| Derby (Amy Bethel) Hostel |
| Years of Operation | 1956 – 22 September 1994 |
| Role Of Facility | Residential child care for primary and secondary school children, though the age range of children varied over the time of the hostel’s operation. |
| Sponsoring Agency | United Aborigines Mission (1956-1975) / Departmental - predessors to the current Department for Child Protection |
Other facilities in
Signposts that are
related to the
Sponsoring Agency | See the entry “United Aborigines Mission” in the earlier section of Signposts, “List of Facilities” |
| Address(es) | Ashley Street, Derby |
| Aliases | Amy Bethel Hostel, Derby School Hostel, possibly also Derby Mission Centre |
| Brief History | Education and employment hostels were operated by or in association with the Native Welfare Department mostly from the mid to late 1960s and early 1970s but came under the administration of the Community Welfare Department from 1972. For notes on a general history of these facilities, see the section on Hostels at the beginning of Signposts.
When surveyed in 1971, it was noted that the United Aborigines Mission operated “hostels at Derby (14 primary; 45 secondary students)”. (Wilson and Robinson (1971) Aboriginal Hostels in Perth: A Comparative Survey).
In 1976, ‘Amy Bethell’ was operated by the Department for Community Welfare, providing for primary and secondary school children. (Annual Report of the Department for Community Welfare, 1976).
In 1979, the hostel catered for 25 children from Christmas Creek and Looma Stations; from One Arm Point; and from Pandannus Park. (Annual Report of the Department for Community Welfare, 1979).
By 1982, the hostel was reported as providing “valuable accommodation for children attending the local high school.” Administered by the Department’s Kimberley Division. Renovations in this year included “improvements to the staff quarters, dormitories and kitchen/dining areas.” (Annual Report of the Department for Community Welfare, 1982).
In 1983, continuing “the move towards smaller facilities, and a less institutional type of hostel care”, a new cottage was located at the Derby Hostel. The Department also reported in that year that they took a “community development” approach to the organisation and management of the hostels and group homes in the Kimberley. “Parents are consulted about their children going to hostels away from home and the advantages and disadvantages are discussed. The parents are becoming more reluctant to send their children away and appropriate education in the community is now becoming an important issue in Fitzroy Crossing, Christmas Creek and One Arm Point. The group homes are only used when there are no relatives able or capable of looking after the children of a mother who may have to go to hospital or Perth. Once again, the responsibility is placed on the community and extended family to deal with their problems.” (Annual Report of the Department for Community Welfare, June 30th 1983).
In 1984, the hostel was reported as being used “exclusively” as an educational hostel “for children who come from communities which do not have a post primary educational facility.” (Annual Report of the Department for Community Welfare, 1984).
In 1987, the hostel was seen as “being more successful in attracting and maintaining older Aboriginal children – not always an easy feat, due to adolescents becoming unsettled through having to cope with much larger schools than they are accustomed to.” (Annual Report of the Department for Community Services, June 30th 1987).
During 1987, the “practices of accepting only senior students, and staffing hostels with Aboriginal staff were introduced” and “eight of the twelve country hostels [were] now managed by Aboriginal personnel.” (Annual Report of the Department for Community Services, June 30th 1987).
“Aboriginal students from remote country areas may have the opportunity to obtain primary or secondary education at metropolitan or regional schools. This enables them to obtain a level of education not otherwise available. Some of these students board out at aboriginal educational hostels. They live as close to their own communities as practical, and return to their community at the end of term. Care in aboriginal educational hostels is provided by couples who live-in fulltime. Country facilities have live-in wages staff.” (Submission of the Department for Community Services to the Residential Planning Review Taskforce, March 31st 1987).
Up to 1994, Derby had continued to operate as an education hostel but it was reported that in September of that year Derby suspended operations “due to reduced demand”. Thirty two admissions in 1994 (representing 15 children admitted for each school term). The hostel was described in 1995 as being “located in central Derby on 9 hectares of land” (some of which was being used as a child care centre) and comprised “two cottage style buildings together with original dormitory style accommodation and associated outbuildings.” The hostel had a 22 seater bus. It was also formally noted that the Derby Hostel had previously been known as the Amy Bethell Hostel in the 1970s. (OHAC Cost Project, Department for Community Services, June 1995). |
| Records | Departmental records for children placed by the Department of Community Welfare or the Department of Native Welfare may exist. Of particular interest, if able to be located, are the Department of Native Welfare “Resident Details Information Sheet (1) Hostel and Private Board Placement ” and “Resident Details Information Sheet (2) Hostel and Private Board Placement”.
Additionally, the Department for Child Protection’s Aboriginal Index and the guide, “Looking West”, should be consulted for information.
According to the The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies website www.aiatsis.gov.au , the State Records Office in Western Australia “holds extensive records relating to missions.” Contact details are below.
As Commonwealth Secondary Education Grant holders, there may be Commonwealth records for each resident. The National Archives of Australia may be the best source for tracking these records. |
| Access | While access to records is restricted to protect the privacy of individuals, people are encouraged to enquire. |
| Contact Details | Freedom of Information
Department of Communities
Locked Bag 5000, Fremantle WA 6959
Telephone: (08) 6414 3344
Country free call: 1800 176 888
Email: foi@communities.wa.gov.au
Website: www.communities.wa.gov.au
National Archives of Australia
384 Berwick Street
East Victoria Park WA 6101
Telephone: (08) 9470 7500
Facsimile: (08) 9470 2787
PO Box 1144, East Victoria Park WA 6981
Opening hours: 9am-4:30pm weekdays
For general information relating to missions:
State Records Office, Alexander Library Building
James St West Entrance
Perth WA 6000.
Search Centre: GroundFloor Mon-Fri:9.30am-4.30pm
Telephone: (08) 9427 3360
Facsimile: (08) 9427 3368
Email: sro@sro.wa.gov.au |
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