Call for Witnesses

Koffels Solicitors & Barristers would like to hear from people who were held at the Magill Youth Training Centre in South Australia, and from former staff, family members, and others who saw or experienced abuse there. Whether you were there in the 1960s or the 2000s, your account may help you or another survivor seek justice and compensation.

This page provides general information to help former residents understand their options. It does not make findings or allegations against any individual. Where it describes conditions at Magill, it reflects accounts from former residents and public reporting.

About the Magill Youth Training Centre

The Magill Youth Training Centre, in Adelaide’s eastern suburbs, operated for more than 140 years as South Australia’s main institution for boys in state care and in juvenile detention. It opened in 1869 as the Magill Industrial School and closed in September 2012, when a new youth training centre at Cavan replaced it.

South Australia’s Children in State Care Commission of Inquiry, led by former judge Ted Mullighan, examined the sexual abuse of children in state care between 2004 and 2008 and reported in 2008.

Over its history, the centre was known by several names. Former residents may remember it as:

• Magill Industrial School
• the Boys Reformatory
• McNally Training Centre
• South Australian Youth Training Centre (SAYTC)
• Magill Training Centre, or Magill Youth Training Centre.

What former residents have described

Former residents have described physical and verbal abuse by staff, sexual abuse, harsh punishment, and a lack of care for young people who were already dealing with trauma, mental health issues, and family breakdown. Some have also described overcrowding, poor conditions, and inadequate medical care.

Many people who were held at Magill as boys have never told anyone what happened to them. If that is you, you are not alone, and it is not too late to speak up.

Can you still make a claim?

In most cases, yes.

• No time limit for most abuse claims. In 2018, South Australia removed the time limit on civil claims for child sexual abuse and certain physical and psychological abuse. In most cases it is not too late, although individual circumstances still matter. Read more about limitation periods for historical abuse claims.
• The State is responsible. The South Australian Government ran Magill and owed a duty of care to the children it held.
• Civil claims usually pay more. A civil claim is assessed on the actual harm you suffered, including to your health, relationships, and ability to work, and it has no cap. Most claims settle confidentially before a hearing.
• The National Redress Scheme is an alternative, with limits. The South Australian Government participates in the National Redress Scheme, but payments are capped at $150,000, and many are significantly lower. Accepting a payment permanently extinguishes your right to a civil claim, and applications close on 30 June 2027. Get independent legal advice before applying.

For more on claims involving youth detention and juvenile justice centres across Australia, see our guide to youth detention centre abuse compensation.

Were you a witness?

We would also like to hear from former staff, residents, and family members who saw abuse or mistreatment at Magill, even if it did not happen to you. You don’t need to be certain that what you saw is relevant. Your account may help corroborate a survivor’s claim.

Contact us in confidence

Every conversation is private and confidential, and there is no obligation. Call 02 9283 5599 or use the form below.

Frequently asked questions