On 22 May 1960, nearly 400 people attended an unusual event for Healesville.
A Home for Aged Russian Refugees was officially opened in Mt Riddell Road by His Grace, the Archbishop of Melbourne, prior to which Russian Orthodox priest, Archbishop Savva conducted a religious service, assisted by a Russian choir.
As the ‘Healesville News’ reported, “it was a strange experience to hear the old Russian hymns, beautifully sung, ringing out amid the wooded Australian hills, and to the smell of incense in the country air”.
Mr J.J. Dedman, Director of the Resettlement Department of the Australian Council for the World Council of Churches welcomed the guests, including Mr Arthur Calwell, Leader of the Federal
Opposition.
Four elderly people were to be the first to occupy the Home, whilst another six Russian refugees were to be brought from China.
Many of them had experienced hardship and even poverty before coming to Healesville.
The project stemmed from the opening of a home for Russian refugees in Sydney, with the suggestion for the possibility of creating a similar home in Melbourne, with a grant of £4464 ($8928) (later increased to £6696) from the U.N. Refugees Commission.
It happened, in fact, in Healesville because land was donated by a Russian couple, Mr and Mrs Adrezejewski, who themselves were refugees and who lived in Healesville.
Donations of money, amounted to £1200 ($2400), and goods came from local and other sources, including Adelaide Methodist Ladies College and Melbourne Presbyterian Ladies College. Various organisations in Healesville and elsewhere later held fundraising activities in aid of the Russian Welfare Society.
The Home was situated only a few hundred yards from Don Road – Mt Riddell Road corner on a pleasant, well drained site.
It was an attractive building, a feature being the retention of natural wood colours wherever possible on the outside and the inside.
The bedrooms were bright and attractive, and a large sun lounge was provided as well as an excellent kitchen.
The Russians continued to live there until one very sad day in July 1977 when the home was destroyed by fire.
The fire began just after 3pm on 22 July while the eight residents were resting.
Four CFA units quickly arrived on the scene, but the flames had taken hold and little of the building or its furnishings could be saved.
The eight elderly Russians were once again refugees.
Unhesitatingly, the Salvation Army at Cranbrook Lodge Healesville accepted the distressed group.
Eventually they were taken to the Russian Welfare Society’s establishment in Dandenong.
Mrs Jonkoff, President of the Russian Welfare Society, expressed her gratitude to all Healesville people who helped during and after the fire.
She was ‘very touched’ by the assistance given.
So ended a relatively short, but interesting and revealing aspect of Healesville life.
