Bedford Park Boys’ Training Centre

From Finding Your Own Way Home – A guide to records of children’s homes in South Australia:

In 1961 the Children’s Welfare and Public Relief Board took over a 400-acre (162 hectares) property and a range of buildings which had been under the control of the Hospitals Department and used as a sanatorium for patients with tuberculosis. This new site provided temporary accommodation for girls from Vaughan House from July 1961 through to June 1962. In 1962 those girls were moved into the new Vaughan House building. Selected boys from the Magill Reformatory were also housed at Bedford Park. All were above school age. They resided in a distinct boys section from October 1961 until October 1965. By placing the overflow of girls and boys at Bedford Park, the Board eased pressure on its existing institutions while it completed the development of new premises for children under its care. While at Bedford Park boys trained in farming, gardening and general property maintenance.

The home could accommodate up to 50 boys at one time.

With the planned occupation of a new Senior Boys Institution at Magill, and the opening of the Windana Remand Centre at Glandore and the Brookway Park institution for junior boys at Campbelltown, all boys were moved away from Bedford Park in October 1965. The land and buildings were taken over by the Flinders University of South Australia.

If anyone has any photos or information relating to this home could you please send it to CLAN.