Born in Poland in 1914, Irena Higgins completed her degree in social work at the University of Lwow [Lvov]. Migrating to Australia in 1938, she lived in various places including in Perth, Brisbane and Sydney before moving with her family to Melbourne in 1945. She initially worked at the Victorian Society for Crippled Children. Then in 1952, Irena was employed as a social worker by the Mental Hygiene Division of the Health Commission at Kew Mental Hospital (which included children). She was the first social worker employed by the Victorian Mental Health Authority to work with children with an intellectual disability. She remained at Kew for seventeen years, becoming Senior Social Worker with a staff of three other social workers, a secretary and a number of aides. Two of Irena’s significant innovations at Kew were the establishment of a Parents’ Association, and the development of a network of volunteers trained to work with families in the community. Irena Higgins remained committed to social reform following her retirement in 1984, working actively to establish the first emergency housing in Kew. In 2015, Irena’s daughter Barbara Higgins, and friend Elizabeth Watts, donated a number of her papers to the Kew Historical Society. These documents constitute the Irena Higgins Collection.Black and white photograph of Irena Higgins, donated by her daughter as part of the Irena Higgins Collection.irena higgins, kew mental hospital - willsmere, children's cottages (kew)

Pleasant Creek Colony history in brief Warning about distressing information Patient information Disclaimer Source On this page: Pleasant Creek Colony history in brief Warning about distressing information Patient information Disclaimer Source Pleasant Creek Colony history in brief In 1861, the Pleasant Creek Hospital opened as a medical facility for the population of Stawell and district. Another building was added in 1904, Syme Ward for convalescent patients. In 1933, the facility was replaced by a newly-built hospital in the town of Stawell. In 1934, the Mental Hygiene Department acquired the old Pleasant Creek Hospital site and converted it to accommodate children with disabilities, which became Pleasant Creek Special School. The first residents (18 boys) were admitted in 1937 from Royal Park Depot. At the end of 1937, there were 98 children living at Pleasant Creek. In 1968 the Pleasant Creek Special School was renamed Pleasant Creek Training Centre, caring for people with intellectual disabilities. From the 1950s to the 1980s, there were several building developments: •1957, Lonsdale Unit expanded capacity to 113 •1969, Bellfield and Fyans Units increased numbers to 196 •1977, Alexandra Unit converted to recreational and lecture room facility. •1977, Day Centre, Nurses' Home and Clinical Services Administration buildings •1985, Nara Unit closed for renovations and residents moved to the previous staff living quarters. https://www.findingrecords.dhhs.vic.gov.au/CollectionResultsPage/Pleasant-Creek-Colony

“Queenscliff (three black and white boat/ship themed set), is a depiction of a trio of sailing vessels, and a typical example of Tim Ryan’s process and style / It illustrates three images from separate editions of National Geographic – a much-loved and constantly revisited source of inspiration / Tim has reduced his subject matter to minimal line, managing to capture the form and character of the scene and the people within with delicacy and sensitivity / As is also a common trait, Tim has discarded the idea of a using a title describing the actual scenes in favour of one that holds much greater personal significance / Queenscliff is the site of his family holiday home, hence a place evoking decades of memories connected with water, horizon and water-based activity and interaction.Tim Ryan has worked within the Studio Art Program at Araluen for almost a decade / Araluen is based in the north eastern suburbs of Melbourne (Nillumbik region), that provides accommodation and day services for adults with an intellectual disability / Creating and sharing artwork is one way Araluen participants express their thoughts, personalities and abilities. The art program allows them to develop a sense of achievement and access society as equal and valued participants / Tim puts a great deal of effort into selecting his subject and arranging his page / He immerses himself in the image, studying it thoroughly and sometimes tracing over it with his finger before commencing / He focuses on the different elements and relationships that inspire, bringing out the lines, colours and shapes most fitted for translation into the picture / Favourite references are photo-laden books and magazines covering topics as broad as nature, history, archaeology, exotic foreign lands and all forms of transport.Three black and white drawings of boats/ships in Queenscliff made using watercolor, ink, fine liner, pencil and acrylic on paper. All drawings are black and white in colour with one drawing rendering a boat in warm red/orange and yellow colours. None shown, catalogue label on backdrawings / black & white / ink / boats / ships / queenscliff / araluen / ryan / disability

