Sacred Heart Orphanage, Crystal Brook, 1940s, courtesy of Good Samaritan Sisters.
Details
The Sacred Heart Orphanage was established in 1940 at Crystal Brook. Run by the Good Samaritan Sisters, it originally catered for children in need whose fathers had been killed during World War II. In the 1970s the orphanage accommodated children between 4 and 15 years of age. The institution closed as an orphanage in 1979.
Sacred Heart Orphanage was originally established by the Catholic Church to cater for children in need whose fathers had been killed during World War II. It was run by the Order of the Good Samaritan Sisters. Other than the children's home at the Umeewarra Mission near Port Augusta, it was the only home in the north of the state.
In the 1970s an agreement was signed with the Department of Community Welfare and government assistance was provided to the institution. This funding allowed the orphanage to accommodate any boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 15 who needed short or long term care. It normally catered for up to twenty children under the care of three staff members. While living at the orphanage, the children were educated at the Parish School, St Stanislaus.
The orphanage building still exists today and the premises operates as the Sacred Heart Home, a boarding hostel for students.
Sources used to compile this entry: George, Karen, Finding your own way, Nunkuwarrin Yunti of South Australia Inc., 2005, http://nunku.org.au/resources/.
Prepared by: Karen George and Gary George
Created: 7 February 2011, Last modified: 1 June 2015
Last updated: 7 August 2023
Cite this: https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/sa/biogs/SE00032b.htm
First published by the Find & Connect Web Resource Project for the Commonwealth of Australia, 2011
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