Sunshine Boys' Hostel, 1960
Details
The Sunshine Boys' Hostel was established by the Victorian government in 1959, partly to ease overcrowding at Turana. The Hostel accommodated up to 15 young men, who needed 'more than the usual help and supervision' offered by other hostels.
Sunshine Boys' Hostel offered accommodation for boys who were 'not normally acceptable in the hostels conducted by voluntary organizations, who have no interested parents or other relatives, and who require something more than the usual help and supervision, as regards employment and leisure'.
The establishment of the Sunshine Boys' Hostel was partly in response to the overcrowding Turana experienced during the 1950s.
The Department's annual report for 1959 stated that work in the Sunshine-Footscray districts was freely available for the 15 residents of the Hostel. It further stated that the 'parents' at the Hostel, Mr and Mrs L.T. Lewis, had created a 'family' atmosphere at the Hostel.
The Department's annual reports for the period state that in 1982 the Sunshine Boys' Hostel was damaged by fire. The Hostel was rebuilt over the following five years, however Sunshine Boys' Hostel was not mentioned in a departmental annual report following the 1986-87 report, and by the 1990s the building at 129 Durham Road was being used by the Department as a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre.
Sources used to compile this entry: Children's Welfare Department and Reformatory Schools. Report of the Secretary and Inspector., Government Printer, Melbourne, 1924 - 1954. 1959..
Prepared by: Cate O'Neill
Created: 3 August 2010, Last modified: 6 November 2018
Last updated: 7 August 2023
Cite this: https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/vic/biogs/E000627b.htm
First published by the Find & Connect Web Resource Project for the Commonwealth of Australia, 2011
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