William Robert Black
William Robert Black (1859–1930) was an Australian mine-owner and philanthropist who funded Presbyterian churches and supported schools, orphanages, and other charitable institutions in Queensland.
On 20 November 1922, the Industrial School for Boys opened at Indooroopilly (near Moggill Road and Jerrang Road, now 724 Moggill Road, Chapel Hill). The Salvation Army ran the school for orphaned, abandoned, and neglected boys.
Black bought the 22-acre site for £2300 and donated it to the Salvation Army. He also paid £2700 to extend and renovate the buildings and furnish them, plus £100 a year for maintenance.
When it opened, 35 boys were supervised by Ensign Rogan. The school could accommodate up to 50 boys with nine staff.
In 1942 the school moved to Washpool. As of 2021, the site is owned by the Salvation Army, reduced to about 13.18 acres (53,320 square metres), and used to operate The Cairns Aged Care Centre.
Black made substantial donations to many institutions, including Presbyterian churches, schools, and other charitable organizations in Queensland.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 08:05 (CET).