In the history of 50 years in Victoria, St John of God Accord, previously St John of God Services Victoria, has seen many changes in the field of disability services and recognises the achievements of its founders. One person who has been with us throughout the 50 year history of the Victorian Services is St. John. He has been a guide throughout the course of change and witnessed the advancement of disability services not only of St John of God Accord but for the entire disability field.
Opportunities in Melbourne - 1953 to 1960
With Churinga came Normalisation - 1961 to 1970
Support Groups & Independent Living - 1971 to 1980
Community Living & The New Act - 1981 to 1990
Further Expansion and Growth - 1991 to 2000
Fifty years on and Services expand throughout Melbourne - 2001 to 2005
Dr. Daniel Mannix, Archbishop of Melbourne, was so impressed by what he saw the Hospitaller Brothers doing in NSW for the intellectually disabled that he requested them to open a special school in Melbourne. The invitation was accepted and the Brothers moved to Melbourne in March of 1953.
The former Methodist Babies Home on the Nepean Highway at Cheltenham was purchased for the sum of $79,000. The Brothers were able to borrow $40,000 from the banks and the remainder from the Melbourne Catholic Trust. After much negotiations and lobbying, the State Government of Victoria put forward a grant of $25,000 to renovate the dilapidated buildings. In 1955 another grant of $69,000 was offered by the State Government and the debt was cleared.
Dr. Mannix blessed and opened the Victorian St John of God Training Centre on the 12th of July 1953. Among the dignitaries present, the Minister for Health the Hon. B. Barry, Dr. A. Cunningham-Dax the State Director of Mental Hygiene and Mons. Arthur Fox the Vicar General. The people of Melbourne came in thousands to attend the opening ceremony and inspect the new special school. This was the first residential special school for retarded boys conducted outside Government institutions in Victorian history.The first four boys admitted were enrolled on the 24th July 1953 and by September the same year 90 boys were in residence.
The Central Methodist Mission operated a hostel (Cato House) for adolescent orphans on a property adjoining the St. John of God Training Centre. Cato House was put up for auction in 1954 and the Brothers were successful in bidding for it. Shortly afterwards it was renovated and renamed Marian Lodge in honour the Blessed Virgin Mary whose Marian Year had recently been declared by Pope Pius XII. Thanks to family and friends the debt on Marian Lodge was cleared in a very short time.
Marian Lodge housed 30 severely retarded children and became an annex of the Training Centre. One of the objectives of establishing Marian Lodge was to assist the Mental Hygiene Authority (Travancore Clinic) in their recommendation of segregating boys according to their level of retardation/disability. The Brothers, as advised by parents, agreed that a follow-through centre was required for those boys who had reached the Centre's age limit of sixteen years. Ideally, such a centre would have to be in a rural setting, so that the boys could receive training in farm work, and not be located too far from Melbourne.
Such a place presented itself when "Yarra View", a magnificent farming property of 341 acres near Lilydale, came onto the market. Thanks to the efforts of the St. John of God Auxiliary, this fine property was purchased for the sum of $90,000 in 1956. Formally a famous dairy stud owned by the late Captain A. Payne, Yarra View had undergone many sub-divisions and was quite neglected when the Brothers took up residence in July 1956.
The 28th of December 1956 marked a special milestone in the history of the Hospitallers in Australia and New Zealand, for on that day, a document arrived from Rome raising the Vice Province to the dignity of Province. The Australasian Province was the 17th Province in the Order.
By October 1957 there were twelve graduates of the Cheltenham school in residence at "Yarra View". Archbishop Mannix blessed and opened Yarra View on the 17th November 1957. The debt on Yarra View was cleared in December 1958 when the Victorian State Government made a grant of $30,000.
In 1959 The Mental Health Act (Victoria) was passed, finally enabling the admission of people who had not been certified to state institutions to receive a service. Intellectually disabled people were for the first time in Victoria’s legal history entitled to be housed without the stigma of being declared insane. The act differentiated between the mentally ill and the mentally retarded. The use of the terms “congenital mental defectives”, “lunatics” and “idiots” were officially censored and replaced by the “mentally retarded”.
