QUEENSLAND · REGISTERED CHARITY · SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
She left domestic & family violence. Then came the harder part.
Finding somewhere safe and affordable to live — while everything else is still falling apart. Dandelion Safe Homes exists for that moment & what comes after: construction skills, traineeships & a pathway to a home she owns.
At Dandelion, building what comes next isn’t a metaphor.
“Just the self-value that people get from holding a hand tool and being able to use a hand tool. It's very empowering.”
— Karen Muras, founder
That moment — picking up a tool for the first time — is where it begins. Not just a new skill. A new sense of what's possible.
What We Do
We build with women.
Not for them.
Through construction workshops, Cert I traineeships and rent-to-buy housing pathways, Dandelion gives women leaving domestic and family violence practical skills, income and a path to a home they own.
Many organisations help women escape crisis.
Dandelion helps women build what comes next.
Here's what we actually do
-
Tiny House Workshops
Open to all women. No experience needed. Every two months, participants stand wall frames, install windows and doors — and leave knowing they can do more than they thought.
-
Construction Traineeships
Six-month programs run with a registered training organisation. Women complete a Certificate I in Construction and receive their White Card.
-
Housing Pathways
Four homes built and named. Twenty-five women on the waitlist — without a single advertisement. Our rent-to-buy model creates real ownership. Not dependency. Not free housing. A home she's paying off.
-
The Commercial Model
Commercial tiny home builds fund the charitable program. Our goal: a women-run factory building homes for sale, with all profits returned to the mission. Self-sustaining, not donation-dependent.
A home is a milestone.
Not the destination.
The real transformation happens within the person.
When a woman picks up a drill for the first time, she is doing more than learning a skill. She is building a new life with her own hands.
We need more than donors.
-
For women
Come to a workshop. You don't need any experience. You just need to show up.
-
For donors
Your donation builds homes for women leaving domestic and family violence. Literally. Donations are tax-deductible (DGR registered).
-
For businesses
Most corporate giving asks for a cheque. We're asking for something more useful — factory space, land, materials, or sponsoring a build. Let's talk about genuine partnership.
-
For volunteers
Hands, time, skills — all welcome.
How Dandelion Began
Building a home changed more than where she lived.
Karen Muras left domestic and family violence with four children. She faced the same impossible choices many women face today — and decided to build her own way out. Literally. She gathered the materials, called on a carpenter friend to help, and built her own tiny home. She discovered that building something with your own hands changes what you believe is possible.
She started Dandelion so other women could have that same experience.
Talk to us.
Whether you're looking for support, want to partner with us, or just want to understand what we do — we're happy to talk.