| Mount Margaret Mission |
| Years of Operation | 1921 – 1975 as a United Aborigines Mission, then to Aboriginal Movement for Outback Survival (AMOS), which continues to manage the site. |
| Role Of Facility | Family groups, residential child care, school. |
| Sponsoring Agency | United Aborigines Mission / Aboriginal Movement for Outback Survival (AMOS) |
Other facilities in
Signposts that are
related to the
Sponsoring Agency | See the entry “United Aborigines Mission” in the earlier section of Signposts, “Non-Government Agencies and their Subsidiary Institutions” |
| Address(es) | Mt Margaret, via Laverton |
| Brief History | Mt Margaret Mission catered for “39 children at its Government school” when surveyed in 1971. At that time, Mt Margaret Mission was owned and managed by the Department of Native Welfare. (Wilson and Robinson (1971) Aboriginal Hostels in Perth: A Comparative Survey).
While, like most “missions”, families lived on site, there were also residential child care and school facilities at Mt Margaret. By 1976, the Department was providing services to the Indigenous community at Mt Margaret, so it had ceased to be a ‘mission’ by that time.
An account of Mt Margaret Mission, “Mount Margaret: A Drop in a Bucket” has been written by Margaret Morgan. |
| Records | According to the The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies website, the State Records Office in Western Australia “holds extensive records relating to missions.” Contact details are below.
Departmental records for children placed by the Department of Community Welfare or the Department of Native Welfare may exist. Additionally, the Department for Community Development’s Aboriginal Index and the guide, “Looking West”, should be consulted for information.
Battye Library for general information about the Mount Margaret Mission. |
| 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) 6217 6888
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
For people wishing to access the Battye Library’s collection of historical material:
The State Library of Western Australia,
Alexander Library Building, State Cultural Centre, Perth WA 6000.
Telephone: (08) 9427 3111 (local) or 1800 198 107 (WA country callers)
Facsimilie: (08) 9427 3256 Email: info@liswa.wa.gov.au
Opening hours for the Battye Library at time of publication are:
Monday-Thursday 9am-8pm; Friday 9am-5:30pm;
Saturday/Sunday 10am-5:30pm |
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