Potted Histories

Roelands Mission and Chandler Boys’ Farm School

Roelands (1932 – )

Roelands is the name given to the Seven Hills farm property once owned by Mr Albany Bell. Its history in out of home care began in 1932 when the Chandler Boys’ Farm (1932-1937) was established there. The property was later used for the Roelands Native Mission Farm (1938-1975) and Roelands Village (1975-1984). In 2014, Roelands remains as a working farm which has no relationship to its history in out of home care.

More information at https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/wa/biogs/WE00185b.htm

Chandler Boys’ Farm (1932 – 1937)

Chandler Boys’ Farm was established in 1932 on a property at Seven Hills, in Roelands, near Bunbury as a privately-run training centre for unemployed boys aged over 14 years. Some of these youths were settled on farms of their own. The Chandler Boys’ Farm closed in 1937 and the land was used from 1938 for the Roelands Native Mission Farm.

More information at https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/wa/biogs/WE00186b.htm

Roelands Native Mission Farm (1938 – 1975)

Roelands Native Mission Farm was established in 1938 and was run by a council of management with Protestant church associations. It began as a farm for Aboriginal families but by 1941 admitted only Aboriginal children. At first, children under 8 were placed at Roelands, but older children were later placed there. There were 85 boys and girls at Roelands by 1946. Roelands Native Mission Farm was closed in 1975 and a new facility, called Roelands Village, was opened on the same site by the Churches of Christ Federal Aborigines Mission Board Inc.

More information at https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/wa/biogs/WE00187b.htm

Roelands Village (1975 – 1984)

Roelands Village was run by the Churches of Christ Federal Aborigines Mission Board Inc. from 1975, as cottage homes for school-age Aboriginal children from all around the State. Children and young people at Roelands included those placed privately by parents and those who were ‘wards’. Roelands closed in 1984.

More information at https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/wa/biogs/WE00188b.htm

Wollaston (1973 – 1995?)

Wollaston was a Home in Bunbury that was run in 1973 by the Roelands Native Mission Farm and then, from 1975, by the Churches of Christ Federal Aborigines Mission Board Inc. It accommodated up to five Aboriginal children from Roelands Village while they went to school or training in Bunbury. Wollaston later accommodated young people aged 12-16 years and was run by the Departments for Community Welfare (1984-85) Community Services (1985-92) and Community Development (1992-95). By the mid-1990s Wollaston was no longer used for out of home ‘care’.

More information at https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/wa/biogs/WE00248b.htm

Taken from – Find and Connect website at https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/about/ prepared by Debra Rosser, accessed 10 May 2017