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Government inquiries and apologies have highlighted the role of non-government organisations in adoptions, and in the provision of welfare more generally in Australian history.
Faith-based organisations have also played a considerable role through a variety of outreach activities established by parent churches. In some areas, more general citizens’ committees formed, such as benevolent societies, ladies’ aid committees, and so on.
In the nineteenth century, churches were sometimes the only organisations that offered assistance to Australian families. Governments began to take a greater interest in social welfare from the mid- to late-1900s. Church organisations continued to offer a wide range of welfare services in addition to those provided by the states.
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New South Wales
Bathurst Maternity and Rescue Home (c.1890–1919)
Belhaven Home for Mothers and Babies, Bellevue Hill (1942–48)
Benevolent Asylum, Sydney (1821–1901)
Replaced by the Royal Hospital for Women, PaddingtonBethesda Home for Waiting Mothers, Camperdown (1904–76)
Bethesda Maternity Hospital (1957–73)
Preceded by Hopeleigh Maternity Home, succeeded by Stead HouseBurwood Maternity Home (1898–1910)
Preceded by Newtown Maternity and Rescue HomeCarramar, Turramurra, Sydney (1961–79)
Cicada Home (1911–30’s)
Corelli Hospital for Women, Marrickville, Sydney (1919–c.45)
Crown Street Women’s Hospital, Sydney (1893–1983)
Eastwood Home for Mothers and Babies, Eastwood (1915–22)
Fairfield Hospital, Fairfield, Sydney (1983–present)
Hillcrest Mothers’ Hospital, Newcastle (1933–77)
Preceded by Maryville Mothers’ HospitalHillside Home for Mothers and Babies, Sydney (1913–20)
Home for Mothers with Infants, Croydon (1909–11?)
Home for Sick Infants, Paddington (1907–13)
Possibly transferred to Hillside Home for Mothers and BabiesHome of Hope for Friendless and Fallen Women, Newtown (1883–1904)
Succeeded by the South Sydney Women’s HospitalHopeleigh Maternity Home (c.1910–56)
Succeeded by the Bethesda Maternity HomeHopewood, Bowral (1944–70)
Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool, Sydney (1813–present)
Manly Hospital, Manly, Sydney (1896–present)
Maryville Mothers' Hospital, Newcastle (1924–33)
Previously Newcastle Maternity and Rescue Home, succeeded by Hillcrest Mothers’ HospitalMater Misericordiae Hospital, Crows Nest, Sydney (1906–82)
Montrose Maternity Hospital, Burwood (c.1920–c.35)
Myee, Arncliffe (1926–70’s)
Nepean Hospital, Kingswood, Sydney (1895–present)
Newcastle Maternity and Rescue Home, Newcastle (1897–1924)
Later re-named Maryville Mothers’ HospitalNewtown Maternity and Rescue Home, Newtown, Sydney (1892–98)
Succeeded by Burwood Maternity HomeOur Lady of Mercy Home, Waitara (1928–77)
Queen Victoria Hospital for Women and Babies, Annandale, Sydney (1895–1976)
Rescued Sisters’ Home, North Broken Hill (1898–1917)
Rockdale Babies Home, Rockdale (1894–1976)
Royal Hospital for Women, Paddington, Sydney (1901–present)
Preceded by Benevolent AsylumRoyal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, Sydney (1885–present)
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, Sydney (1882–present)
Royal South Sydney Hospital, Zetland, Sydney (1913–2003)
Runnymede Hospital, Grafton (1910–68)
Santa Marina, Waverley (1919–30?)
