Duncan House - Wunan House

The up-market bed and breakfast Duncan House is to become a hostel for Aboriginal students and trainees.

The Wunan Foundation is in the process of buying the facility from Shire President Barbara Johnson and a consortium.

It will be known as Wunan House.

Housing and Works Minister Tom Stephens presented the Wunan Foundation with a cheque for $180,000 at the premises in Coolibah Drive on Wednesday.

This will be joined by funding from ATSIC and Wunan.

The nine-room complex is seen as being in a perfect location for students attending TAFE or the surrounding schools.

Mr Stephens said it would create opportunities for Aboriginal trainees and students from the surrounding region.

He said ATSIC and the Department of Housing and Works were both supporting the Wunan Foundation in the venture.

Wunan plans to operate the hostel initially but is also in negotiations with Aboriginal Hostels.

Mr Stephens said the Wunan Foundation was involved in the training and deployment of Aboriginal people into the workforce through administration of the CDEP-funded traineeship organisation, Kimberley Group Training, attached to Kununurra's TAFE College.

Wunan chairperson Ian Trust accepted the money on behalf of the foundation.

He said: "As many in Kununurra will know, the establishment of a hostel has been the result of years of planning and negotiation.

"It is important that the hostel provides the opportunity to enhance education, training and employment aspirations of Aboriginal people."

Mr Trust said there was a comprehensive planning process being undertaken to give the hostel the best-possible start.

"The purpose of this consultancy is to plan for the hostel's success.

"The consultancy needs to identify target groups who could use the hostel over the next year.

"There has been some previous research work done that suggests that job trainees may benefit from a supportive environment such as a hostel."

He said the hostel had a capacity of 14 beds.

It followed that it could only service a limited number of people at any one time.

"There will undoubtedly be some disappointment that the hostel cannot be all things to all people.

"However, Aboriginal Hostels has advised that it is important that in the first few years the hostel needs to be very clear about the clientele it serves," he said.

The Wunan Foundation plans to make renovations to convert the premises to a hostel.

"It is hoped that the Hostel will open its doors in February or March 2003. The likely costs per person will be $170.00 per week. This includes provision of three meals a day, seven days a week," Mr Trust said.

The hostel will be drug and alcohol free.

There will also be separate male and female rooms.

Mr Trust said it was also possible that the hostel could be for males only or females only.

This would depend on what recommendations were made from the planning process.

Mr Stephens said the Wunan Foundation was established in 1997 to ensure greater Aboriginal participation in the mainstream economy of the region and develop a long-term economic base, for future generations in the East Kimberley.

He said it was intended to achieve this economic base through development of Aboriginal enterprises in the region.