A serious bed bug infestation has forced an outback shelter to find alternative accommodation for women and children fleeing violent homes.
Despite Women's Safety Services of Central Australia having been given the all clear after the infestation closed the service on October 9, women and children cannot return to the premises for up to two weeks.
CEO Larissa Ellis said the whole situation was a nightmare.
"It's not just the soft furnishings, they can live in the brick walls.
"We've gone through and we've got a local builder to do a quote for us around replastering walls."
Wait for replacement furniture
Ms Ellis said that all bedding and soft furnishings had to be replaced at a significant cost to the shelter.
"There are two elements to that," she said.
The other — ongoing — cost is the alternative accommodation.
"We've got a running … tally on that," Ms Ellis said.
"Sometimes Invoicing is a little bit slower than what we would like it to be, so I couldn't … put a dollar figure on that as yet."
Ms Ellis said the situation was less than ideal as they waited for bed frames and vinyl-covered mattresses to arrive from interstate.
"It is difficult for staff to … reconcile that and to work with service providers in Alice Springs to identify appropriate alternative accommodation for women."
Currently the service has between 15 to 20 women accessing the shelter via alternative accommodation.
"Our preference would always be that they're in our crisis accommodation service," Ms Ellis said.
"We continue to follow up with women whilst they're in the alternative accommodation and we do that to provide continuity [in care], linkages with our services, to undertake safety and then exit planning."
While the service will accept donations, Ms Ellis said that she would like to stress that any goods must be in good condition.
"We don't have a lot of staff available and it does take our time away from women and addressing women's safety and support needs if we have to sort through donations."
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