Scarba House for Children, Bondi (1965–86)
Preceded by Scarba Welfare House for ChildrenScarba Welfare House for Children (1920–65)
Preceded by Scarba Welfare House for Women and Children, succeeded by Scarba House for ChildrenScarba Welfare House for Women and Children (1917–20)
Succeeded by Scarba Welfare House for ChildrenShaftesbury Home for Babies and Mothers (1914–15)
South Sydney Women's Hospital, Newtown, Sydney (1905–76)
Preceded by the Home of Hope for Friendless and Fallen WomenStanmore Rescue Home, Stanmore (1896–1928)
St Anne’s [Hospital], Croydon (1944–51)
Succeeded by St Anne’s NurserySt Anne’s Nursery, Croydon (1952–63)
Preceded by St Anne’s [Hospital], succeeded by St Gerard’s [Hospital]St Anthony’s Home Croydon, Sydney (1925–2003)
Preceded by St Anthony’s PetershamSt Anthony’s Home Petersham, Sydney (1922–25)
Succeeded by St Anthony’s CroydonStead House (1973–c.2007)
Preceded by Bethesda Maternity HospitalSt Gerard’s [Hospital], Croydon (1964–80)
Preceded by St Anne’s NurserySt Margaret’s Home for Unwed Mothers, Darlinghurst (1894–1982)
Attached to St Margaret’s Hospital)St Margaret's Hospital, Darlinghurst, Sydney (1894–1998)
The Infants’ Home, Ashfield (1874–present)
Thirlmere Babies’ Home (1907–13)
Tresillian North Home, Sydney (1927–present)
Tresillian Petersham, Sydney (1921–97)
Tresillian Vaucluse, Sydney (c.1935–68)
Tresillian Wollstonecraft, Sydney (1940–present)
Villa Maria, East Maitland (1886–present)
Waitara Foundling Home, Waitara (1898–1927)
Wollongong Hospital, Wollongong (1908–present)
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Northern Territory
Adoption in the NT
The history of healthcare, including maternity care, in the NT is substantially different to the rest of Australia. Any initial services were completely disrupted by World War II evacuations. After the war, no doctors were permitted to work in private practice until 1955. Adoptions that took place prior to 1955 would have been handled through the NT Administration. Conditions were rudimentary and took many years to become re-established; it wasn’t until 1966 that a specialist in obstetrics and gynaecology was appointed.
The peak years for closed adoptions in Australia was 1971, with more than 8,000 registered in the rest of the nation but only 68 in the NT. It is highly likely that because the NT was such a small community, many unmarried mothers went interstate to have their babies.
Ellen Kettle, Health services in the Northern Territory: A history, 1824–1970, 2 vols, Northern Australia Research Unit, Australian National University, Darwin, 1991.Receiving Home, Alice Springs (1959–66)
Receiving Home, Darwin (1957–61)
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Queensland
Boothville Mothers Hospital, Brisbane (1924–94)
Brisbane Women’s Hospital (1938–67)
Preceded by Lady Bowen Hospital, succeeded by Royal Brisbane Women’s HospitalCairns Hospital, Cairns (1912–present)
Cairns Private Hospital, Cairns (1951–present)
Church of England Rescue Home, West End Brisbane (1894–98)
Succeeded by St Mary’s Home, TaringaHoly Cross Home, Wooloowin, Brisbane (1904–73)
Formerly Industrial School for GirlsHoly Cross Retreat (1889–1978)
Lady Bowen Hospital (1867-1938)
Preceded by Queensland Lying-In Hospital, succeeded by Brisbane Women’s HospitalLister Private Hospital, Mackay (1909–present)
Mackay Base Hospital (1872–present)
Formerly the Mackay Hospital and the Mackay District HospitalMater Health Services, South Brisbane (1906–present)
Mater Hospital, Mackay (1927–present)
Mater Hospital, Townsville (1945–present)
Nambour Hospital, Nambour, Sunshine Coast (1930–present)
Queensland Lying-In Hospital (1864–67)
Succeeded by Lady Bowen HospitalRoyal Brisbane Women’s Hospital (1967–present)
Preceded by Brisbane Women’s HospitalSt Mary’s Home, Taringa (1898–1919)
Preceded by Church of England Rescue Home, succeeded by St Mary’s Home, ToowongSt Mary’s Home, Toowong, Brisbane (1919–91)
Preceded by St Mary’s Home, TaringaThe Townsville Hospital, Douglas (1882–present)
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South Australia
Adelaide Maternity Home (1893–1914)
Preceded by Rescued Sisters’ Home, succeeded by McBride Maternity HospitalKate Cocks Methodist Home for Babies and Unmarried Mothers, Brighton, Adelaide (1954–76)
Methodist Home for Babies and Unmarried Mothers, Brighton, Adelaide (1937–54)
Succeeded by the Kate Cocks Methodist Home for Babies and Unmarried MothersMcBride Maternity Hospital, Medindie, Adelaide (1914–75)
Formerly Adelaide Maternity HomeQueen’s Home, Adelaide (1902–39)
Succeeded by Queen Victoria Maternity HospitalQueen Victoria Maternity Hospital, Adelaide (1939–66)
Preceded by Queen’s Home, succeeded by Queen Victoria HospitalQueen Victoria Hospital, Adelaide (1966–89)
Preceded by Queen Victoria Maternity HospitalRescued Sisters Home, Adelaide (1890–93)
Much of its work was taken over by Adelaide Maternity HomeSt Joseph’s Refuge, Adelaide (1868–2001)
The Babies’ Home, Walkerville (1912–45)
The House of Mercy and Retreat for Women, Adelaide (1881-1974)
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Tasmania
Anchorage Home, Hobart (1889–1920)
Elim Maternity Hospital, Hobart (1897–1973)
Glen Dhu Babies’ Home (c. 1907–11)
Gore Street Hospital, Hobart (1955–80)
Home of Mercy, New Town, Hobart (1890–c.1953)
Hope Cottage (1887–1900?)
