The Chidley Educational Centre was established in 1976 by the Education Department of Western Australia in Mosman Park as a result of advocacy by the Isolated Country Parents’ Association. It was a short-term (six month) residential program for children from country areas who needed specialist learning support. In 1979, there were up to forty children aged between 6 and 13 years at Chidley. Chidley closed in 1998 and the building is now part of the St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls.
In February 2013, a former Chidley student got in touch with Find & Connect to pass on memories which included: regular trips to the beaches, walks along the sand bar and around the river, playing in the tunnels at the Leighton Battery, going to motor cross and go-kart events, and skateboarding. The school gave a lot of encouragement of students to teach each other how to operate and setup equipment including computers and audio visual equipment. Students would receive a certificate to show they had ‘qualified’ in these and other competencies. With a career still based around skills acquired at Chidley, this former student believes the school played a useful role in young people’s development.
From
1976
To
1998
1976 - 1998
The Chidley Educational Centre was located on Owston Street, Mosman Park, Western Australia (Building Still standing)
