Warramboo Hostel in Yalgoo was officially opened on 18 March 1961 as a government-run hostel for Aboriginal children going to school in Yalgoo. The hostel was run by the Department of Native Welfare and from 1972 the Department for Community Welfare. It was operated by a local committee and opened with capacity for 16 children, though it generally accomodated 17 children. Children attended the hostel because their parents were employed on stations where no schooling was provided. Warramboo closed in 1980.
The 1961, 1962 and 1963 Annual Reports of the Commissioner of Native Welfare provide updates on Warramboo by the Officer in Charge. These reports provide a brief overview of the hostel and what was occurring at the time:
By 1972 the hostel was operated by the Department for Community Welfare and the annual report specifies that it was for primary school age children. There is no mention in the Annual Reports of it closing, however it was no longer mentioned in the 1981 Annual Report.
Sources used to compile this entry: Information Services, Department for Community Development, 'pp.559-560', Signposts: A Guide for Children and Young People in Care in WA from 1920, Government of Western Australia, 2004, https://signposts.communities.wa.gov.au//pdf/pdf.aspx; Western Australia. Department for Community Welfare, Annual Report: Department for Community Welfare, Dept. For Community Welfare, [Perth], 1973-1984, http://catalogue.slwa.wa.gov.au/record=b1410539~S7; Western Australia. Department of Native Welfare, Annual Report: Department of Native Welfare, Dept. Of Native Welfare,, Perth [W.A.], 1955-1972.
Prepared by: Nicola Laurent
Created: 15 March 2011, Last modified: 23 March 2023
Last updated: 17 October 2023
Cite this: https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/wa/biogs/WE00237b.htm
First published by the Find & Connect Web Resource Project for the Commonwealth of Australia, 2011
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