be chauffeured in the 'limousine'," jokes Ms Poulter, who is 79 and has low vision.
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who → sit → vision
Ms Keane has a different nickname for Travellers Aid's popular buggy.
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Keane → have → buggy
"I call it the billycart," she quips.
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she → call → it
The pair used to work together and have been as close as sisters for about 35 years.
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pair → use → years
Having access to help at the station makes them feel secure in their V/Line travels to visit one another.
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them → have → one
"I don't think I'd be confident to go without this," Ms Poulter says.
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Poulter → think → this
Helping patients during stressful periods
At the slick new Parkville station, staff clock up thousands of steps a day providing physical and emotional support for patients and visitors heading to nearby hospitals.
Site supervisor Joel Ubias says his team has helped close to 3,400 people at Parkville since last December, when a two-year pilot program got underway.
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program → help → December
He and his staff often proactively approach people who look like they may need a hand.
uncertain
they → approach → hand
"Some people are surprised and they really appreciate the way we ask," he says.
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he → appreciate → way
Train travellers might be going through anything from chemotherapy to a knee replacement, or be expectant mums nearing their due date.
uncertain
travellers → go → date
Others will have just received bad news about a loved one or their own medical condition.
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Others → receive → one
Surrey Hills resident Seng Tan has used Travellers Aid multiple times to get from Parkville station to the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.
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Tan → use → Centre
The 72-year-old says cancer treatment has weakened his spine.
"
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treatment → say → spine
I'm on painkillers, but the painkiller doesn't stop the pain," he says.
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he → stop → pain
Rather than struggle through the long walk to the centre using his walking frame, Travellers Aid spirits Mr Tan there and back in a wheelchair.
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Aid → struggle → wheelchair
"Since I started using them, I can't stop using them," he says.
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he → start → them
Joining at 22, Karen never left
Karen Lovell is Traveller's Aid's longest-serving staff member.
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Lovell → join → 22
Her mum Maureen had been working at the organisation's cafe in 1990 when she asked if the then-22-year-old would like cover for another staff member for a few weeks.
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old → work → weeks
"I said, 'Yeah, I'll come and fill in', and I've been here ever since," she smiles.
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she → say → ?
…and 21 more, not listed.
The Aporia