In 1960 the State Government made a further grant of $200,000, which permitted the erection of two new large buildings, a kitchen and a laundry at Yarra View. Premier Bolte stated at the time that the grant was really a bargain for the State and it was certainly a blessing for the Brothers who were able to expand the accommodation at Yarra View to 100.
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In 1961 the new buildings were completed at Yarra View, however the total cost was in excess of the government grant. An additional $20,000 was needed and once again the money was raised by the parents.
Although the farm operation itself had always been regarded as a venue for sheltered employment, there was also a need for other types of purposeful activity to be available for residents not suited physically or temperamentally for outdoors work. The new accommodation into which all the residents had moved made "Rosary Cottage" available for routine assembly work obtained from factories in the nearby city. Early in 1962 a house was purchased in Mentone and with modifications it was enlarged to become a Hostel for working boys who had previously been at either Cheltenham or Yarra View. The hostel was to become known as the "Raeleen Hostel".
The year 1963 saw the 10th anniversary of the Brothers' arrival at Cheltenham and it was becoming apparent that time was having an adverse effect on the buildings which were almost 70 years old. The buildings had deteriorated to such an extent that the Brothers found it would be less costly to rebuild than to renovate. Several development firms made offers to buy the land and buildings but it was not until October 1964 that an offer worth considering was made.
In anticipation of the sale of Cheltenham being finalised, land for the new centre was sought. At the same time a delegation was sent abroad to secure information on the most up to date trends in residential facilities for the intellectually handicapped.
Southland Ltd. took up their option on the Cheltenham land on December 23rd 1965 in order to build a shopping centre called "Southland".
During the night of June 10th 1966 fire destroyed the Brothers residence at Yarra View. Fortunately there was no loss of life but nothing was saved from the flames. The Community used the insurance money from the fire to build a new residence.
A suitable property was found in the north-eastern outer Melbourne suburb of Greensborough. The new special school was given the name Churinga, which is derived from the Aboriginal word "tchuringah" meaning "a sacred place". The purchase of Churinga was finalised on the 9th of August 1966 with the first soil being turned on October 4th 1966.
On June 30th 1967 20 boys arrived in the bus from Cheltenham to Churinga and by the end of July there were 44 boys in residence. A long standing arrangement with the St Mary's Catholic Mothers' Club was fulfilled when about 160 members of the club visited Churinga on the night of the 12th July 1967.
The newly appointed Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr James Knox, blessed and opened Churinga on 20th August 1967 in front of a crowd of over 2,000 people. At Churinga's opening the Minister for Health for the State of Victoria, Mr. V. Dickie said " The Brothers of St John of God are providing magnificent facilities for children from seven to sixteen years and they are giving them wonderful training and the treatment necessary to give them an environment of living together".
By September 1967 the number of boys residing at Churinga had increased to the full complement of 60.
In 1969 the concept of "Normalisation" was introduced and was defined as "Letting the mentally retarded obtain an existence as close to the norm as possible"
The new chapel built at Yarra View was blessed by Archbishop James Knox on 14th November 1970.
In 1970 "Woodleigh" hostel was created. It was an elderly home in the town of Lilydale. The concept was for every resident who has the capacity, and the will, to live more independently, is able to do so.
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In 1971 the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons by the United Nations General Assembly was declared. Churinga opened its doors to a newly established parent support group in 1974 and provided space in the residential for this group, and their young children who had a disability, to meet on a weekly then bi-weekly basis. The support group gradually grew and became an Early Childhood Development team that in the years to come would be known as the Kalparrin Early Intervention Centre
In 1975 THE "C.A.T.C.H. Programme was established at "Raelene hostel".
The aim of Community Aid for Those Caring for the Handicapped (CATCH) was to help parents who very quietly go about their task in life. Children were accommodated at "Raelene" and cared for by volunteers from the community for weekends and during school holidays, for full week periods or when unexpected family crisis arose.
In 1977, a further level of residential living was provided, when "Ashleigh", a five-person cottage, was built in the grounds of "Yarra View". This preparatory hostel, provided experience in a more independent living situation than the main residential complex and was the precursor to a de-institutionalisation process.
