Churches of Christ is a Christian church organisation that ran the children’s home Dunmore Boys’ Home at Pendle Hill and the Dundas Boys’ Home. Churches of Christ was first formed in New South Wales in 1851 and its first conference was held in April 1886, under the presidency of Dr Joseph Kingsbury. It is a…
The Millions Club was founded in 1912 with the aim of making Sydney the first Australian city to reach a population of one million. It was founded by Arthur Rickard, a property salesman and developer, who enlisted the support of a number of leading politicians and businessmen. It was linked to the youth and child…
Women’s Australian National Service was an organisation of women that was established during World War II to provide assistance and training on the home front. It had chapters in Sydney and Newcastle, and nationally, most notably in Western Australia. The Women’s Australian National Service was founded by Lady Margaret Loder Wakehurst (1899-1994) in June 1940,…
Wanslea, at Bexley, was a residence for around 18 homeless girls of working age that was opened by the Women’s Australian National Services (WANS) in New South Wales in 1944. It was modelled on a Western Australian not-for-profit organisation, Wanslea, that was set up by Western Australian WANS in 1943. Wanslea closed in 1946 and…
Hall for Children was established in the 1970s at Hazelbrook, between Queens Road and Hall Parade, in a building called ‘Oaklands’. It was a non-government home for children and young adults with disabilities. The Hall for Children was closed in 1997, after a public scandal about its operation. Residents were relocated to community-based homes and…
Tresillian is an organisation that provides support to families caring for children under the age of five years. Tresillian’s proper name is the Royal Society for Mothers and Babies, which was formed in 1918 to save the lives of infants by promoting health and education. Tresillian Homes were affiliated with most of the hospitals and…
The Australian Orphanage Museum was set up by Care Leavers Australasia Network (CLAN) after 2000. It manages a collection of memorabilia, objects and photographs from children’s homes across the country. Until 2019, the museum was located at CLAN’s head office in Bankstown, New South Wales. In 2019 it moved to new premises in Geelong, Victoria.
The Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea (ISMAPNG) was formed on December 12, 2011 from a number of congregations of the Sisters of Mercy across Australia and Papua New Guinea. ISMAPNG is a congregation of Catholic women who aim to serve people who experience injustices related to poverty, sickness or…
Redfern Aboriginal Children’s Service was established in 1975. It was established out of the Aboriginal Legal Service, as a result of a high number of Aboriginal children escaping from custody or from fostering situations and coming to Redfern to search for their families. Many Aboriginal children were either placed into the care of non-Aboriginal families,…
The Bush Church Aid Society is a Christian ministry that has provided religious education, flying padres and counselling, welfare and medical services across outback Australia. In 2012, many of its workers are Aboriginal. It also ran children’s hostels, providing accommodation and residential support for children who had to leave their homes for their education. One…