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Victoria - Organisation

Pleasant Creek Colony (1937 - 1999)

  • Pleasant Creek Training Centre, Western Highway, off Grampians Road

    Pleasant Creek Training Centre, Western Highway, off Grampians Road, courtesy of Image courtesy of Travel Victoria.
    Details

From
1937
To
1999
Categories
Disability Institution, Government-run and Home
Alternative Names
  • Pleasant Creek Special School, No 4549
  • Pleasant Creek Training Centre (1962? - )
  • Stawell Special School

The Pleasant Creek Colony in the town of Stawell was established in 1937 by the Department of Mental Hygiene. It accommodated older children and young people up to the age of 20 who were classified as 'mentally deficient'. Residents attended Pleasant Creek Special School no. 4549 which was located on the site. Pleasant Creek closed in 1999.

Details

The Pleasant Creek Colony was established when the former Pleasant Creek Hospital was taken over by the Department of Mental Hygiene. Some children transferred to the Pleasant creek colony were wards of the children's welfare department.

Run along the lines of a 'farm colony' (similar to the Janefield Colony at Bundoora), Pleasant Creek accommodated older children and young people, up to the age of 20.

In 1999, the Victorian government announced the closure of Pleasant Creek, in favour of 'community living' options for its residents.

A report from 1991 to the Director-General of Community Services dealt with incidents of sexual abuse of intellectually disabled residents of the Pleasant Creek Training Centre.

Location

1937 - 1999
Location - Pleasant Creek Colony was located at Western Highway, Stawell. Location: Stawell

Publications

Books

  • Simpkin, Lorraine, Pleasant Creek Special School 50th birthday celebration, Schmidt, Marlene, The Authors, Stawell, Vic, 1987. Details

Newspaper Articles

  • 'State care a bloody hell for this special school victim', Courier Mail, 2009. Details

Online Resources

Photos

Pleasant Creek Training Centre, Western Highway, off Grampians Road
Title
Pleasant Creek Training Centre, Western Highway, off Grampians Road
Type
Image
Source
Image courtesy of Travel Victoria

Details

View of the front of Pleasant Creek Special School, Stawell
Title
View of the front of Pleasant Creek Special School, Stawell
Type
Image
Date
c. 1940 - c. 1950
Source
Victorian Collections

Details

Group shot of children at Pleasant Creek
Title
Group shot of children at Pleasant Creek
Type
Image
Date
c. 1952 - c. 1953
Source
Photograph supplied by Ken Merton

Details

Pleasant Creek Special School
Title
Pleasant Creek Special School
Type
Image
Date
1953

Details

Sources used to compile this entry: 'Function VF 249 Intellectual disability services', in Public Record Office Victoria Online Catalogue, Function details, catalogue entry, Public Record Office Victoria, http://www.prov.vic.gov.au; 'Pleasant Creek Hospital, Western Highway, STAWELL', in Victorian Heritage Database, Heritage Victoria, http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/places/heritage/113169.

Prepared by: Cate O'Neill