Bendigo Reception Centre history in brief
In 1964, the Department established Victoria’s third Regional Reception Centre on an experimental basis in the old 'Private Park Hostel' in Bendigo. The centre was unusual in that it was operated by a private family rather than by the Department.
In June 1964, the facility became an Approved Children’s Home. After operating for 18 months, it was decided that there was less need for the facility than had been anticipated, and it was closed in February 1966.
Warning about distressing information
This guide contains information that some people may find distressing. If you experienced abuse as a child or young person in an institution mentioned in this guide, it may be a difficult reading experience. Guides may also contain references to previous views, policies and practices that are regrettable and do not reflect the current views, policies or practices of the department or the State of Victoria. If you find this content distressing, please consult with a support person either from the Department of Health and Human Services or another agency.
Disclaimer
Please note that the content of administrative histories is provided for general information only and does not purport to be comprehensive. The department does not guarantee the accuracy of the administrative histories. See Find & for more detail on the history of child welfare in Australia.
Sources
Guide to Out of Home Care Services 1940 – 2000 Volume One Agency Descriptions, Compiled by James Jenkinson Consulting North Melbourne, November 2001.
List of records held by the department
For information relating to the central management of care leavers and wards of state, please consult the guide Central department wardship and out-of-home care records. These collections date back to the 1860s and include ward registers, index cards and ward files.
Voluntary Children’s Homes Files (c.1930–c.85)
File; Permanent (VPRS Number 18069 / P0001)
Content: Records of interactions between the various Voluntary Homes and the Government.
This filing system was created in 1975 combining earlier correspondence and other records to create one system with ‘VH’ prefixes
The specific file(s) are dated 1963–67 and include:
- Correspondence transactions with the department, 1963–67
- Proposed Bendigo Reception Centre Inspections from 12 Applicants, 1963
- Declaration of Institution as an Approved Children’s Home, 12 June 1964
- Closure 31 January 1966
Reviewed 24 April 2019