Peter Lyndon-James

Addiction treatment specialist

2018 WA Local Hero

After struggling with addiction for most of his life Peter Lyndon-James understands how hard it is to break free. Coming from a broken home, Peter was in and out of prisons from the age of nine, and addicted to drugs for 26 years. In 2001, this one-time career criminal left gaol for the last time, studied theology and spent five years as a volunteer chaplain at Acacia Prison. In 2012, he opened Shalom House in Perth’s Swan Valley, a 140-bed facility he calls “the strictest rehab in Australia”. Peter’s 100 percent self-funded program helps up to 140 men struggling with addictions. Wearing his hard-knock heart on his sleeve, Peter works intensively with program residents to help them face their demons, identify past failures and establish future goals. His system is working, and today he leads a team of up to 70 staff and volunteers. In 2017, Peter was elected to the City of Swan Council to represent his hometown of Altone Ward.