Archives



Wirrumanu

Wirrumanu, which was also known as Balgo Mission, was a Catholic mission south of Halls Creek that was run by the Pallottines (Society of the Catholic Apostolates) from 1939, with assistance from the Sisters of St John of God from 1956. Boys and girls aged 4 to 18 years were accommodated in dormitories and went…

Wiluna Mission

Wiluna Mission was established by the Western Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist Church as a ‘native institution’ in October 1955 for young children and pensioners. After Grade 3, children were transferred to Karalundi. Wiluna closed in 1975. Wiluna Mission was established by the Western Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist Church as a ‘native…

Seaside House, Coogee

Seaside House, Coogee was established in 1931 by the Orphanages Committee of the Anglican Diocese of Perth as a holiday home for children from Homes run by the committee. In 1946 it also became a full-time residential facility for up to 30 primary-school aged children, run as a branch of the Swan Homes and then…

Werribee Farm School

Werribee Farm School, near Wundowie, was established by the Methodist Church in 1928 to train boys aged 10 to14 years in farm work. By 1953, girls were admitted to Werribee (then called ‘Allandale’) with their brothers. The property was sold in 1962. Werribee Farm School, near Wundowie, was established by the Methodist Church in November…

Weeriana Hostel

Weeriana Hostel, in Roebourne, was established in 1964 as a government-run Aboriginal education and employment hostel for Aboriginal children going to primary and high school in Roebourne. There were 66 children in residence at the hostel in 1971, and 45 children in 1979. By 1995, its function had changed to provide short to medium term…

Warramboo Hostel

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,…

Warramia Group Home

Warramia Group Home, in Badgingarra, was a government-run Home established in 1972 on a farming property. It provided short-term accommodation for up to eight primary-school age children, with a cottage mother. From 1972, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal boys from the Hillston detention centre were sent to work on the farm at Warramia and from 1974 to…

Warralea

Warralea was a government-run hostel established around 1973 in Yokine. It accommodated Aboriginal boys going to primary and high school in Perth. It may have become a group home by 1979. From 1984, Warralea was a community support hostel for boys and girls aged 6-17 years. Warralea closed in 1986 and the building was used…

Warminda Hostel

Warminda was established in 1968 as a hostel for Aboriginal girls of working age but by 1975 was admitting girls and boys aged from 5-16 years. It was run by Methodist and Uniting Church agencies. In 1984, the Uniting Church ceased their residential program at Warminda, and it became a government-run community support hostel, keeping…

Waringarri Group Home

Waringarri Group Home, Kununurra opened in 1982 to house up to eight Aboriginal children on a short-term or emergency basis, including children in transit through Kununurra. Waringarri was run by the Kununurra Waringarri Aboriginal Community until around 2004, when it was run by child welfare authorities. In remained open in 2014.