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Organisation Bindoon (1936 - 1966)

  • Click to view details about this Photograph

    Bindoon Boys' Home [Western Australia], 1910 - 1962, by Frank Hurley, courtesy of National Library of Australia.
    Details

From
1936
To
1966
Categories
Care Provider, Catholic and Farm School
Alternative Names
  • Boys’ Town (also known as)
  • St Joseph's Farm and Trade School (also known as)

Summary

Bindoon was run by the Christian Brothers as an agricultural school from 1936. A significant amount of child labour was involved in building Bindoon over a number of years. Bindoon admitted boys from various backgrounds including Wards of the State, child migrants, orphans and private admissions. Australian-born boys, and British and Maltese child migrants aged from about 12 to 16 years lived at Bindoon. Bindoon closed in 1966 and the site is now an agricultural high school.

The Christian Brothers' institutions Bindoon, Clontarf, Castledare and Tardun first received widespread publicity about child abuse in the early 1990s. In 1993, the Christian Brothers in Western Australia issued an apology and from 1995 have funded independent services to help with family tracing, counselling and remedial education for men who had suffered in their institutions. Many former residents of these institutions have shared their experiences and memories (bad and good) at government inquiries, in books and in oral histories.

Records
Some records are held by the Christian Brothers Archives and some records are held by the government department responsible for child welfare. Former child migrants can also access information held on the Personal History Index (PHIND). The Battye Library also has general historical information about Bindoon and admission registers can also be accessed there.

Access
While access to personal records is restricted to protect the privacy of individuals, you are very welcome to enquire.

Contact
The Archivist
Christian Brothers
Oceania Support Centre
PO BOX 1129
Bentley DC WA 6983
Phone: (08) 9365 2813
Email: archiveswa@edmundrice.org

For information about children placed by the Child Welfare Department or its successors:
Freedom of Information
Department for Child Protection
PO Box 6334
East Perth WA 6892
Phone: (08) 6217 6388 or (08) 6217 6381
Fax: (08) 9222 2776
Free call in WA: 1800 000 277
Email: foi@dcp.wa.gov.au/
Web:Searching for your family history

For people wishing to access the Battye Library's collection of historical material:
State Library of Western Australia
25 Francis Street
Perth Cultural Centre
Perth WA 6000
Phone: (08) 9427 3111
Fax: (08) 9427 3256
Queries: www.slwa.wa.gov.au/find/information_services
Web:www.slwa.wa.gov.au

Details

Events

1936 - 1966
Bindoon was run by the Christian Brothers on land in the Chittering Valley north of Perth. Location: Bindoon

Related Organisations

Publications

Find & Connect - Western Australia Exhibitions

Books

  • Coldrey, Barry M., The Scheme: the Christian Brothers and Childcare in Western Australia, Argyle-Pacific Pub., O'Connor, W.A., 1993. Details
  • Humphreys, Laurie, A Chip off What Block?, Laurie Humphreys, Samson, WA, 2007. Details
  • Humphreys, Margaret, Empty Cradles, Doubleday, London; Sydney, 1994. Details
  • Humphreys, Margaret, Oranges and Sunshine, Corgi, London, 2010. Details
  • Welsh, Lionel P, Geordie: orphan of the empire, P&B Press, Perth, 1990. Details
  • Welsh, Lionel P, Geordie: an incredible story of the human spirit, ELJAE Press, Victoria Park East, 2004. Details
  • Welsh, Lionel P and Byth, Bruce and Welsh, LP (eds), The Bindoon file, P&B Press, Perth, 1990. Details

Reviews

  • Murray, Gwenn [independent reviewer], 'A Duty of Care to Children and Young People in Western Australia: Report on the Quality Assurance and Review of Substantiated Allegations of Abuse in Care, 1 April 2004 to 12 September 2005', [Dept. For Community Development?], [Perth, W. A.? ], 2005. Details

Online Resources

Gallery

Title
Bindoon Boys' Home [Western Australia]
Type
Image
Date
1910 - 1962
Place
Western Australia
Creator
Frank Hurley
Control
nla.pic-an23181659
Source
National Library of Australia

