HERITAGE SERVICES

Heritage Services

Ballarat Orphanage and Children's Home

The Ballarat District Orphan Asylum was established in Victoria Street Ballarat in 1865. Later organisations were known as the Ballarat Orphanage from 1909 and then in 1968 as the Ballarat Children's Homes. This agency became known as Ballarat Children's Homes & Family Services in 1984 and moved from Victoria Street to Ludbrook House, Lydiard Street Ballarat in 1988.

According to "A Century of Child Care--the Story of Ballarat Orphanage 1865-1965", the gold rush era and the search for fortune led to many families experiencing poverty and destitution. Great concern existed for the many children who were also being abandoned or orphaned at that time. The need for an institution to provide care for these children was strongly felt and fundraising began to raise the money to make this happen. After enough funds were secured the Ballarat & District Orphan Asylum was built and then established in Victoria Street Ballarat.

In 1869 the Orphanage farm was established and included a vegetable garden, piggery and dairy, and later becoming famous for its jersey herd. In 1873 two classrooms were leased to the State and a new school building was later erected in 1920. In 1920 the annual holiday to Queenscliff was introduced and a house, Clifton, was purchased near the beach. In 1927 the Boys Hostel was established to house Orphanage boys apprenticed to various trades closing in 1961. In 1928 it was decided to establish a Toddlers block to accommodate children from 3-6 years of age.

The major rebuilding of the home began in 1959 and was completed by 1965.The Orphanage reflected the social and child rearing practices, attitudes and government policies of the day. Along with the community it went through many changes and transformations.

Shifts in social values and policies, knowledge about child development and changes in economic policy led to the institutional care of children provided by the Orphanage being replaced by new services, policies and practices. Family Group Homes (FGH's) caring for children in the community were established and the first FGH at Ballarat Children's Homes opened in 1976.

Today, Child & Family Services (CAFS) provides Residential Care, Foster Care, Professional Care, Adolescent Community Placement and Adoption and Permanent Care as a range of services caring for children who do not live with their original families.