Glastonbury was established as a children’s home in 1854 as a result of a public meeting called by William Hingston Baylie, the Mayor of Geelong. The local community was concerned about the number of orphaned, abandoned and neglected children and believed that it was most important that Geelong looked after it's own children
The crisis for children had occurred as one outcome of the gold rush when parents or fathers rushed to the gold fields to make their fortune. In addition public health measures were rudimentary and as a result the mortality rate among the population was high, often resulting in children being orphaned.
Public facilities responding to the care of children were undeveloped. Destitute, neglected and orphaned children were placed in prisons or large children’s homes in Melbourne. Often these facilities were prison hulks moored beside the banks of the Yarra River.
The community of Geelong regarded the establishment of Glastonbury as fulfilling a social and moral responsibility to children and their families. A Geelong businessman, James Austin contributed as a co-founder and patron alongside William Baylie, and many other local residents made contributions to local fundraising efforts.
Initially, Glastonbury was established as the Geelong Orphan Asylum in the blue stone building at Herne Hill, now used as a museum for the Geelong Cement Works. In 1934 the children’s home was transferred to Belmont, as a result of industrial pollution and building disrepair, to a site now operated by Christian College.
