During the 1920s, there were many unsettled families following World War One, so more children were being accommodated by religious and charitable organisations. The Elgar Road site was purchased by the Presbyterian Church in 1929, but did not receive any children until December 1937. Formerly Kildonan Presbyterian Church had operated a children’s… Following the purchase of the land in 1929, it was leased to tenants whilst the Kildonan transfer and required construction was considered. In June 1936, a proposal was made for the site which included the construction of an administrative block and three brick cottages. Cottages were to be ‘… grouped… The foundation stone was laid by Rev. Dr J W Borland on June 5th 1937. On December 11th of the same year the home was officially opened by Lady Huntingfield, at this time the administration block (main reception building with tower) and two cottages had been completed. In 1937, the… Kildonan Homes, Burwood operated a cottage system that included a school and a kindergarten. The cottages were larger than later family group homes, each housed up to 28 children who were supervised by rostered staff. ‘The cottage system has been adopted because it will give the atmosphere of family life… Following World War Two, Kildonan received a government grant in February 1949 to receive child migrants. The Argus reported that Kildonan planned to build more cottage homes on land adjoining the home at Burwood, to house 125 ‘orphans’ from the UK. The 1950’s saw the addition of a Hobbies Room and Library to the school and alterations and additions of the kitchen and laundry. By 1955 the homes housed up to 105 children. In January 1956, Kildonan was declared an approved children’s home under the Children’s Welfare Act 1954 (under the full name ‘Presbyterian and Scots’ Church Children’s Aid Society [Kildonan Home]). This action followed the 1954 Children’s Welfare Act which legislated that all non-government homes must be registered with the Children’s Welfare… ‘Family Group Home’ is the name given to a practice where small groups of children are accommodated in buildings that approximate the size and form of a normal family home. In 1958 the shortcomings of a large-scale institutional care had become apparent and a house adjoining Kildonan was purchased and… The purchase of a television for the children was funded in 1958 and a small article was published in the ‘Quindalup’ Kildonan newsletter: ‘Our T.V. set is almost a reality. Last time we stated that G.T.V-9’s appeal had resulted in £25. Although no appeal was made in the article £5 was given… In December 1960, Kildonan sold the original Burwood site in order to fund the new family group home program they were establishing elsewhere in Melbourne. The Victorian government offered to buy the property intending it to be the state’s main ‘reception, treatment, classification and transit centre and run by the… The Victorian State Government purchased the Burwood site in December 1960. On July 1st 1961, the Allambie Reception Centre opened to relieve capacity issues at Turana, with accommodation for 90 children in four separate sections. As part of the Children’s Home Section of the Social Welfare Branch’s Family Welfare Division,… A child’s placement was decided upon by the Placement Committee, which met once a week. In 1962, the Committee comprised representatives of the Department (including the Director of Family Welfare) and Allambie staff (including the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent, and Medical Officer). PROV, VPRS 9898/P0001 School Records, Principals Reports. (1971-1982),… Following the opening of the nursery at Allambie in 1964 an existing nursery at Turana was able to be converted for use by the Youth Welfare Division. This move to Allambie meant that babies and toddlers of both sexes could be accommodated together. Along with the Nursery housing babies and… In 1967, the construction of staff quarters for 20 live-in staff was completed. A new unit for 20 children was also built in two sections, ‘Heath and Cassia’ This construction was planned during 1966 when Allambie’s capacity was 150 children – but this was identified as insufficient for the actual… A heated swimming pool, provided largely as a result of the efforts of the ‘Allambie’ Occupational Auxiliary, came into use. (This became a fully enclosed facility in 1971) At this time, Allambie was described as the ‘… main reception, treatment, calssification and transit centre… and has accommodation for approximately 170… Overcrowding became a significant issue by the mid 70’s, exact figures are hard to find but there are reports of up to 320 children competing for the centres 220 beds and the creation of makeshift dormitories During the 1970s, to reduce overcrowding and children’s stay lengths, the government opened a number… During 1971 major road constructions developed along the northern and eastern boundaries of the site. Throughout this year, 780 children attended the school, the lowest number in attendance was 72 whilst the maximum was 175. A library was also established with shelving and 400 books obtained from Salvation Army School,… Allambie became the largest children’s reception centre operated by the department of social welfare and had a capacity for approximately 228 children but, at times the numbers would exceed 250 with a peak of 315 in 1973. Items introduced in 1973 – coffee shop, excursions, make-up, ice-skating. Commencement of work… Many accounts of siblings separated from each other question the extent to which the mixed groups worked, one former resident, who was at Allambie in 1974, made contact with the Find & Connect web resource to point out that she was separated from her younger brother. ‘I would like to… Ballet Victoria visited Allambie At 9:10am on Friday 21st March, 1975 – bomb threat In 1975 there was increasing concern that a number of children were coming into care with serious behavioural and emotional problems, or were intellectually or physically handicapped. ‘Mr.Fraser, cleaner for seventeen years, suffered a heart attack… By 1976, out-of-home placement and wardship were starting to be viewed as last resort options and poor alternatives to extended family support. The accommodation is usually filled to capacity or overcrowded. ‘Many of the children remain for some months….’ -Camp at Corinella -Selected children to attend “outside” schools 3 or… ‘A total of 39 children, living at Allambie has been placed at Burwood and Bennettswood Primary School, Burwood & WattlePark highschool, and ashwood special school, with between 12 and 19 attending at any one time – most schools have been very receptive to the Allambie children.’ By 1977 Social Welfare… In the 1980s, separation of children from their families and communities came to be considered not only as undesirable, but also as counterproductive. Further regionalisation of reception functions occurred, including the establishment of the Western Suburbs Reception Centre and other smaller centres. The 1985 Statewide Services Redevelopment (SRD) plan focussed… The nursery at Allambie closed in 1986 70% of all admissions to Allambie in 1986 were as a result of Protection Applications (admitted by the police). PROV, VPRS 18024/P0002, Superintendent’s Subject Files, Allambie 94/65/2/5 (1984-1987), Unit 2. PROV, VPRS 9898/P0001 School Records, Principals Reports. (1971-1982),Unit 1. The Lodge, a section for adolescent girls was closed. Tecoma, a section for difficult to manage boys was phased out and closed. PROV, VPRS 9898/P0001 School Records, Principals Reports. (1971-1982),Unit 1. The Children and Young Persons Act 1989 (No. 56/1989) was implemented in stages up to 1992 and clearly separated services for children in need of protection from services for young offenders. The Act hastened the process of deinstitutionalisation in juvenile justice, and led to the closure of the few surviving… Allambie Reception Centre closed on 30 June 1990 – In its place, the department of Community Services Victoria established a number of community residential units, family support programs, and services for young offenders. The Allambie Reception Centre in Burwood, which has been operated by Community Services Victoria (CSV) is being… In June 1991 the site was purchased by Victoria College to expand its Burwood campus. Following Victoria College’s amalgamation later that year with Deakin University, the site of the former Allambie became a part of the enlarged Burwood campus of Deakin University. Allambie Reception Centre was mentioned in the Bringing Them Home Report (1997) as an institution that housed Indigenous children removed from their families. Two memorial plaques stand at 70 Elgar Road Burwood: ‘In memory of the many children who spent part of their childhood here when this was the site of the Kildonan Children’s Home (1937 – 1961) and the Allambie Reception Centre (1961 – 1990)’ The other, is quoted in full on… In 2015 a former resident approached Deakin University Archives and this collaboration resulted in a successful reunion. In 2015, the City of Whitehorse recognised the ‘Former Kildonan Children’s Home’ as a significant local landmark. ‘What is significant? Kildonan Children’s Homes were established as a residential care home by the Presbyterian Church in Elgar Road Burwood from 1937 and buildings remain from 1937, 1941 and 1946 to designs… Deakin University Archives hosts a second reunion for previous residents of the children’s homes which once existed on this site.
1929: Site purchase
1936: Construction Proposal
1937: Kildonan Presbyterian Children’s Home Opens
1940: The Cottage System
1949: Child Migrants
1955: Library and Hobbies Room
1956: ‘approved’
1958: Group Homes
1958: ‘In The Picture’
1960: Kildonan Sold
1961: Allambie Established
1962: Placement
1964: Allambie Nursery
1967: Construction
1969: Swimming Pool
1970: Reduce Overcrowding
1971: The road to Allambie
1973: New Buildings & Activities
1974: Sibling Separation
1975: Ballet & Bombs
1976: Last resort…
1977: Local Schools & Regionalisation
1980: Undesirable & Counterproductive
1986: The Nursery – closed
1988: The Lodge & Tecoma – closed
1989: The Children and Young Persons Act
1990: Allambie Reception Centre – closed
1991: Purchased by Victoria College
1997: Bringing Them Home
2012: Monument
2015: Reunion
2015: Heritage Overlay
2017: Reunion
Children have been placed in the care of the state for over 150 years.
Historically, Victoria’s child welfare system has relied heavily on care provided by churches and charitable organisations before state-run children’s homes were established.
For varied reasons, children would be placed in institutional homes, such as those which once stood on the Elgar Road site in Burwood – Kildonan and Allambie.
Over time, with much change in both society and law, practices for the care of these vulnerable children has changed. Institutional care has been replaced by home-based care (including foster and kinship care), with the Out of Home Care system now being delivered by Community Service Organisations funded by the Victorian Government.
- If you have a personal connection to the Kildonan or Allambie Children’s Homes and would like to share your story, donate items to the archives or are seeking further information for your personal interest – you can find contact information with resources.