Bimbadeen Family Group Home was opened by the Sisters of Charity in 1976 in a suburban home in Blackman's Bay. It provided cottage accommodation to children who had been placed there by their parents or who were wards of the state. Bimbadeen was run by a married couple who were the house parents to ten children aged between 5 to 16 years old. The Home was originally managed by St Joseph's Child Care Centre, but from from 1978 Centacare ran Bimbadeen. Bimbadeen closed in 1980.
The name Bimbadeen has previously been used for a cottage on the St Joseph's Child Care Centre site but was transferred to the new family group home.
"There was nothing family about it at all" - Former resident, Bimbadeen Family Group Home.
Information provided by a former resident and the Sisters of Charity Archives indicates that children moved with their house parents, an English migrant family, from Bimbadeen cottage to Bimbadeen Family Group Home on 19 Nov 1976.
The former resident also described Bimbadeen as "There was nothing family about it at all."
Sources used to compile this entry: Information provided by the Sisters of Charity Archives Manager, correspondence recorded in the Find & Connect files at the University of Melbourne. Information provided a Former Resident of Bimbadeen Family Group Home.
Prepared by: Caroline Evans
Created: 27 April 2012, Last modified: 3 August 2022