Bentley House

Bentley House was established around 1972 as a government-run hostel for Aboriginal high school students. It was one of Anglican Social Services’ welfare facilities. After 2006 it is likely to have been used as a government-run residential group home, also known as Bentley House.

Bentley House was opened around 1972 or 1973.

Government reports (Signposts 2004) show that it was to be run by the Anglican Church from its south-west administration centre, however the Anglican Diocese of Bunbury has confirmed (2014) that this was not the case. Entries in the WA Telephone Directory indicate that Bentley House was a facility of Anglican Social Services.

In keeping with the policy at the time, it is likely that ‘house parents’ were introduced to Bentley House by 1975 so it could operate like a group home or ‘scatter cottage’ rather than as hostel.

The first admission figures that are available for Bentley House date from 1 October 1994, when there were 8 girls aged 15-17 years from a total of 11 admissions for the year. Some girls stayed from as little as one week, others more than 6 months. This suggests that Bentley House was used for temporary accommodation as well as longer-term accommodation.

Between around 2003-2006, children were placed at Bentley House through the Department for Community Development’s Aboriginal Student Accommodation Service program. Possibly after 2006, Bentley House became a departmental residential group home.