Strathmont Centre (GA2744)

The Strathmont Centre was opened in Oakden in March 1971 by The Duke of Edinburgh. The Centre was run by the South Australian Government's Hospitals Department, through Intellectually Retarded Services, later Intellectually Disabled Services.

The Centre provided accommodation and training of people with intellectual disabilities, including children and young people. The aims of the Centre were to give each resident as happy and normal a home life as possible and to enable each resident to develop to his or her full potential. (1) It sought to achieve this by means of Industrial therapy programmes, special schools (run by the Guidance and Special Education Board of the Education Department), special purpose training and activity centred programmes. An occupational therapy centre was later opened at the Centre. (2)

Residents at Strathmont were referred to as 'trainees' and the intent when the Centre was established was to have 450 staff working at the Centre for the 544 trainees.

From 1978 to 1981 Estcourt House became a part of the Strathmont Centre.

By the 2010s the Centre was becoming run down and poorly maintained prompting calls to be made for its closure. After 26 residents had transferred to Community based housing, final closure of the Centre was set for the end of 2014.

The last resident left the Centre on 24 July 2018 and services at the Centre formally ceased.

The site was handed over from the Department of Human Services to Renewal SA on 30 June 2021.

Sources:
(1) GRG146/3
(2) South Australia Parliamentary Paper, no. 21 of 1979, p. 7
, accessed 24/05/2018