Archives



The Alice Springs Spastic Centre Family Group Home

The Alice Springs Spastic Centre Family Group Home in Mills Street Alice Springs was opened by the Alice Springs Spastic Council in 1982. It accommodated 5 children with disabilities who lived with house parents. The Alice Springs Spastic Centre Family Group Home was closed after a fire. The date of this closure has not yet…

Pine Creek Home

The Pine Creek Home, which had operated from 1931 to 1932, was reopened by the government in 1940 as a place for Aboriginal children who were being transferred from government institutions to various Missions. In late 1940, 70 children were in residence in the Home. Pine Creek Home only operated for a matter of months…

Elcho Island Mission

The Elcho Island Mission was established in 1921 by the Methodist Missionary Society of Australasia at Elcho Island. The Island is 550 km north-east of Darwin and is a part of the Wessel Island Group. Two years later in 1923, when oil drilling began on the island, the Mission was closed. The Elcho Island Mission…

Fox Crescent Cottage

Fox Crescent Cottage opened in Stuart Park in 1972. Run by Somerville Homes Incorporated it was the last of the six cottages which made up Somerville Cottage Homes. It accommodated up to eight children aged between 4 and 16 years under the supervision of cottage parents. The Cottage closed in 1974 and became a staff…

Matthews Cottage, St Mary’s

Matthews Cottage, St Mary’s opened in Alice Springs in 1973 as one of three town based family group homes. The others were Leslie Cottage and Heath Cottage. Run by St Mary’s Child and Family Welfare Service who also ran St Mary’s Children’s Village, Matthews Cottage provided cottage style accommodation for up to ten children under…

Leslie Cottage, St Mary’s

Leslie Cottage, St Mary’s opened in Alice Springs in 1973 as one of three town based family group homes. The others were Heath Cottage and Matthews Cottage. Run by St Mary’s Child and Family Welfare Service who also ran St Mary’s Children’s Village, Leslie Cottage provided cottage accommodation for between 8 and 10 children under…

Heath Cottage, St Mary’s

Heath Cottage, St Mary’s opened in Alice Springs in 1971 as one of three town based family group homes. The others were Leslie Cottage and Matthews Cottage. Run by St Mary’s Child and Family Welfare Service who also ran St Mary’s Children’s Village, Heath Cottage provided cottage style accommodation for up to ten children under…

St Mary’s Children’s Village

St Mary’s Children’s Village was the new name for St Mary’s Hostel in Alice Springs from 1972 when it came under the management of the Anglican organisation, St Mary’s Child and Family Welfare Service. The Village included three cottages – Pink Cottage, Grey Cottage and Blue Cottage. Each cottage accommodated up to six Aboriginal children…

Darwin Youth Refuge

The Darwin Youth Refuge, also known as Murkwood House, opened at Myilly Point in 1978. It was managed by the Young Women’s Christian Association, YWCA, with funding from the Northern Territory and Commonwealth governments. It provided short term emergency accommodation for up to 14 teenagers who were homeless or affected by family crises. The Refuge…

Umbakumba Mission

Umbakumba Mission was the new name given to the Umbakumba Settlement on Groote Eylandt when it was taken over by the Church Missionary Society in 1958. Many residents of the Settlement were temporarily moved to the Groote Eylandt Mission at Angurugu during the changeover. Dormitories for Aboriginal girls and boys were run at the Mission…