St Catherine’s Orphanage was the new name given in 1912 to what was formerly Our Lady’s Orphanage. It accommodated girls aged between 3 and 14. In 1928, the Orphanage relocated from Newtown to Highton. In 1960, it became the St Catherine’s Children’s Home. Barnard and Twigg suggest that the Sisters of Mercy changed the orphanage’s…
Orana Family Services was established in Coolaroo (also referred to as Meadow Heights) in 1988. It was formerly based in Burwood and was known as Orana, the Peace Memorial Homes for Children. From 1988, services were transferred to Coolaroo. In 1990, two family group homes and two specialist houses moved from Burwood to Coolaroo. Orana…
The Sutherland Homes for Neglected and Destitute Children was founded by Selina Sutherland in 1908. It accommodated boys and girls, aged between 6 and 14. Sutherland Homes was originally located in La Trobe Street, Melbourne. Later, it had a ‘receiving home’ in Drummond Street, Carlton and a ‘country home’ in Diamond Creek. From the 1950s…
The Bimberi Youth Justice Centre, Mitchell, was established in 2008 to replace the Quamby Youth Detention Centre as the ACT’s youth custodial facility. It accommodates youth aged 10 to 18 years. Bimberi is the first youth custodial facility to be designed, built and operated under human rights legislation.
The Outreach House was established in 1976 and is run by the Richmond Fellowship of the ACT Inc. It provides housing for young people aged 11 to 18 years who are unable to live at home. The program promotes educational opportunities and participation in social and recreational activities.
Marlow Cottage, Kaleen, was established in 1986 under the Children’s Services Act 1986. It was originally known as Kaleen Youth Shelter and was run by the Welfare Branch, and later the Housing and Community Services Bureau of the ACT Government. In November 1995, it transitioned to a non-government provider and has since operated under the…
The Quamby Youth Detention Centre in Symonston opened in 1962. It was a government-run facility, housing youth on short term remand, and (in the absence of any other facility) some children unable to live at home. Most ACT children who were sent to institutions in New South Wales initially spent some time in Quamby. In…
Marymead Child and Family Centre was established in 1967 in Narrabundah. It was run by the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, until the Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn took over responsibility in 1986. In 2018, Marymead continues to provide residential care for girls and boys aged 5 to 17, as well as foster care and…
Barnardos Children’s Family Centre in Downer came into being in 1983 and replaced Barnardos House and Berwick House in Curtin. By the early 1990s Barnardos had shifted away from residential care to foster care and family support. From 1993 Barnardos Children’s Family Centre has run Find-a-Family ACT, a program organising permanent foster placements. Barnardos Children’s…
The Convalescent Home, Busselton was established in 1918 to provide treatment to children with muscular issues and infantile paralysis (polio). The Home was located in a 12 bedroom house near Busselton beach, and had capacity for approximately 21 children, though generally had fewer in residence at any given time. It was established and run by…
Dec 18, 2024
Nov 15, 2024
