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South Australia - Organisation

Julia Farr Centre (1981 - 1994)

  • Julia Farr Centre

    Julia Farr Centre, 1980?, courtesy of Highgate Park Heritage Room.
    Details

From
1981
To
1994
Categories
Care Provider, Disability Institution and Home

The Julia Farr Centre was the new name given to the Home for Incurables in 1981. It was run by a board of management and provided residential care for people with permanent injuries and diseases that at the time were considered incurable, and people with disabilities from the age of 15. In 1994 the Julia Farr Centre became Julia Farr Services.

Details

In 1981 the Home for Incurables was renamed the Julia Farr Centre after its most renowned founder, Mrs Julia Warren Farr.

In the 1982 Julia Farr Centre Annual Report the chairman of the Board of Management that ran the centre explained the name change:

The term 'Centre' has been adopted as the new name as it is considered more appropriate in view of the wider range of proposed services now being considered … world wide philosophies on the care of the disabled are changing. Greater emphasis is now being placed on the training and rehabilitation of the individual who is impaired with the object of restoring the maximum degree of self-sufficient capacity to enable the achievement of a satisfying life in a non-institutional environment.

The Centre continued to provide support and residential care for people with 'chronic physical ailments' that impaired their ' capacity for independent living'. People with disabilities were also provided with residential care. While the rules of admission stated that residential care could only be provided to young people aged 15 and up, in practice some younger children were admitted. Beyond the 15 year minimum the Julia Farr Centre made no discrimination with regards to age but made all its admissions decisions based on need.
In 1984 the West Wing, originally built in 1967, was vacated after renovations to the building revealed large quantities of asbestos. The building remained empty and unused for many years.

In 1994 the Julia Farr Centre became Julia Farr Services.

Location

1981 - 1994
Location - The Julia Farr Centre was situated on Fisher Street, Fullarton. Location: Fullarton

Timeline

 1879 - 1981 The Home for Incurables
       1981 - 1994 Julia Farr Centre
             1994 - 2006 Julia Farr Services
                   2006 - 2020 Highgate Park

Publications

Reports

  • Julia Farr Centre, Annual Report 1982, The Centre, Adelaide, SA, 1982. Details
  • South Australian Health Commission, Role and Function of Julia Farr Centre 1985-1987, Adelaide, SA, 1985. Details

Online Resources

Photos

Original house used as the Home for Incurables
Title
Original house used as the Home for Incurables
Type
Image
Date
1971
Creator
Morgan, J. V
Source
State Library of South Australia

Details

Julia Farr Centre
Title
Julia Farr Centre
Type
Image
Date
1980?
Source
Highgate Park Heritage Room

Details

Fullarton
Title
Fullarton
Type
Image
Date
30 September 1984
Creator
Praite, R
Source
State Library of South Australia

Details

Fullarton
Title
Fullarton
Type
Image
Date
30 September 1984
Creator
Praite, R
Source
State Library of South Australia

Details

Fullarton
Title
Fullarton
Type
Image
Date
30 September 1984
Creator
Praite, R
Source
State Library of South Australia

Details

Julia Farr Centre, Fullarton, 3/2/1999
Title
Julia Farr Centre, Fullarton, 3/2/1999
Type
Image
Date
3 February 1999
Creator
Messenger Press photographer
Source
State Library of South Australia

Details

Julia Farr Centre, Fullarton, 3/2/1999
Title
Julia Farr Centre, Fullarton, 3/2/1999
Type
Image
Date
3 February 1999
Creator
Messenger Press photographer
Source
State Library of South Australia

Details

Sources used to compile this entry: Julia Farr Centre, Annual Report 1982, The Centre, Adelaide, SA, 1982; 'Home for Incurables', in History of Disability in South Australia, Disability Information and Resource Centre Inc, 2007, http://web.archive.org/web/20140213061156/http://history.dircsa.org.au/1800-1899/home-for-incurables/; South Australian Health Commission, Role and Function of Julia Farr Centre 1985-1987, Adelaide, SA, 1985; Emails and conversations with the volunteer archivist for the Highgate Park Heritage Room.

Prepared by: Gary George and Karen George