The first stage of a small commercial nursery was brought into being in 1978 and was to become "Yarra View Nursery"
Following consultations with the Uniting Church, the Herald Street Parish congregation, the city of Moorabbin and the Rotary Club of Cheltenham, an agreement was drawn up between the St John of God Brothers and the Uniting Church Parish Council to relocate the C.A.T.C.H. program to "Lowry Lodge" on Thursday February 15th 1979. Six residents of Yarra View moved into a house in Lilydale in April of 1980. The process of de-institutionalisation and community living options had begun.
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In 1982 Churinga establishes an Opportunity Shop in "Coolyarra" one of the original homesteads in the Greensborough area and on the site of the Churinga facility.
Eleven residents from Yarra View moved into two houses purchased in the local communities of Lilydale and Chirnside Park in February and October of 1983.
1986: The Intellectual Disabled Persons Services Act was proclaimed by the Victorian Government and was reformed on the basis that "the needs of intellectually disabled persons are best met when the conditions of their everyday life are the same as, or as close as possible to, norms and patterns which are valued in the general community".
Nineteen residents from Yarra View moved into three houses purchased in the local communities of Mooroolbark and Chirnside Park in February and July of 1985. A further twelve residents moved from Yarra View into two houses purchased in the local community of Mooroolbark in February and October of 1986. Twenty residents moved into four houses purchased in the local communities of Mooroolbark and Lilydale in January, April, May and September of 1987. Consultants completed a report recommending options for the remaining clients residing at Yarra View.
Churinga became officially registered, by the Registered Schools Board of the Education Ministry, as the first non-government Special School in December 1987. A further seven residents moved from Yarra View into two houses purchased in the local communities of Mooroolbark and Chirnside Park in March of 1988.
Yarra View's employment services, that comprised the Nursery employing 16 disabled employees, the Industrial Workshop employing 68 disabled employees and the Farm that employed 2 disabled employees was restructured and YES Personnel was established in October 1988 in order to assist individuals to obtain and retain employment in the regular workforce.
1988 witnessed the start of clients, who were wards of the state and who resided permanently at Churinga, relocate to community based living in small group home settings in the local Greensborough area. In March 1988 Churinga became incorporated under the Associations Incorporation Act as St. John of God Churinga Inc. The remaining twelve residents at Yarra View were relocated into community living in 1989.
Hazel Hawke, the Prime Ministers wife, visited Churinga in May 1990. Churinga provided educational services to 56 students aged between 6-18 years (36 students were also boarders). Specialist pre-vocational training programs were provided to more senior students to encourage them to live and work in the community.
Due to financial difficulties and a call to separate residence and teaching facilities, Churinga Special School and boarding facilities was closed in December 1990. This closure impacted on 55 students and their families, and 70 staff involved in the social work, residential and teaching fields.
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August 1991 saw the development of the Mobile Accommodation Support Team (MAST) which was designed to assist clients that had relocated from Yarra View farm into the community, to live and be supported in more independent settings. This was the start to what is now the Outreach service operating from Mooroolbark
In October 1991 Churinga opens as a Day Service for people with disabilities over 18 years of age. (18-plus program).
In September 1992 Choices Support Service commenced as a community based Day Service to assist 70 people with disabilities, who recently relocated from a State Institution (Caloola Training Centre) that had closed. Initially operating from Janefield and Kingsbury Training Centres, Choices established operations from a shopfront in Bundoora.
In 1993 all services, St John of God CLASS Inc., St John of God YES Inc. & St John of God Churinga Support Services Inc. were amalgamated under the direction of a single Board of Directors and to incorporate under a single entity named St John of God Services Victoria Incorporated. This occurred functionally in August 1993 and legally in June 1994.
Churinga Employment Support Service (CHESS) was established in July 1993 as a specialist employment support service for young job seekers with a disability. CHESS was set up in Eltham and later relocated to the Churinga site.
The Victoria Administration Office relocated from the Yarra View property to suite 5, 96 Manchester Rd Mooroolbark in the December of 1993.
A third Opportunity Shop, complimenting the other two shops at Wandin and Greensborough was opened in South Croydon in June 1994.
A property was identified and purchased in Mt Evelyn in April 1994 in order for the Nursery to be relocated from Yarra View. The relocation occurred in June of 1994 and by September 1994 the Yarra View property was closed. In 1995 the sale of Yarra View to the Heritage Golf and Country Club Pty Ltd was finalised.
