Ardross House

Ardross House opened in 1971 when Mogumber was being replaced by a number of small homes in Perth suburbs. At first, Ardross House was used for short term placements for up to eight girls aged 12-17 years, providing a base for Aboriginal children and young people to go to school and obtain other training in Perth. By 1994, boys aged from 15 to over 18 years were placed there. In 2004, Ardross House was part of the Aboriginal Student Accommodation Service.

Ardross House began as a suburban branch of Mogumber in 1971, in a house at 7 Hallin Court. It was run by the Methodist Overseas Mission under agreement with the Department of Native Welfare and, from 1972, the Department for Community Welfare. The first residents were six girls aged 12-17 years. They went to the Applecross High School and Business Colleges in Perth. In 1971, Ardross House was staffed by two House Mothers.

Ardross House was an example of what was known as a scatter cottage, a smaller Home run by an institution but not on the same property as the main institutional buildings. Usually, up to 10 children lived in a scatter cottage with houseparents.

In 1971, Ardross House was counted as one of several Aboriginal Education and Employment Hostels in the metropolitan area, providing a base for Aboriginal children and young people to go to school and obtain other training in Perth.

In 1972, the child welfare responsibilities of the Department of Native Welfare passed to the Department for Community Welfare (DCW). Ardross House was run by a number of Methodist and, after 1977, Uniting Church agencies under agreement with the DCW. From 1972, Ardross was run by the Methodist Overseas Mission. In 1974, after Mogumber closed, the Mogumber Training Centre (MTC) took over from the Methodist Overseas Mission and in 1980 Sister Kate’s Child and Family Care Services took over from the MTC. In 1987, Ardross House was taken over and run as a departmental hostel by the Department for Community Services. It remained part of the Department’s Aboriginal Student Accommodation Service until at least 2004.

Many of the children and young people who were placed at Ardross House were wards of the State.

By 1975, Ardross House was providing short-term accommodation for up to eight girls aged 12-17 years. A description of Ardross House in 1975 noted there was a swimming pool in the garden, a TV and piano. The hostel-like Home had six bedrooms (able to be shared by up to three girls). The girls walked to school and took their lunch with them. The average length of time girls stayed at Adross House was 9 months.

In 1994, Ardross House accommodated boys aged from 15 to over 18 years, for 6 to more than 9 months.

In 2004, Ardross House was part of the Aboriginal Student Accommodation Service run by the Department for Community Development.