| Norseman Mission |
| Years of Operation | In 1935, the precursor of Norseman Mission was established.
Norseman Mission proper operated from 1942 to 1985. |
| Role Of Facility | Family groups, residential child care |
| Sponsoring Agency | The Australian Churches of Christ Indigenous Ministries (ACCIM) [see entry], which was formerly called the Churches of Christ Federal Aborigines Mission Board Inc (CCFAMBI). |
Other facilities in
Signposts that are
related to the
Sponsoring Agency | See the entry “Australian Churches of Christ Indigenous Ministries” in the earlier section of Signposts, “Non-Government Agencies and their Subsidiary Institutions” |
| Address(es) | Coolgardie Road, Norseman |
| Aliases | Norseman Children’s Homes |
| Brief History | Misses Eadie and Bentley moved from the Eastern States to Norseman in 1936 to share themselves with the aboriginal people at the Reserve, after having gained permission from the Government to do so. They eventually set up a tent at the Reserve and lived amongst the people, teaching the children and helping the adults.
In 1942 the national body of Churches of Christ in Australia established the Churches of Christ Federal Aborigines Mission Board Inc. (CCFAMBI) with the head office in Perth to formalise mission with aboriginal people across Australia. The first Superintendent was appointed by the CCFAMBI in November 1942.
Misses Eadie and Bentley handed over responsibility to CCFAMBI and two lady missionaries, one of whom was a teacher, came to live at the Reserve, in a curtain-partitioned area of a small galvanised iron shed church. By the end of 1943 they were caring for 2 children, and a small two-roomed building was purchased and transported to the Reserve for accommodation.
In January 1943 permission was given for a mission to be established on Native Reserve number 22179 at Norseman. On 21st August 1944 the Department of Lands and Surveys suggested the CCFAMBI apply for land 10 miles from Norseman on the Coolgardie Road. Approximately 20,000 acres was approved in July 1945, with 100 acres designed as a Native Reserve and the remainder Pastoral Lease. The Mission Superintendent was made a Protector of Aborigines, which, among other powers, gave him the ability to determine who could reside on the Reserve. For some years aboriginal families lived at the Mission, giving the children in care continuous contact with their language and culture. Parents living in communities asked for their children to be cared for so that they could have an education.
From the mid 1960’s teenagers from Cundeelee (see entry) and the Goldfields region as far out as the Western Desert communities came to Norseman Mission for High Schooling. Regular contact was kept with their families and they returned home for school holidays.
The Australian Churches of Christ Indigenous Ministries advises that in 1974/75, there was a complete change to the cottage homes at the Mission and the central dining room was closed and a childcare hostel was established in the Norseman township to provide an opportunity to live in the town environment.
Description in 1976: 450 miles from Perth. Provides for boys and girls aged 2-15 years. There are 8 Homes at the Centre (9 miles from Norseman) and 1 Home in Norseman township. 76 beds are available.
“At 1.10.1976, 56 Aboriginal children were resident.” The Annual Report noted in 1976 that the “Norseman Mission accommodates eighty Aboriginal children, including about fifty wards of this Department, in a series of cottage homes including one established in the town.” In this year, it was also noted that the Administrator was a man of Indigenous background.
An unreferenced Departmental file relating to Reserve No. 35764, which was provided by the Department for Community Development for Signposts research project indicates that Lot 834 Talbot Street, Norseman was purchased “in Freehold by ‘Grant-in-Aid to Norseman Mission on 5.7.1978 and converted to Reserve status on 8.12.1978. Acquired to enable the Norseman Mission to operate a Scatter Cottage. Use as a Scatter Cottage ceased during 1980 and since that time, the property has been utilized for Staff accommodation.”
The WELSTAT (welfare statistics) Collection of 1979 notes Norseman Scatter Cottage 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. At the same time, the Norseman Centre is described as a ‘clustered group home’ (ie. “a family group home whose grounds adjoin those of another family group home, or other residential child care establishment, operated by the same enterprise”)..
“Extremely valuable and greatly appreciated support continues to be received from private child care organisations such as…the Norseman Children’s Home.” (Annual Report of the Department for Community Welfare, June 30th 1982).
In 1984, it was reported that the Divisional Substitute Care Officer in the Department’s Kalgoorlie office continued “to promote and enhance the alternate care service and receives the co-operation of local foster parents and institutions such as the…Norseman Children’s Home”. (Annual Report of the Department for Community Welfare, June 30th 1984).
In 1987, the Churches of Christ transferred the pastoral lease to the Irragul (or Eragul) community. Irragul is not used by the Department as a placement service, but children may be placed with foster parents who live in that community.
A more detailed chronology of major events, admissions and discharges is included in Table 32. |
| Records | Departmental records for children placed by the Department of Community Welfare or the Department of Native Welfare may exist.
Additionally, the Department for Child Protection’s Aboriginal Index should be consulted for information.
Thousands of photos taken at the Churches of Christ Mission centres have been preserved, and identified where possible. In time, these will be available from ACCIM.
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. |
| Access | While access to records is restricted to protect the privacy of individuals, people are encouraged to enquire at the agencies listed in the Contact Details.
Irragul is now an Indigenous community and site visits must be requested through the Chair of Irragul Council, on (08) 9039 1135. |
| Contact Details | For Photographs:
Australian Churches of Christ Indigenous Ministries
Box 1199, Wangara WA 6947.
Telephone: (08) 9309 3922
Email: admin@accim.info
For Personal Record Cards:
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 |
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