Carramar Homes

Carramar Homes, also known as Carramar Cottages or Carramar Hostels, at Girraween (near Parramatta) and Turramurra were established by the Home Mission Society of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney and were later run by the Church of England (Anglican) organisation Charlton Youth Services. The Carramar Homes were maternity homes providing accommodation to expectant single mothers. They continued the work that had been done at the earlier Carramar Home at Turramurra, but at a smaller scale than before.

The house at Girraween had accommodation for six young women under the age of 20, plus three live-in staff. The house at Turramurra catered for women over 20 years of age. There were also plans for a third house, which was intended to provide respite accommodation for up to three months for women and their newborn babies who had nowhere else to stay. It is not clear if this third house was ever opened.

The Carramar Homes were located in standard suburban houses, amongst residential neighbours, which was intended to provide a more familiar, homely, community context to the girls staying there. This initially caused some push-back from neighbours of the Home at Girraween, with the Home Mission Society reporting in an article of their Pulse magazine in 1984 that “One suitable house has already been located for a new “Carramar” not far from Parramatta, but some opposition from neighbours is being experienced and patience, tact and prayer are required.”

Many of the babies born to mothers who stayed at the Carramar Homes were placed for adoption through the Anglican Adoption Agency, however some of the mothers were able to keep custody of their babies.

Carramar Homes closed in 1999. Anglicare continued to use the Carramar name for its young parents programs.