Karadi Home, Launceston (1960–80)
Attached to Queen Victoria HospitalLying-in Home, Hobart (1888–1900)
Queen Alexandra Hospital for Women, Battery Point, Hobart (1905–80)
Queen’s Orphan Asylum, New Town, Hobart (1833–79)
Queen Victoria Hospital, Hobart (See Karadi Home)
Rock Lynn House, Launceston (c.1895–1960)
Royal Hobart Hospital, Hobart (1804–present)
The Magdalen Home, Sandy Bay, Hobart (1893–1974)
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Victoria
Avonhurst Private Hospital, South Melbourne (1929–54)
Ballarat Female Refuge (1867–1921)
Amalgamated into Ballarat Town and City Mission Rescue and Children’s HomeBallarat Town and City Mission Rescue and Children’s Home, Ballarat (1921–41)
Preceded by Ballarat Female RefugeBeaconsfield Babies’ Home, Melbourne (1915–46)
Berry Street Babies’ Home and Hospital, Melbourne (1964–75)
Preceded by The Foundling Hospital and Infants’ HomeBethany Babies’ Home, Geelong (1928–77)
Formerly Geelong Female RefugeCarlton Refuge (1854–1949)
Geelong Female Refuge (1868–1928)
Succeeded by Bethany Babies’ HomeGirls’ Memorial Home, Fairfield, Melbourne (1922–73)
Grattan Street Home for Unwed Mothers See St Joseph's Receiving Home, Carlton, Melbourne
Hartnett House, Brunswick, Melbourne (1955–82)
Kedesh Maternity Home, Kew, Melbourne (1926–86)
Melbourne City Mission Maternity Home, Brunswick, Melbourne (1900–55)
Amalgamated into Hartnett HouseMelbourne City Mission Toddlers’ Home, Brunswick, Melbourne (1935–55)
Amalgamated into Hartnett HouseMethodist Babies’ Home, South Yarra (1929–74)
Presbyterian Babies’ Home, East Melbourne (1928–77)
Presbyterian Sisterhood Home, North Fitzroy, Melbourne (1909–78)
St Gabriel’s Babies’ Home, Balwyn (1935–74)
St George’s Hospital, Kew, Melbourne (1912–49)
St Joseph’s Foundling Hospital, Broadmeadows, Melbourne (1901–75)
St Joseph’s Nursery, Kew (1959–76?)
St Joseph’s Receiving Home, Carlton, Melbourne (1902–85)
The Foundling Hospital and Infants' Home, Melbourne (1906–64)
Preceded by the Victorian Infant Asylum and Foundling Hospital, succeeded by Berry Street Babies’ Home and HospitalThe Victorian Infant Asylum, Melbourne (1877–1902)
Succeeded by The Victorian Infant Asylum and Foundling HospitalThe Victorian Infant Asylum and Foundling Hospital, Melbourne (1902–06)
Preceded by the Victorian Infant Asylum, succeeded by The Foundling Hospital and Infants’ HomeThe Harbour, Brunswick, Melbourne (1898–1994)
The Haven Maternity Home, North Fitzroy, Melbourne (1897–1988)
Vaucluse Hospital, Brunswick, Melbourne (1930–56)
Winston Private Hospital, East Malvern, Melbourne (1942–56)
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Western Australia
Alexandra Home for Women, Highgate (1916–56)
Cornelie Home, Highgate, Perth (1898–1903)
Maternity program transferred to The Open Door 1903Devonleigh Maternity Home, Peppermint Grove (1931–77)
Female Home, Perth (1851–1909)
Succeeded by Women’s HomeHillcrest Maternity Home, North Fremantle (1922–74)
Preceded by The Open DoorHome of the Good Shepherd (for ‘Destitute Women and Girls’) (1902–79)
House of Mercy (1891–1916)
Succeeded by Alexandra Home for WomenKing Edward Memorial Hospital, Subiaco (1916–present)
Ngala Mothercraft Home and Training Centre, Kensington (1956–89)
St Anne’s Hospital (1937–present)
St Gerard’s Hospital (1944–c.72)
St John of God Hospital, Subiaco (1898–present)
St Margaret’s Hostel (1918–71)
St Vincent’s Foundling Home, Subiaco (1914–71)
The Open Door, North Fremantle (1903–22)
Preceded by Cornelie Home, succeeded by Hillcrest Maternity HomeWomen’s Home, Fremantle (1909 - )
Preceded by Female Home