One of the most advanced residential centres for mentally handicapped children in Australia, at the time of opening in Greensborough in 1967, the St. John of God centre, Churinga, off Diamond Creek Rd, Greensborough opened in July of that year.
The centre was moved from Cheltenham to make way for Southland. It provided residential care for over 300 mentally handicapped boys in since it was established in 1953. Run by the St. John of God Brothers.
It provided residential care for boys with a developmental disability aged 7 to 16 years old. Some girls were admitted as day students in the later years of operation. It operated 1967-1990.
When Kalparrin Pre-School was first established in 1974, for families of children with disabilities, it operated out of a cottage at Churinga.
In 2004 Steve Herbert MP initiated a community-service award program for young people. Among those recognised was Rodney Reece of Churinga Support Service, for his work in ceramics and the arts.
From 2010 it operates as an employment support service and other services for people with a disability.
Image: View of Churinga, 1978. Yarra Plenty Regional Library
