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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Kew Children’s Cottages date back to 1887. They were located adjacent to the Kew Asylum and were also known as the ‘idiot ward’. They provided accommodation and education to children with intellectual disabilities. They were closed in 2008. Kew Children’s Cottages became known by that name from around 1929, although the Kew Asylum had housed…
The Windsor Youth Welfare Service was established in 1973. It included a residential unit, and provided support and supervision for approximately 100 young women per year aged 13 to 18 years. Young women were referred to the Windsor Youth Welfare Service from regional Centres; Winlaton, Allambie and the Children’s Court. The Service also operated a…
The Gables was opened as a state-run children’s Home in 1962. It accommodated 25 children who were wards of the state, consisting of boys from 4 to 10 years of age and girls from 4 to 14 years of age. Most of the children accommodated at The Gables had either physical, behavioural or learning difficulties….
Dec 18, 2024
Nov 15, 2024
