| Wollaston, Bunbury |
| Years of Operation | 1973 – closed and facility sold by 2004. |
| Role Of Facility | Originally, residential child care for children from an Indigenous background. |
| Sponsoring Agency | The premises at 28 Wollaston Crescent, Bunbury, was acquired by the Department in 1973 and subsequently leased to Roelands Mission.
Originally established as the Council of Native Mission Farm Roelands (affliliated with the Missionary Fellowship [see Baptist Union for an outline of this group]), in 1975, Roelands [see entry] was offered to Churches of Christ Federal Aborigines Mission Board (CCFAMBI) who also took over the operation of Wollaston as an adjunct to Roelands. The CCFAMBI is now the Australian Churches of Christ Indigenous Ministries (ACCIM) [see entry]. |
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) | 28 Wollaston Crescent, Bunbury |
| Brief History | Press coverage in Departmental administration files and dating from 1974 shows that residents in Wollaston Crescent were intending to protest against the plan to house Aboriginal children in Wollaston Crescent.
On March 3, 1975 Departmental administration files show there were 5 boys resident at Wollaston – two at primary school; two at work; and one boy attending a training centre for people with intellectual disabilities.
Wollaston became a Departmental facility, when the CCFAMBI relinquished the property at the end of 1984. Residential child care closed at Roelands Village at this time and as Wollaston Hostel was part of Roelands Village, it was handed back to the Department.
In 1988, there was extensive press coverage regarding Wollaston. 37 local households (representing 62 residents) petitioned against the Department’s plan to house “troubled youth” at the premises.
From 1988-1990 Departmental administration files record Wollaston as a Departmental Youth and Family Support Centre (YFSC). In 1989, the Wollaston YFSC was described in Departmental files as a community-based residential care facility for up to 5 young people aged 12-16 years. The project was approved by the Department in early 1987 as a way to serve children in Bunbury, but also to take admissions from Collie, Manjimup and Busselton. It opened as a Departmental facility in June 1989. A sausage sizzle, attended by representatives of Calvary Welfare, St Vincent de Paul and the Warratah Women’s Refuge was held in its first year.
In 1995 Wollaston was recommended for use as staff quarters for Canowindra Group Home [see entry] (OHAC Cost Project, Department for Community Services, June 1995). Information from the Department for Community Development indicates that the Wollaston Group Home “was decommissioned due to tenancy and neighbour problems, and eventually sold as surplus to Departmental requirements in 2003. Prior to this occurring it had been vacant, and used as staff accommodation.” (Internal Memo Manager Hostels Group to A/Manager Information Support Services, Department for Community Development, July 19th 2004). |
| 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. (This applies to Wollaston Hostel as part of Roelands Village from 1975 to 1984.)
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. |
| Contact Details | For Photographs (relating to residents who were at Wollaston after 1975):
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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