Salesian Society history in brief
In 1927, the Salesian Society established the all-boys boarding school on the grounds of Sir William Clarke's Rupertswood Mansion in Sunbury. In the 1950s, Salesian School began admitting day students. In the 1980s, girls were admitted and, by 1997, the school became fully co-educational and had ceased student boarding.
Around 1997, the school moved out of the historic mansion. It was renovated and become a venue for accommodation and events. The venue closed around 2004 and reverted back to the Salesian College, which now uses it for administration. The mansion is one of the largest private houses constructed in Victoria and listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.
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 this administrative history is provided for general information only and does not purport to be comprehensive. The department does not guarantee the accuracy of this administrative history. For more information on the history of child welfare in Australia, see Find & .
Source
- Find & Connect
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 to 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.1985)
File; Permanent VPRS Number 18069 / P0001
Content: The files record interaction 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 relating to the Salesian School Sunbury is dated 1937–67. The file has very few enclosures.
The correspondence relates to enquiries from the religious order about some of their properties becoming approved children’s homes for wards of state. The enclosures on the file include:
- visit report, 1937
- correspondence regarding funding for wards, 1940–42, 1965
- correspondence, notes, Salesian order expresses interest to participate in providing additional residential care in the state, including a property in Kilmore, 1965–67
- correspondence exploring establishing premises in Swanson Crescent, Oakleigh as an approved children’s home, 1967
Reviewed 23 August 2016