Archives



Girls’ Friendly Society (Victoria)

The Girls’ Friendly Society (GFS) was established in Victoria in 1883. The movement was originally established in England in the 1870s. It had strong links to the Church of England. In Melbourne, the GFS provided accommodation and services to immigrants and female travellers. According to O’Hanlon, the Girls’ Friendly Society ‘operated a system whereby unchaperoned…

Training Home for Girls

The Training Home for Girls was established in around 1880, as an institution where young women received training to become domestic servants. Originally, it was known as the Servants’ Training Institute. The Training Home for Girls was located in Berry Street, East Melbourne (Jolimont). It was run by a committee of management with links to…

Seventh Day Adventist Welfare Organisation

The Seventh Day Adventist Welfare Organisation was an arm of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, established in Victoria in 1886. The Seventh Day Adventist Welfare Organisation was one of the 22 private adoption agencies approved by the Adoption Act 1964. There are records relating to adoptions organised by the organisation in the collection of the…

Uniting – Connections

Uniting – Connections came into being in July 2017. Previously the organisation was called Connections UnitingCare. It was a community service organisation that was part of Uniting (Victoria and Tasmania) Limited. Uniting – Connections had an adoptions and permanent care program, and provided a range of services for children, young people and families. Its predecessor…

Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand

Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand was established in 2008 as the formal framework for the mission of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. In 2014, Good Shepherd Youth & Family Service (Victoria) and Rosemount Good Shepherd Youth and Family Service (based in New South Wales) merged with Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand to become one…

The South Yarra Home

The South Yarra Home was an institution for ‘friendless and fallen’ women and girls was established around 1878 by Matthew Burnett, an evangelist who conducted a mission in Wesley Church. It was located at 17-19 Lang Street, South Yarra. In 1895, Wesley Central Mission took over responsibility from a local committee for running the South…

Uniting (Victoria and Tasmania) Limited

Uniting (Victoria and Tasmania) Limited was formed in July 2017 and is the community services organisation of the Uniting Church of Australia in Victoria and Tasmania. At its establishment Uniting brought together 24 founding agencies, including 21 UnitingCare agencies and Wesley Mission Victoria. The Uniting Heritage Service is for people (and their family members) who…

Harrison Community Services

Harrison Community Services came into being in 1994. Previously it was known as Harrison House Youth Services. The name change reflected a broadening of services, to include families as well as young people. Run by the Uniting Church, it was based in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. In 2000, it became part of UnitingCare Victoria….

UnitingCare Harrison

UnitingCare Harrison was the new name given to Harrison Community Services in 2008. In 2017, UnitingCare Harrison became part of the new organisation, known as Uniting (Victoria and Tasmania) Limited.

Mission House

Mission House was the headquarters of the Mission to the Streets and Lanes. From the 1950s until the 1970s, some single mothers were accommodated at Mission House during their pregnancies. In 1952, the Mission relocated from Mission House in Spring Street, Melbourne, to new premises at 116 Fitzroy Street, Fitzroy. In the early 1970s, Mission…