Lisa Lodge Girls' Hostel history in brief
In 1970, the non-denominational Lisa Lodge Girls Hostel was established to provide counselling and residential care for young women aged 15 to 19 years. The hostel was established by a group of eight Ballarat women who were honorary probation officers (HPOs) and had contact with vulnerable young women in the community.
Young women between 15 and 19 years of age were referred by schools, children's homes, the Salvation Army, Children's Protection Society, the Social Welfare Department, courts and the police.
The committee ran the hostel and prioritised early support to prevent offending or contact with the courts. Girls from troubled home situations were able to remain in Ballarat, continue schooling or employment, and remain near friends and family.
In 1973, Lisa Lodge Committee became a company.
In 1970–76, the lodge accommodated more than 150 girls, about half state wards or girls on probation, and the company bought another property at 214 Armstrong Street, South Ballarat.
In 1976, the Lisa Lodge Committee established a transition facility (Hayeslee House) to house seven early adolescent girls with special needs, after closure of the Sisters of Nazareth children's home (Nazareth House) in Mill Street, Ballarat. Initially Hayeslee House was established in a property loaned temporarily by Ballarat Children's Home.
In May 1977 Hayeslee House was transferred to premises in Clarkson Street, Sebastopol.
In 1994, the original Lisa Lodge Hostel closed and Hayeslee House was renamed Lisa Lodge.
In 2000–02, Lisa Lodge (nee Hayeslee) continued specialised residential care for young people with complex needs.
The agency also conducted a family adolescent support program using local caregivers, and high-risk adolescent programs in Ballarat and Horsham.
The agency also managed the Glendinning House program providing crisis accommodation and housing advocacy for women over 21 years, as well as the young persons’ housing program, and Gwen’s Place women's refuge.
In July 2012, Lisa Lodge merged with Berry Street to strengthen its services in the Grampians Region.
Warning about distressing information
This guide contains information that some people may find distressing. If you experienced abuse as a child or young person in an institution mentioned in this guide, it may be a difficult reading experience. Guides may also contain references to previous views, policies and practices that are regrettable and do not reflect the current views, policies or practices of the department or the State of Victoria. If you find this content distressing, please consult with a support person either from the Department of Health and Human Services or another agency.
Disclaimer
Please note that the content of this administrative history is provided for general information only and does not purport to be comprehensive. The department does not guarantee the accuracy of this administrative history. For more information on the history of child welfare in Australia, see Find & .
Source
Archival Services agency history files.
List of records held by the department
For information relating to the central management of care leavers and wards of state, please consult the guide to Central department wardship and out-of-home care records. These collections date back to the 1860s and include ward registers, index cards and ward files.
Child information
Photographs, Lisa Lodge and Warrawee (c.1970s–90)
Photograph and photo-negatives; Unappraised
Content: This collection comprises black and white and colour photographs in albums, of children residing at Warrawee Reception Centre and Lisa Lodge Girls Hostel in Ballarat.
The informal photographs and some negatives depict both children in residential care and respite care, at the residential facilities and on organised camps and day outings. The photographs Include portraits. No children are identified by name in the photos’ inscriptions. There are no dates on photographs.
- Lisa Lodge: 23 loose album pages and one album
- six albums: children participating in organised camps/outings while in care
The list of subjects and activities are as follows, in album order:
- bike riding, playing in snow
- small aircraft, camping, bush walking
- birthday party, children playing, swimming at the beach
- portraits of young children
- children with farm animals, riding motorbikes, swimming at the beach, Christmas celebrations
- bush walking, rock climbing, swimming at the beach, swimming at the pool, camping, portraits – negatives
- children swimming at the pool, portraits, children playing, swimming at the pool and water slides, Christmas, Beach Visit
- Sovereign Hill excursion, birthday celebrations, picnics, portraits of children, children playing
Departmental administration
Staffing Priorities Committee, homes and hostels files (1976–83)
File; Temporary
Content: This collection comprises files documenting the recommendations for staffing positions for homes and hostels, correspondence between the Minister of Community Welfare Services and senior officers as well as funding information. The Staffing Priorities Committee made recommendations to the minister regarding priority of staffing positions required.
Individual homes and hostels are listed accompanied by comprehensive material concerning each home, family group home or hostel.
There are also minutes from the approved children's homes and hostels meetings from 1978–80.
The specific file(s) relating to this home dates from 1977–78.
Note that these records have had all permanent material removed and placed into the collection listed below.
Staffing Priorities Committee, homes and hostels, correspondence, guidelines for operation and minutes of meetings (1976–80)
File; Unappraised
Content: This collection contains the permanent material removed from the collection listed above. These records comprise ministerial correspondence, and Staffing Priority Committee minutes and list of members.
The Staffing Priorities Committee made recommendations to the minister regarding priority of staffing positions required.
Reviewed 10 August 2016