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

Black & white photo

WINLATON 1956 - 1993 • Established in 1951 with the name “Winlaton” the property was a children’s home run by the Mission of St James & St John. • By 1953 it was acquired and ran as a state facility under the same name (Winlaton), for female offenders and for girls under protection orders - otherwise known as ‘wards of the state’. • By the time of its closure in 1993, it was operating under the name “Nunawading Youth Residential Centre”, housing both males and females. WINLATON YOUTH TRAINING CENTRE By 1956, the state had constructed a purpose-built facility at Winlaton which would cater for both girls, and young women, who were under either a protection order/ward or who were female juvenile offenders. Some of the juvenile offenders were transferred to Winlaton from other facilities such as Turana, originally called the Royal Park Depot, due to overcrowding, or from convents. With the new facilities Winlaton, supposedly, could offer a separate training, education and treatment regime for those girls or young women who had been admitted under protection orders separately to those who had been committed under a custodial order. With this focus on training and rehabilitation the facility had 3 residential sections, or cottages. A Winlaton “trainee”, showing signs of good behaviour and progress, could be promoted up through any of the 3 cottages and likewise demoted down with bad behaviour. However, by 1957 one of the 3 cottages at Winlaton housed sentenced offenders and wards of state together. A 4th hostel – named ‘Leawarra’ - was added in 1959 which functioned as a reward, or privilege, for residents deemed worthy. Of note, this hostel kept offenders segregated from wards of the state. Juvenile offenders were termed as “trainees” through the Social Welfare Act 1960. By 1985 Winlaton was restricted to only providing programs for young offenders. CLOSURE OF WINLATON The population of Winlaton peaked in the mid-1970s with approximately 100 “trainees” and this population then declined to approximately 25 by 1991 when it closed under the name “Winlaton”. https://www.findingrecords.dhhs.vic.gov.au/collectionresultspage/Winlaton https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/vic/biogs/E000192b.htm

Caloola Training Centre (1962–92) Sunbury Asylum (1879 - 1905); Hospital for the Insane (1905–34); Mental Hospital (1934–85) https://www.findingrecords.dhhs.vic.gov.au/searchresults?q=CALOOLA%20TRAINING%20CENTRE

This photograph is of unknown origin but was identified in a collection of Mayday Hills Beechworth photographs. Research has failed to identify a connection with this individual and the Mayday Hills Hospital. TRIM NUMBER DRC/18/1022Black and White photograph mounted in cardboard frame. The back of the photograph has the name Joe White. In darker handwriting is Best Wishes from "The Original" The photographers stamp is of David S King Photographer Moore St East, Ararat.

Stamp one: small wooden handle and wooden mount, with rubberised wording surface. Stamp wording reads "Karingal"

Stamp three: wooden handle, metal casing containing the operating system for a rotating belt of numbers which can be changed to record the current date. There is a rubberised stamp surface, with wording that reads 'RECEIVED. WINLATON". A window for a date appears in the centre between the two words. The date on this stamp is set to '8 December 1992'. This is the day after the Winlaton institution was permanently closed.

Stamp four: wooden handle, metal casing containing the operating system for a rotating belt of numbers which can be changed to record the current date.The rotating date mechanism on this stamp appears to have dropped out of its correct position within the casing, as the numbers are slightly off set and out of place. There is a rubberised stamp surface, with wording that reads 'RECEIVED. WINLATON". A window for a date appears in the centre between the two words.

Stamp two: wooden handle, rubberised wording surfaced mounted on a plastic surface.Wording reads "Winlaton, 186 Springvale Rd, Nunawading, 3131