As of April 1995 Choices relocated to the newly purchased and renovated premises at 189 St Helena Rd Greensborough.
Janefield Training Centre Pottery Program, complete with resident art instructor and pottery kiln was relocated to Churinga in the latter part of 1995.
In response to need and requests, an Accommodation service initially supporting 2 clients was established in the Northern Metropolitan Region in 1996. This was the precursor to what is now the North West Accommodation Service.
Brimbank Support Service was established in 1997 as a result of responding to the need to establish new Day Services in the Western Metropolitan Region, for people with disabilities moving on from a school setting. Initially Brimbank operated from temporary premises at Sunshine and Deer Park whilst a purpose built facility was completed.
St John of God Services also developed Respite Services during 1997 with a weekend/holiday service and a weekday program starting its operations in July 1997 from the Choices facility in Greensborough. Choices also established a crisis response function, to compliment the Respite Services, in 1998.
A fourth Opportunity Shop was opened at the Burnt Bridge Shopping Centre in Croydon in October of 1997.
On the 8th of March of 1998 a new model of Mission was introduced to the Australasian Province. Mission Service Managers were appointed to resource all services in the Mission of Hospitality. Later that year YES Personnel relocated from Mooroolbark to the centre of Ringwood in September.
In 1998 St John of God Services successfully tendered to the Department of Human Services to develop an Accommodation and Support Service, also in the Western Metropolitan Region.
In order to meet the retirement needs of the clients supported by CLASS a new service called the "Archway Program" was developed. This program commenced in March 1999 and was funded by a one off grant from the Department of Human Services and from a generous bequest from the late Archie McNeill.
June of 1999 witnessed Brimbank Support Service relocate into a purpose built facility in Sydenham after spending nearly two years at the Deer Park Hunt Club. Brimbank was officially opened by the Archbishop of Melbourne in April of 2000.
North West Accommodation was officially established as a separate service on July 1999 as a result of realigning services between Choices and CHESS.
The first "Spirit Linking" conference of some 100 delegates from the English speaking countries within the Hospitaller Order of St John of God was held in Sydney in May 2000 In 2000 two delegations travelled to China and India to conduct training in approaches to Intellectual Disability. As a result of an ageing and retiring client workforce and a strong competitive industry in December of 2000 the Nursery at Mt Evelyn was sold.
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In January 2001, as a result of successful tendering to the Department of Human Services, CLASS expanded its service with the establishment of two additional purpose built group homes located in Bayswater and Blackburn. August 2001 saw a realignment of services that separated Choices day and respite services. As a result of successful tendering to the Department of Human Services in February 2002 North West Accommodation expanded its service with the establishment of two additional purpose built group homes located in Macleod and Reservoir.
The annual Charity Golf Day was conducted at the Heritage Golf & Country Club for the first time in March 2002. This is on the site of what was the Yarra View farm. The previous Charity Golf Day had been held at the Chirnside Country Club in 2000 whilst the Heritage Golf & Country Club was under construction.
The second "Spirit Linking" conference was held in Dublin, Ireland in May 2002 with over 130 people from 16 countries attending. Following this conference, delegates from the Australasian Province had the opportunity to "walk in the footsteps" of St John of God in Granada, Spain.
St John of God Services hosts a delegation from the Beijing Children's Welfare Institute in May 2002. As a result of ageing and increasingly frail clients Choices Day Service relocate from the St Helena site to the Churinga site in June 2002.
In February 2003 a National Board of Directors was appointed that has responsibility for all services in Victoria and New South Wales. St John of God Services celebrate its Golden Jubilee for 50 years of providing services in Victoria in August 2003.
In December 2003 The Archway Program at Jamieson House relocated from Mt Evelyn to a community facility in Mooroolbark. The Outreach service also relocated to this community centre.
With extra funding provided by the Department of Human Services, the Respite services expanded its operations with the addition of a purpose built 5 bedroom facility in the Northern suburbs in August 2005
CLASS expanded its service in December 2005 to include supporting 4 young adolescent people that had been permanently in Respite services.
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