Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2018L00053:body:0:p16
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2018L00053
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 39111–41806

an old ship, the 'Vernon', was anchored off the northeast corner of the island as a nautical training ship for homeless or orphaned boys. In addition to nautical skills, the boys were taught trades such as tailoring, carpentry, shoe and sail making. They also undertook the formidable task of getting the island's vegetable gardens in order, planting fruit and ornamental trees and levelling and sowing the recreation and drill ground. For this later task 250 tons of soil was transported from Woolwich by punt. This photograph shows a small group of the boys working in a vegetable garden on the island.
    Figure 12: Photograph of young boys from training ship "Sobraon" (1898)
    This photograph was taken in 1898. It shows a group of boys from the second of the training ships, the 'Sobraon,' with their pet emu on the island's recreation ground where they played cricket, rounders, football and other games. In the background is the boathouse, which was associated with the 'Sobraon'. The chimney and belltower of the convict built Engineers' and Blacksmiths' Shop (Building 138) are also visible.

Conditions for the girls were overcrowded, particularly cold in winter, and the buildings still bore too close a resemblance to a prison to be in any way comfortable. During the first few years their treatment was appallingly harsh and in November 1873 the school was reported to be in a state of insurrection. This was addressed by the appointment of a new Matron in 1875 who restored order and treated the girls with respect.
In 1879 the reformatory was closed and this freed up buildings for the industrial school but the extra accommodation was soon compromised by the construction of the Sutherland Dock. The industrial school remained until 1888 when it was moved to the former Roman Catholic Orphanage at Parramatta.
At the same time as the reformatory and industrial school were accommodated on the island, an old ship, the Vernon, was anchored off its northeast corner and was used to house delinquent and orphaned boys. In 1890 the Vernon was replaced by the Sobraon, which remained there until 1911. The Sobraon was a much larger ship and was able to accommodate 500 boys. The boys were segregated from the girls, and, later, from the prisoners at Biloela Gaol. They were taught trades such as tailoring, carpentry, shoe and sail making and space was made available on the island for them to grow vegetables. A patch of land on the apron east of Biloela House (Building 22) was used as their recreation area (see Figure 12) and a swimming enclosure was later added. However, subsequent development on the island has removed all visible evidence of their existence.

A Gaol Again