Signposts
Yokine Cottage (Sister Kate’s, Mofflyn)
Years of Operation1972 – December 31st 1988
Role Of FacilityThe fact that the program was managed from 1972-80 by the Mogumber Training Centre [see entry, Mogumber], then by Sister Kate’s [later known as Manguri, see entry] to 1984 suggests that it would have been used to accommodate children from an Indigenous background, possibly while they attended school.

By 1985, when Mofflyn took over, Yokine was seen to be “demonstrating a capacity to care effectively for youth with adjustment difficulties and is receiving a high level of requests for admission.” (Report on the Activities of the Consultative Committee in 1985/86, Consultative Committee on Residential Child Care October 1986). The mention of ‘youth’ suggests adolescent children, possibly boys, were accommodated at Yokine.
Sponsoring AgencyWhile the actual building appears to have been owned by the Department, the residential programs were managed by Mogumber, then Sister Kate’s until 1985, when Mofflyn took over.

An unreferenced Departmental file relating to Reserve No. 35491, which was provided by the Department for Community Development for Signposts research project indicates that “a property for use by the Methodist Church was purchased in Albany by use of ‘Grant-in-Aid’. This property was sold and the proceeds utilized to buy the Lawley Street property which has until recently [the facility ceased operation at the end of 1988] been used for student accommodation under contract.”
Other facilities in
Signposts that are
related to the
Sponsoring Agency
See the entry “Uniting Church” in the earlier section of Signposts, “Non-Government Agencies and their Subsidiary Institutions”
Address(es)180 Lawley Street, Yokine
AliasesYokine Hostel, Lawley Street Hostel
Brief HistoryA family of children from Mogumber and their long-time Cottage Mother were the first residents of Yokine Cottage.

Group Homes could developed relatively inexpensively and were seen as a more normalised form of residential care. “The involvement and access to parents by these placements is often a major step in the rehabilitation of a family group.” (Annual Report of the Department for Community Welfare, June 30th 1979). For notes on a general history of these facilities, see the section on Group Homes at the beginning of Signposts.

The WELSTAT (welfare statistics) Collection of 1979 notes "Yokine" as a ‘scattered group home’ (ie. “a family group home whose grounds do not adjoin those of another family group home, or other residential child care establishment, operated by the same enterprise.”) that was operated by an agency other than the Department.

Run by Sr. Kate's in 1984. Management of the facility was transferred to Mofflyn in 1985, and the facility closed on 31st December 1988, though it was subsequently used as offices for Departmental staff (OHAC Cost Project, Department for Community Services, June 1995).
RecordsCase records for young people placed by the Department may reside with the Department for Child Protection.
Additionally, the Department for Child Protection’s Aboriginal Index and the guide, “Looking West”, should be consulted for information.
Mofflyn may hold information or records.
It is unknown whether any other records are still in existence.
AccessWhile access to records is restricted to protect the privacy of individuals, people are encouraged to enquire.
Contact DetailsUnitingCare West
Central Office
16 Sunbury Road
VICTORIA PARK WA 6100

Postal Address:
GPO Box B74
PERTH WA 6838

Telephone: 1300 663 298 (08) 9355 9116
Facsimile: 1300 663 528
Email: admin@unitingcarewest.org.au
Web: www.unitingcarewest.org.au

or

Synod of Western Australia
UCA Archives Research Centre
1st Floor 10 Pier Street, Perth WA 6000
Telephone: (08) 9221 6911
Facsimile: (08) 9221 6863
Email: archiveswa@amnet.net.au

Freedom of Information
Department of Communities
Locked Bag 5000, Fremantle WA 6959
Telephone: (08) 6217 6888
Country free call: 1800 176 888
Email: foi@communities.wa.gov.au
Website: www.communities.wa.gov.au
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Signposts