Kahlin Compound facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kahlin Compound Darwin, Northern Territory
Children at the Kahlin Compound in 1921
Kahlin Compound Location in Northern Territory
LGA(s)	City of Darwin
Localities around Kahlin Compound: Mindil Beach Kahlin Compound

Kahlin Compound was a special place in Darwin, Australia, that existed from 1913 to 1939. It was set up for Aboriginal people who had both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal parents. From 1924, children from these families were moved away from their parents and other adults to a different place nearby called Myilly Point. This was part of a sad time in history when many Aboriginal children were taken from their families.

A Difficult History

Setting Up the Compound

In 1913, a man named Walter Baldwin Spencer was in charge of Aboriginal affairs in the Northern Territory. He decided to create the Kahlin Compound. He believed it would solve what he called the "half-caste problem." This meant he wanted to separate children of mixed Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal heritage from their families.

Hundreds of Aboriginal children were taken from their homes. The Kahlin Compound and Half Caste Home was built on Lambell Terrace at Myilly Point. It looked over Mindil Beach in Darwin. Spencer hoped the compound would be self-sufficient. It was meant to provide homes, schooling, and training for each Aboriginal family. The whole area was fenced. Only Aboriginal people and government officials could enter.

Inquiries and Changes

In 1923, the Commonwealth held an investigation. Senator John Newland led this inquiry. He looked into the conditions at the Compound. Newland suggested moving the compound further away from Darwin town. However, this did not happen. Perhaps the people living there were a source of cheap workers.

Another inquiry was set up by the Northern Territory Administrator. This group also suggested a new compound. They also said that children of mixed heritage should be separated from adults. They believed these children should be in a different place. There, they could be disciplined and become part of the wider community.

So, a new "Half-Caste Home" opened at Myilly Point in 1924. Most of the children from Kahlin Compound were moved there.

Closing the Compound

The Kahlin Compound was damaged in a big cyclone in 1937. All the people living there were moved in 1938. They went to the new Bagot Aboriginal Reserve. The Kahlin Compound officially closed in 1939. It was no longer an Aboriginal Reserve after July 3, 1940.

What Happened to the Site?

Later Uses of the Land

The land where Kahlin Compound stood was used in different ways. In 1940, it became an emergency hospital. This was during a meningitis outbreak. Patients stayed in tents. From 1942, it became part of the main Darwin Hospital grounds. The hospital buildings were taken down in the 1990s.

Efforts to Recognize History

In 2003, people tried to get the site listed on the Northern Territory Heritage Register. This would have recognized its important cultural history. However, this attempt was not successful.

In 2017, the Northern Territory Government announced plans for a new museum. It would cost $50 million. The museum would recognize both the hospital and the Kahlin Compound. It aimed to show the site's importance to the Territory's diverse history.

Later that year, asbestos was found at the site. Asbestos is a dangerous material. This meant extra cleaning work was needed. The expensive museum idea was not popular with the community. So, the plans were stopped in 2018.

A New Public Park

By 2021, all the asbestos was removed from the site. The area was then made into a public park. It now has a large children's playground, a skate park, and a basketball court.

See also

• Stolen generations

Images for kids

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  The Kahlin Compound site in 2016