Fitzroy Crossing Mission

Fitzroy Crossing Mission was established by the United Aborigines Mission in 1952. Children at the mission were under the under the guardianship of the heads of the departments responsible for Aboriginal welfare until 1963. The mission lands and holdings were transferred to the Tjunjura Indigenous Community in 1987.

Fitzroy Crossing Mission was established by the United Aborigines Mission (UAM) on the site of a ‘feeding depot’ that was run by the Department of Native Affairs from September 1950. In 1951, the UAM was invited by the Department to begin a Christian mission on the site and by 1953 the mission was underway. The original residents included one child. Children at the mission were under the guardianship of the heads of the departments responsible for Aboriginal welfare until 1963.

Some children and adults from Moola Bulla were transferred to the Fitroy Crossing Mission when Moola Bulla closed in 1955.

At first, there were only shanties for accommodation but over time a children’s boarding hostel and school were built. After 1972, the responsibility for children who were ‘native wards’ was transferred from the Department of Native Welfare to the Department for Community Welfare. Annual reports of this and subsequent departments note grants-in-aid for various improvements to the facilities at the mission.

In 1987, the UAM transferred its lease and mission facilities to the Tjunjura Indigenous Community.