The Children's Cottages at Kew were first opened in 1887 as the "Idiot Ward" of Kew Asylum. Located on the asylum's grounds, the children's cottages were established to provide separate accommodation for child inmates who had previously been housed with adult patients. Although the Cottages only admitted children as patients, many of those children remained in residence at the Cottages as adults. The function of the institution was to provide accommodation and educational instruction for intellectually disabled children. Some Wards of the State and other various "difficult" children were also admitted.Shortly after opening, the Idiot Ward began functioning separately from the Kew Lunatic Asylum, and became known as the Kew Idiot Asylum from 1887 until c.1929. From 1929 they have been known as the "Children's Cottages, Kew" or alternatively "Kew Cottages Training Centre". The institution was finally closed in July 2008. [Source: Wikipedia, 2016]One of a series of framed historical photographs of the Kew Cottages that once formed part of the collection of the Kew Cottages Historical Society, founded by Dr. Cliff Judge and Fran Van Brummelen in the 1980s. The set contains both copies of originals in other collections such as the Public Record Office Victoria and photographs taken by Dr Judge for his books on intellectual disability in Victoria. The significance of the set of framed photographs is that they provide a curated collection of images of the development of the Cottages over a one hundred year period.Framed photograph, forming part of the Kew Cottages collection, donated by Kew Cottages Historical Society 1987-1993 in 1993. Dr. Judge was a consultant psychiatrist at the cottages for 14 years, as well as an author and vocal advocate for the intellectually disabled and their families."Kew Cottages - 1973 [sic] Boys exercising. Boys of the Cottages. The Superintendent's Office, right (until 1973). Wards 12 and 13 left."kew cottages, dr cliff judge, kew cottages historical society 1987-1993

The Children's Cottages at Kew were first opened in 1887 as the "Idiot Ward" of Kew Asylum. Located on the asylum's grounds, the children's cottages were established to provide separate accommodation for child inmates who had previously been housed with adult patients. Although the Cottages only admitted children as patients, many of those children remained in residence at the Cottages as adults. The function of the institution was to provide accommodation and educational instruction for intellectually disabled children. Some Wards of the State and other various "difficult" children were also admitted.Shortly after opening, the Idiot Ward began functioning separately from the Kew Lunatic Asylum, and became known as the Kew Idiot Asylum from 1887 until c.1929. From 1929 they have been known as the "Children's Cottages, Kew" or alternatively "Kew Cottages Training Centre". The institution was finally closed in July 2008. [Source: Wikipedia, 2016]One of a series of framed historical photographs of the Kew Cottages that once formed part of the collection of the Kew Cottages Historical Society, founded by Dr. Cliff Judge and Fran Van Brummelen in the 1980s. The set contains both copies of originals in other collections such as the Public Record Office Victoria and photographs taken by Dr Judge for his books on intellectual disability in Victoria. The significance of the set of framed photographs is that they provide a curated collection of images of the development of the Cottages over a one hundred year period.Framed photograph, forming part of the Kew Cottages collection, donated by Kew Cottages Historical Society 1987-1993 in 1993. Dr. Judge was a consultant psychiatrist at the cottages for 14 years, as well as an author and vocal advocate for the intellectually disabled and their families."Kew Cottages - Matron Malloy 19..-1944. Matron Molloy of Kew CCE until about 1944"kew cottages, matron maud molloy, kew cottages historical society 1987-1993

The Children's Cottages at Kew were first opened in 1887 as the "Idiot Ward" of Kew Asylum. Located on the asylum's grounds, the children's cottages were established to provide separate accommodation for child inmates who had previously been housed with adult patients. Although the Cottages only admitted children as patients, many of those children remained in residence at the Cottages as adults. The function of the institution was to provide accommodation and educational instruction for intellectually disabled children. Some Wards of the State and other various "difficult" children were also admitted.Shortly after opening, the Idiot Ward began functioning separately from the Kew Lunatic Asylum, and became known as the Kew Idiot Asylum from 1887 until c.1929. From 1929 they have been known as the "Children's Cottages, Kew" or alternatively "Kew Cottages Training Centre". The institution was finally closed in July 2008. [Source: Wikipedia, 2016]One of a series of framed historical photographs of the Kew Cottages that once formed part of the collection of the Kew Cottages Historical Society, founded by Dr. Cliff Judge and Fran Van Brummelen in the 1980s. The set contains both copies of originals in other collections such as the Public Record Office Victoria and photographs taken by Dr Judge for his books on intellectual disability in Victoria. The significance of the set of framed photographs is that they provide a curated collection of images of the development of the Cottages over a one hundred year period.Framed photograph, forming part of the Kew Cottages collection, donated by Kew Cottages Historical Society 1987-1993 in 1993. Dr. Judge was a consultant psychiatrist at the cottages for 14 years, as well as an author and vocal advocate for the intellectually disabled and their families.Kew Cottages - Yard 1926/27. The yard of what was previously ward 26/27. New unit 7/8. kew cottages, dr cliff judge, kew cottages historical society 1987-1993