About Banyan House
A community dedicated to recovery
About us
A residential therapeutic community
At Banyan House, we’re more than a treatment centre—we’re a residential therapeutic community in Darwin, Northern Territory, helping people rebuild their lives from the effects of alcohol and drug addiction.
Our accredited programs focus on holistic recovery, blending expert care with the transformative power of community. As an organisational member of the Australian Therapeutic Communities Association (ATCA), we adhere to the highest standards, creating a safe, supportive space for healing and growth.
Our vision
To lead in rehabilitation—developing emotionally strong, healthy individuals, families, and communities free from the impact of substance misuse.
A residential therapeutic community
To understand and reduce the harm caused by substance misuse and co-occurring mental health challenges, creating pathways for people to thrive.
Our values
Community
Building collaboration and fellowship
Respect
Honouring the rights, values, and beliefs of all.
Transparency
Being open in our decisions and actions.
Self-Improvement
Striving to be the best we can be.
Our story
Banyan House - the Forster Foundation for Drug Rehabilitation - was founded in the mid-1970s in response to the rising issue of heroin addiction in the Darwin area. This initiative was driven by the concerted efforts of individuals from the legal profession (Justise Forster), health sector, and various government agencies, including the police, courts, and health departments.
Initially, Banyan House operated out of a small cottage in Rapid Creek, named after a Banyan Tree planted in its front garden. As the organisation grew, the Northern Territory Government generously provided a lease on former institutional residential facilities in Berrimah, allowing Banyan House to relocate there in 1992.
In 2007, the Northern Territory Government once again showed its support by funding the reconstruction of the facility into a modern residential rehabilitation centre. This redevelopment was completed in mid-2009, resulting in a state-of-the-art residential drug rehabilitation and treatment facility.
Banyan House is dedicated to the Therapeutic Community (TC) model of treatment. This model provides a safe, drug-free residential environment that employs a hierarchical structure, with treatment stages that signify increasing levels of personal and social responsibility. The TC model is unique in its use of the “Community as Method,” setting it apart from other intervention approaches. Client progress and stable recovery are achieved through multidimensional changes in lifestyle and personal identity, with the community itself serving as the primary therapist. Continuous feedback from peers and staff, facilitated through daily interactions and the use of House Tools, supports personal transformation.
With a purpose-built facility, a dynamic Board, and a dedicated team focused on holistic client recovery and growth, Banyan House’s Therapeutic Community (TC) model provides comprehensive services for individuals seeking treatment for drug addictions in the Northern Territory.
