Archives



Ballarat Probationary School for Boys, Alfredton

The Ballarat Probationary School for Boys opened in August 1890 at Alfredton (Ballarat) to house boys who had not succeeded in boarding out placements. It was located in its own buildings within the grounds of the Ballarat Boys’ Reformatory. In the 1886 annual report from the Ballarat Reformatory, it was stated that a scheme had…

Mount Paradise Reformatory for Boys, Pakenham

Mount Paradise Reformatory for Boys at Pakenham opened in 1896 to accommodate Roman Catholic boys. It experienced problems with those who attempted to abscond and by 1911 no boys were accommodated there.

Forster Lodge

Forster Lodge was established by the Try Society in South Yarra in July 1951. It was the Society’s first hostel for ‘homeless boys who wished to learn a trade.’ In 1963 this hostel was demolished to be replaced with a new purpose built structure to accommodate eight boys between the ages of 14 to 16…

Bukawert Reformatory School

The Bukawert Reformatory School opened in 1894 near Toora, in the county of Buln Buln, South Gippsland. It was gazetted as a ‘reformatory school for Protestant boys’ in 1894, and was located on the premises of Henry Beresford Sadleir, who was appointed as the Superintendent. It closed in 1899. The Bukawert Reformatory School was a…

Harrison House Youth Services

Harrison House Youth Services was the new name for the services that were previously known as Harrison House Youth Hostel. In around 1985 the hostel in Hawthorn closed, and Harrison House Youth Services were established, in Harrison Street, Mitcham. At this time a new model of accommodation was introduced, with volunteer home parents. Harrison House…

Terrapee Hostel

Terrapee Hostel was established in Frankston in 1975 to cater for fifteen wards of the state and probationers. It was sponsored by the Frankston Inter-Church Council. It closed in 1977. Terrapee Hostel was one of the 24 hostels operated by voluntary agencies at the time. In 1975 the introduction of the new funding scheme for…

Swinborn

Swinborn a was hostel in Carlton established by the Melbourne City Mission in 1979. It was formerly Swinborn Lodge, which had been located in South Yarra, and had moved to the Carlton site in 1974. Swinborn provided professional residential and support services for girls on Children’s Court orders. It closed in 1986. In 1972, the…

Swinborn Lodge

Swinborn Lodge, South Yarra, was established by the Melbourne City Mission in 1957. It was formerly the Elizabeth Fry Retreat. It accommodated girls aged from 14 to 18. In 1974 the Lodge moved to Carlton, and in 1979 it became a hostel known as Swinborn. Swinborn Lodge was formerly the Elizabeth Fry Retreat (1884-1957) in…

St Paul’s Home For Boys

The St Paul’s Home for Boys was established in 1955 by the Mission of St James and St John. It was located at Newhaven, Phillip Island, on the site of the former St Paul’s Training School. In 1979, it ceased to be a Home and became the site of the St Paul’s Discovery Centre, a…

The Success

The Success was a hulk [ship] anchored in Hobsons Bay. From 1869 it accommodated children over the age of seven who had been convicted under the Neglected and Criminal Children’s Act of 1864. Later, the Success was used as the sleeping quarters for those boys described as ‘difficult’ who were living in the reformatory ship,…