Archives



The Success

The Success was a hulk [ship] anchored in Hobsons Bay. From 1869 it accommodated children over the age of seven who had been convicted under the Neglected and Criminal Children’s Act of 1864. Later, the Success was used as the sleeping quarters for those boys described as ‘difficult’ who were living in the reformatory ship,…

The Sir Harry Smith

The Sir Harry Smith, was a hulk (ship) anchored off Fishermans Bend, near Hobson’s Bay. From 1865, it housed mostly older boys sentenced under the Neglected and Criminal Children’s Act of 1864. The Sir Harry Smith was anchored off Fishermans Bend in the River Yarra before it flowed into Hobson’s Bay. It was one of…

Sunshine Boys’ Hostel

The Sunshine Boys’ Hostel was established by the Victorian government in 1959, partly to ease overcrowding at Turana. The Hostel accommodated up to 15 young men, who needed ‘more than the usual help and supervision’ offered by other hostels. Sunshine Boys’ Hostel offered accommodation for boys who were ‘not normally acceptable in the hostels conducted…

Turana

Turana was a government-run reception centre established in 1955 in Royal Park, Parkville. It was formerly known as the Royal Park Depot. Turana was the sole reception centre for children committed to State ‘care’ until 1961 when Allambie became the main government reception centre. From 1961, the site housed the Turana Remand Centre and the…

Sanatory Station

The Sanatory Station at Point Nepean was established in around 1867. It housed children from industrial schools and reformatory requiring to be quarantined. The Department of Industrial and Reformatory Schools had abandoned the use of the Station at Point Nepean by around 1868. The Sanatory Station at Point Nepean housed children from industrial schools and…

Geelong Industrial School

The Geelong Industrial School received its first children in September 1865. The School was located on Ryrie Street, Geelong, in a portion of the immigration barracks at the eastern end of town. In 1869, the school opened a second site in the old Geelong Gaol at Myers Street in order to reduce overcrowding at the…

Moorakyne Hostel

The Moorakyne Hostel was established in 1942 in Daylesford. It housed young women employed at Daylesford Textile Mills who were former residents of Travancore. In 1944, Moorakyne relocated to Travancore in Flemington and in 1950, relocated again to Hawthorn. The Moorakyne Hostel ‘for backward girls and women’ began when the buildings at the Travancore Developmental…

Sandhurst Boys’ Home

The Sandhurst Boys’ Home was an institution for adolescent boys with intellectual disabilities, run by the Mental Hygiene Branch of the Department of Health. It was located in Finn Street, Bendigo. The residents received ‘training’ in various occupations and some older residents were placed in work in the Bendigo area. In 2010, it was known…

Janefield Colony

The Janefield Colony was established in 1937 by the Department of Mental Hygiene. It provided accommodation and educational instruction to children of all ages who were classified as ‘mentally deficient’. It initially admitted girls only, but from 1967 boys of school age were also admitted to Janefield. Janefield closed in 1996. The site of the…

Pleasant Creek Colony

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…