Charles Perkins Hostel

Charles Perkins Hostel in Halls Creek began in 1962 as a government-run hostel for school-age children, on the site of the old Australian Inland Mission. By 1995, its role had changed to child protection placements. Around 2000, its name was changed to the Yurag-Man-Gu Taam-Purru Placement and Support Centre.

Charles Perkins Hostel in Halls Creek, opened in March 1962 as a government-run hostel for school-age children, on the site of the old Australian Inland Mission. It was an Aboriginal education and employment hostel, named after Charles Perkins, who had been a Minister for Native Welfare. By the end of its first year of operation, 44 Aboriginal children were living there. Until 1963, these children were under the guardianship of the Commissioner of Native Welfare.

By 1971, there were seven staff looking after 90 boys and girls of primary-school age who went to school in Halls Creek.

In 1972, the Department for Community Welfare (DCW) took over the child welfare responsibilities from the Department of Native Welfare, which had previously run the Charles Perkins Hostel.

In 1978, the DCW reported that the 48 children at the hostel came from Dunham River, Limbunya, Mable Downs, Flora Valley, Lamboo, Louisa Downs and Moola Bulla Stations; from Turkey Creek; and from Rosewood Station in the Northern Territory.

By 1982, there were 55 children at the hostel, with some attending Halls Creek Junior High School. A new cottage was established at the hostel in 1983, in an effort to move towards smaller living units. There were 24 children at the hostel in 1984 and by 1987 only high school students were admitted.

A description of the Charles Perkins Hostel in 1995 (Signposts 2004, p.161) indicated that its main function was ‘care and protection’ placements rather than an educational hostel and that it was: ‘an extensive campus in the centre of Halls Creek, consisting of two transportable, ten bed cottages and older style dormitory accommodation which is not used for residential purposes. Various community groups sublet ancillary buildings on the Hostel grounds, and the rear portion of the land was being purchased by Homeswest for a Safe House’.

In 1995, 15 children were admitted in each school term, often for what were reported by the Department for Community Services as crisis-related and child protection reasons.

Around 2000, its name was changed to the Yurag-Man-Gu Taam-Purru Placement and Support Centre.