Cooinda House, Mount Lawley

Physical Description

The house is a single storey tiled roof building with verandah on two sides, on a sandstone foundation base.

History

Cooinda House was the first “Employment” hostel established by the State in the metropolitan area in line with a shift in resourcing institutionalised housing for Aboriginal people from the late 1950s to early 1970s. By late 1950s, the Department of Native Welfare considered providing hostel accommodation for Aboriginal students was too costly in comparison to private boarding. During this same period, the focus shifted to providing employment and accommodation for young Indigenous people moving to Perth. Due to a lack of private The property was purchased by Department of Native Welfare in 1966 with management assigned to the Methodist Homes for Children, as part of government policy to grant subsidised housing operations to religious denominations. The first residents were Aboriginal women employed in Perth.
Coodina House operated through times of major policy changes, such as the restructuring from the “Department of Native Welfare” to “Department of Community Welfare” in 1972. Furthermore the period from the late 1970s to early 1980s marked by national negotiations to develop the Aboriginal Child Placement Principal, ie to place children within the Indigenous context.
Secondary sources indicate that during the 1970s, Cooinda House provided residential care for school aged girls entering as either Wards of State and private boarders. The hostel was furnished with recreational facilities. By 1982, Mofflyn (formerly Methodist Home for Children) operated Cooinda House in formal agreement with Department of Community Welfare to accommodate both students and girls in employment.
Management transferred to Sister Kate’s Child and Family Services (Manguri) in 1984, followed by the Department of Community Welfare (later the Department of Community Services) from 1988 onwards. According to Departmental policy, it was necessary to support the adjustment of remote country students to a city environment, with facilities staffed by Aboriginal houseparents.
The place remains under the Department of Child Protection as part of Aboriginal Student Accommodation Services programme. facilities, the Government considered the purchase of hostel facilities to fulfil this purpose (Signposts).

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.