During the twentieth century, babies and children in Victorian orphanages and Homes were used as subjects for medical experiments. Reports from the Senate Inquiry into Children in Institutional Care contained details of studies carried out by the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and the Commonwealth Serum Laboratory (CSL) between 1945 and 1970. One reason given…
St Paul’s School for the Blind opened in 1957 in Kew and was run by the Villa Maria Society. It admitted some wards of state, and operated two residential units in Kew and Alphington. For most of its history St Paul’s School was located at 6 Studley Park Road, Kew (also described as 13 Fernhurst…
The Canadian Rescue and Children’s Home was established in 1897 and run by the Ballarat Town and City Mission. In 1920 the Canadian Home amalgamated with the George Street Children’s Home, also run by the Town and City Mission.
On 17 September 1997, Premier Kennett issued an apology in the Legislative Assembly to the Aboriginal people for the past policies leading to the removal of Aboriginal children from their families and communities. The apology began with the words: That this house apologises to the Aboriginal people on behalf of all Victorians for the past…
The Aborigines Act 1910 (No. 2255 of 1910) had the long title, ‘An act to extend the powers of the Board for the Protection of Aborigines’. This Act abandoned the distinction in law between ‘full-blood’ and ‘half-caste’ in terms of defining Aboriginality. (The different treatment of ‘Aboriginal’ and ‘half-caste’ persons was established in law by…
The McLean Inquiry was established in December 1955, to ascertain the population of Aboriginal Victorians; report on their self-maintenance prospects; comment on factors affecting Aboriginal ‘absorption’ into mainstream society, and on the viability of maintaining a separate Aboriginal administration. The Inquiry was also to advise on the future of the Lake Tyers mission in East…
The Adoption of Children Act 1964 (No. 7147) was “An Act relating to the Adoption of Children and for Purposes connected therewith.” The Adoption of Children Act 1964 was passed on 5 May 1964, commenced on 1 January 1966, and was repealed by the Adoption Act 1984 on 16 November 1987. The 1964 Act was…
The Central Board for the Protection of Aborigines was established in 1869, under the provisions of the Aborigines Protection Act 1869. Previously, the Central Board Appointed to Watch Over the Interests of Aborigines had been operating in Victoria since 1860. The Board, which ran missions and reserve stations in Victoria, had significant statutory power over…
Brady House was run by the Mission of St James and St John in partnership with the Church of England Men’s Society in Strathmore from 1964. It was a hostel for young men, including those recently released from prison. It closed in 1978. Brady House had a quota of reserved placements for young men recently…
Gippsland Family Services was established by the Mission of St James and John in 1979. The Mission had operated a family group home and ‘Thurana’, an adolescent residential unit, at Traralgon, since 1976. Gippsland Family Services ran a number of services for children in the Latrobe Valley, including The Manor in Morwell (crisis accommodation for…
Dec 18, 2024
Nov 15, 2024
