| Yandeyarra Station |
| Years of Operation | Yandeyarra Station is known to have had a role in the placement of young people during the late 1970s and early 1980s but its placement history outside of those years has not been established. |
| Role Of Facility | Pastoral station run by an Indigenous community. |
| Address(es) | Yandeyarra is in the Pilbara, across the Yule River. |
| Aliases | Yandearra |
| Brief History | When the Welstat (national welfare statistical collection) definitions were applied in 1979, there were a range of other facilities, operated either by the Department or non-Government agencies, which were defined as “Other Homes for Children”. ‘Yandeyarra Station’ was included in this category. Such a definition referred to “a residential child care establishment that is mainly for children aged under 15 and/or still at school, and that consists of either a single dwelling that is not a family group home, or two or more dwellings that share cooking and eating facilities” and which were not (detention) Institutions or Hostels. The facility was listed as a non-Departmental operation
Mission Grant in Aid 1978 for 2 washing machines.
Yandeyarra was one of a number of Indigenous communities that provided alternative placement opportunities for young Indigenous people: “An encouraging development is the placement opportunity offered by aboriginal run pastoral enterprises, to Aboriginal youth who are offenders. Placement with these communities offers care, supervision, training and employment in a relevant cultural setting where the vocational skills learned and the lifestyle is appropriate and attractive to youths and girls from the town where they face a more uncertain future…[The] Department has provided some funds to improve buildings to provide better facilities for…children referred there by Departmental Field Officers.” (Annual Report of the Department for Community Welfare, June 30th 1981).
“The assistance of the Aboriginal communities at Strelley [see entry] and Yandeyarra has been sought on a number of occasions when placements for Aboriginal children have been needed.” (Annual Report of the Department for Community Welfare, June 30th 1982).
“The past year has seen a greater liaison with the Aboriginal communities of Strelley and Yandeyarra and the continuing placement of children within these communities. Relatives or the community are taking more responsibility for wards of the Department and proportionally the Aboriginal Legal Service is making applications for the release of children from Departmental Care (wards).” (Annual Report of the Department for Community Welfare, June 30th 1983). |
| Records | 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 stations.” Contact details are below.
Additionally, the Department for Child Protection’s Aboriginal Index and the guide, “Looking West”, should be consulted for information. |
| 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
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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