Why we exist
Australia's courts are overwhelmed with litigation, and the people inside that system pay the price — in time, in money, and in stress. In family law especially, when matters become adversarial they tend to grow more complicated, more emotionally charged and far more expensive. A contested family law matter can take one to three years and consume tens of thousands of dollars per side in legal fees — often a significant share of the assets in dispute. Sometimes court is genuinely unavoidable, and a good lawyer will tell you when. But for the vast majority of disputes, there is a better first step.
That conviction is why Mediations Australia was founded. We are early-resolution focused, and every practitioner we work with shares that same philosophy.
Our founder
Mediations Australia was founded by Dan Toombs — an AMDRAS-accredited mediator, award-winning lawyer, former tribunal member at QCAT, former CEO and Board Director, and Winston Churchill Fellow. Dan brings a combination of experience that is uncommon in dispute resolution: he has run organisations, not merely advised them, and he understands adjudication from the inside. That combination informs the practical, durable approach that Mediations Australia is built on. Learn more about Dan →
Nationally accredited under AMDRAS
Our mediators are accredited under the Australian Mediator and Dispute Resolution Accreditation Standards (AMDRAS) — the national benchmark for mediator competency and conduct. Many are also experienced family lawyers. With a 90% resolution rate across thousands of matters, our approach works.
What we do — and what we don't
We are a dispute resolution firm, not a law firm. We do not run litigation, file court documents, or represent clients as advocates. What we do is help people reach their own agreements — agreements they design, understand and are far more likely to sustain than outcomes imposed by a judge after years of adversarial process.
Where legal advice is needed (and it often is), we work alongside whatever lawyer you have. Many of the people we help are referred to us by the very solicitors advising them, because experienced lawyers know that mediation usually serves their clients better than a courtroom.
How we work
Every matter begins with a free initial consultation — no obligation, no billing surprises. We listen to your situation, explain what the process looks like, and give you an honest view of whether mediation can help. From there, the process is structured, confidential, and designed to move at a pace that works for the people involved.
Sessions can be conducted with all parties in the same room, or in separate rooms with the mediator moving between them — shuttle mediation — where that is more appropriate. Where an agreement is reached, we help formalise it so it carries legal weight, whether through consent orders, a binding financial agreement, or a commercial deed.
Where we serve
We have offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, and offer secure online mediation to clients across all of Australia — including regional and remote areas. Online mediation follows the same structured process and produces agreements that are just as binding.
What we resolve
From the deeply personal to the purely commercial: family separation, property settlements, parenting arrangements, workplace conflict, business disputes, contested estates and personal injury claims. Whatever the matter, our goal is the same — a practical, lasting resolution that keeps you out of court.