The establishment of a voluntary organisation devoted to the welfare needs of its local community was pioneered in Australia by residents of Lane Cove.  Since the inception of the organisation in 1961, many other communities have followed.

In 1959, while conducting house-to-house visits during her campaign for election to Lane Cove Council, Mrs Claudia Leach found a great void in the community for people needing assistance at a certain point in their lives. The outcome was the foundation of the ‘Pool of Service’ which, in 1961, became Lane Cove Community Aid Service (LCCAS). Meetings were held at Council Chambers with volunteers working from home. In January 1962, LCCAS became independent of Council and at the same time received a grant from Council for administration expenses. LCCAS moved to its current location in 1965.

Services were introduced as needs were identified. Meals on Wheels began in the early 1960s, with the Lane Cove Club providing a limited service. The Home Companion Service, forerunner of the current Nursing Service, also started at this time. Welfare counselling was introduced in 1982, and in 1983 the Friends of Community Aid Shop (FOCAS) began fundraising with their monthly craft sessions.

As demand increased, more services were introduced with the Home Maintenance and Modification Service being added in 1987; an Easy Care Gardening Service was added in 2002; In-Home Podiatry in 2003 and a Linen Service in 2004.

More recently, the organisation was funded to extend its services to clients living in the local government areas of Lane Cove, Mosman, North Sydney and Willoughby. Along with this expansion, LCCAS underwent a name change to Lane Cove & North Side Community Services, with a mantra: ‘We care for you.’

Caring for our community started with several prominent Gladesville residents and business owners including retailer John Evans, who saw members of their community struggling and living in poverty.

At the time, the businesses came together and each donated £10 towards the first budget, and the local community centre was founded on November 24, 1966.

Meals on Wheels started its first run on July 31, 1967 delivering 15 meals. Fifty years later, Hunters Hill Ryde Community Services has delivered over 13,300 meals and provided seven Social Support Programs and six Community Support Services with 55,993 hours of direct services to its diverse community members to realise their potential and independence.

Some of the highlights in the HHRCS history are as follows:

• After moving three times the new headquarters of Gladesville Community Aid Centre was officially opened in Cowell Street Gladesville back in 1975 thanks to the financial support of Hunters Hill Council.
• A migrant conversation group from ten different ethnic groups commenced in 1979.
• In 1981 Gladesville Community Aid received a huge boost with the donation of a mini bus by Hunters Hill Rotary for transporting isolated men and women to functions at the centre and excursions to places further afield.
• Commencement of the Learning for Leisure program took place in 1983.
• The impact of the Home and Community Care Program on the Centre has been substantial.
• In 1985 new programs were funded such as Volunteer Visiting, social bus outings and transport.
• The NSW State Government donated a 22-seater bus to the Centre in 1991 before the commencement of the Community Visitors Scheme in 1993.
• ‘BIRDS’ – Brain Injury Respite Development Service – became a registered independent incorporated organisation and in 1994 Maria Harasymczuk initiated the Carers Support Program.
• The new Hunters Hill Respite Care Centre opened at 42 Gladesville Road in 1995 after the Centre officially opened in 1990 at St Joseph Hostel.
• In 1999 the Neighbourhood Centre opened at 46 Gladesville Road.

A significant milestone came in 2008 when Gladesville Community Aid & Information Service Inc, Hunters Hill Respite Care Centre Inc, and the Brain Injury Respite Development Service Inc, formed the Hunters Hill Ryde Community Services.

The Centre was recognised for its community work over the past decade with a swag of awards. Gladesville Community Aid received the North Sydney Community Award in 2005 ; BIRDS received the North Sydney Community Award in 2013 while the Carers Group of Young Adults with Disabilities collected the NSW Group Carer’s Award in 2014.

New programs were funded such as Social Support Gladesville and Culturally And Linguistically Diverse (CALD) programs in 2006 while Hunter Holden donated a new car for the Home-delivered Meals Service.

The Hunters Hill Mens’ Shed was opened in 2012 and this year the Pittwater Road Community Garden won first place in the Best Community Garden category in the City of Ryde Spring Garden competition.

The Meeting House has been part of the Lane Cove community for over 45 years. 

The Meeting House was initially formed as a neighbourhood centre in 1978 when Lane Cove parents joined together to form a community preschool.  They also used the preschool to hold different meetings and groups, that lead to the name ‘The Meeting House’.

From the preschool grew other community services such as women’s and seniors’ groups, before and after school care, and different art, craft and social groups.

The centre, on Stokes Street, began in two small houses bequeathed to Lane Cove Council – who requested that the houses were always to be used for community purposes. The preschool was run out of one house, and the Before and After school care was run out of the other house, along with a number of other groups and activities.

In 2010 Lane Cove Council knocked the two old houses down and built a multipurpose centre on the land to be used for community activities.  The new centre was opened by Mayor Scott Benison in August 2013.

In January 2020 the Meeting House merged with Sydney Community Services. This has enabled the growth of all the services including playgroup, seniors bus outings and shopping, and a variety of social groups. The Meeting House provides a true community space for children, women, men, families and all other community groups to come together and share experiences. It also offers a secure environment for other organisations to hold meetings.