Archives



Carinya Youth Hostel

Carinya Youth Hostel was established in Camberwell by the Salvation Army in 1965. It provided accommodation for girls in a cottage home environment. In 1975 it moved to Footscray, and then moved again some years later to Kealba where it came under the auspice of The Salvation Army Westcare.

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.

Pakenham Girls’ Reformatory

The Pakenham Girls’ Reformatory opened in 1897 on the former site of the Pakenham Boys’ Home, on Army Road, Pakenham. The first girls at the reformatory were transferred to Pakenham from the Brunswick Girls’ Home. In 1898 an article published in The Herald stated that there were 30 to 35 girls living at the reformatory….

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…

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…

Australian Church Social Improvement Society

The Australian Church Social Improvement Society was established in 1886 to ‘carry out social and charitable work in Richmond and Collingwood’. It became involved in placing ‘neglected children’ on farms and other accommodation in the country. Registered under the Neglected Children’s Act 1887 as Child Rescuers, it received children from the police court as well…

CatholicCare Victoria

CatholicCare was formerly known as Centacare Catholic Family Services. The name change was in line with other organisations within Catholic Social Services Australia, the peak body for Catholic community service providers in Australia. The new name was adopted to emphasise the continuing links between these services and the mission work of the Catholic Church. In…

Presbyterian and Methodist Child Care Service

In 1971, the Methodist Department of Childcare merged with the Presbyterian Department of Social Services to create the Presbyterian and Methodist Child Care Service. Graeme Gregory was the Director. The merger led to a reorganisation of the adoption services of the Presbyterian and Methodist Babies’ Homes. The Child Care Service was the sole Victorian agency…

Marian Lodge Training Centre

Marian Lodge Training Centre was established by the St John of God Brothers. It was adjacent to St John Of God Training Centre in Cheltenham. Marian Lodge catered for boys described as having moderate intellectual disabilities and being unable to follow a special schooling program, but able to benefit from other training.