Details

Title
Bindoon Slideshow
Type
Video
Date
1940s - 1950s
Source
Christian Brothers Institution Albums 1 & 2 (Holy Spirit Collection)

Details

Title
Departures from Britain and Malta Slideshow
Type
Video
Date
1940s - 1950s
Source
Christian Brothers Institution Albums 1 & 2 (Holy Spirit Collection)

Details

Title
Making Bricks, Bindoon
Type
Image
Date
1940s
Control
P23
Source
Christian Brothers Institution Albums 1 & 2 (Holy Spirit Collection)

Details

Title
Child Migrants at Bindoon
Type
Image
Date
1944
Place
Western Australia
Control
G6
Source
Christian Brothers Institution Albums 1 & 2 (Holy Spirit Collection)

Details

Title
Film Projector, Bindoon
Type
Image
Date
1947
Place
Western Australia
Control
P8
Source
Christian Brothers Institution Albums 1 & 2 (Holy Spirit Collection)

Details

Title
Group of Child Migrants at Bindoon
Type
Image
Date
1947
Place
Western Australia
Control
G4
Source
Christian Brothers Institution Albums 1 & 2 (Holy Spirit Collection)

Details

Title
Group of Boys, Bindoon
Type
Image
Date
1947
Place
Western Australia
Control
BC23A
Source
Christian Brothers Institution Albums 1 & 2 (Holy Spirit Collection)

Details

Title
Seven Child Migrants from Britain, Bindoon
Type
Image
Date
1948
Place
Western Australia
Control
G22
Source
Christian Brothers Institution Albums 1 & 2 (Holy Spirit Collection)

Details

Title
British Child Migrants, Bindoon
Type
Image
Date
1948
Place
Western Australia
Control
G18
Source
Christian Brothers Institution Albums 1 & 2 (Holy Spirit Collection)

Details

Title
Boys and Visitors, Bindoon
Type
Image
Date
1948
Place
Western Australia
Control
BC25
Source
Christian Brothers Institution Albums 1 & 2 (Holy Spirit Collection)

Details

Title
Deputy Director of the WA Education Department at Bindoon
Type
Image
Date
14 November 1948
Place
Western Australia
Control
P24
Source
Christian Brothers Institution Albums 1 & 2 (Holy Spirit Collection)

Details

Title
Governor's Visit to Bindoon
Type
Image
Date
1950
Control
G35
Source
Christian Brothers Institution Albums 1 & 2 (Holy Spirit Collection)

Details

Title
Bindoon Sisters' Quarters
Type
Image
Date
July 1952
Control
SLWA Accession Number 816B/TB/278
Source
Western Australia Government Photographer Collection, State Library of Western Australia

Details

Title
Funeral of Brother Keaney, Bindoon
Type
Image
Date
27 February 1954
Place
Western Australia
Control
P26
Source
Christian Brothers Institution Albums 1 & 2 (Holy Spirit Collection)

Details

Title
CCWC Minutes of Evidence Document 3
Type
Document
Date
11 June 1998
Source
House of Commons Health Committee, Parliament of the United Kingdom

Details

Title
A Chip off What Block?
Type
Image
Date
2007

Details

Title
Catholic Agricultural College Bindoon - Building
Type
Image
Date
September 2011
Creator
Bertie, Michael

Details

Title
Catholic Agricultural College Bindoon - Sir James Mitchell Plaque
Type
Image
Date
September 2011
Creator
Bertie, Michael

Details

Title
Catholic Agricultural College Bindoon - Path
Type
Image
Date
September 2011
Creator
Bertie, Michael

Details

Title
Catholic Agricultural College Bindoon - Entrance
Type
Image
Date
September 2011
Creator
Bertie, Michael

Details

Title
Catholic Agricultural College Bindoon - Building and grounds
Type
Image
Date
September 2011
Creator
Bertie, Michael

Details

Title
Catholic Agricultural College Bindoon - Building
Type
Image
Date
September 2011
Creator
Bertie, Michael

Details

Sources used to compile this entry: Information Services, Department for Community Development, Signposts: A Guide for Children and Young People in Care in WA from 1920, Government of Western Australia, http://www.signposts.communitydevelopment.wa.gov.au/.

Prepared by: Anna Trengove and Leanne Howard