Redfern Aboriginal Children's Services, Heritage children's services center in Redfern, Australia.
Redfern Aboriginal Children's Services is a care center housed in a Victorian red-brick building on George Street. It provides early childhood education, family support, and specialized assistance tailored for Aboriginal children and their families in Sydney.
The house at 18 George Street was built between 1873 and 1875 for solicitor John Williamson, who lived there until 1889; by 1890 it was called Denholm and occupied by Frederick Chapman, prothonotary. Redfern Municipal Council merged with the City of Sydney in 1949, and the 1948 Town Plan would have demolished the house had it been carried out. The building was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 13 July 2015.
The name Redfern comes from William Redfern's 1817 land grant; the area was earlier called Robert's Farm and Boxley's Swamp. The suburb drew Aboriginal people from across New South Wales, and in the 1960s and 1970s residents faced an unofficial 10pm curfew under which they could be arrested without charge. Organisations founded here include the Aboriginal Legal Service, the Aboriginal Medical Service (July 1971, co-founded by Shirley Smith, Mum Shirl), the Aboriginal Housing Company, Black Theatre and Murawina.
The site has limited visiting hours since it primarily functions as an active care facility and service center. It is best to call ahead or arrange your visit beforehand to ensure access.
The house was built between 1873 and 1875 for solicitor John Williamson, who lived here until 1889; by 1890 it was spelled Denholm and occupied by Frederick Chapman, a prothonotary, or court clerk. A 1948 Redfern Town Plan would have demolished all the suburb's housing, this house included, but was never implemented.
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