Narrogin Residential College was run by the Country High School Hostels Authority from 1963. At that time it was known as Narrogin Hostel. Its purpose was to accommodate children who went to high school in Narrogin.
The Narrogin hostel was mentioned in the Special Inquiry into St Andrew’s Hostel, Katanning in 2012. It is clear from testimony given that Narrogin was one of the larger hostels in the State. In 1988 and 1989, 245 and 234 young people boarded there in premises that were described by one witness as ‘pathetic’ in terms of a lack of facilities at that time.
Testimony to the Inquiry included the names of key staff who served at the Hostel, and descriptions of practices at the Hostel during the 1980s and 1990s. At this hearing, an incident relating to the sexual abuse of a child at the hostel in 1990 was discussed. The testimony also included references to a former warden who had absconded with around $80,000 of Hostel funds during the 1979-1980 period.
From
1963
To
Current
Alternative Names
Narrogin Hostel
Caloola House
1963 -
Narrogin Residential College (previously Narrogin Hostel) was located on Gray Street, Narrogin, Western Australia (Building Still standing)