Bomaderry Stolen Generations Memorial

This particular memorial is located on land now owned by the Nowra Aboriginal Land Council. I have no photos on the blog, because when I visited the site at the beginning of January 2014, there was no-one available to give me permission to enter the land or take photographs*.

The land on which this memorial sits was previously the Bomaderry Children's Home, run by the United Aboriginal Mission. It was opened in May 1908, and for some people this marks the start of the Stolen Generations in NSW, as it was one of the first, if not the first, home where Aboriginal children were sent after being taken from their families. Bomaderry specialised in small children, up to the age of ten. They were not allowed visitors and were not permitted to speak in any language other than English. The home did not close until 1988.

Bomaderry is a small town two hours south of Sydney, NSW, on the other side of the Shoalhaven River to Nowra. The train line that runs down the coast to Nowra actually stops in Bomaderry. The land on which the Home was situated is opposite the TAFE Illawara, just off the Princes Highway. The land is heritage listed, and some of the original buildings still exist on site.

The original memorial is located at the back corner of the property, near the Brinawarr St entrance. The project was instigated by Aboriginal leader Uncle Sonny Simms and the memorial was dedicated in 2001. It consists of a circular formal rose garden with an inner circle containing two flagpoles for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags, kangeroo paw plants. Concrete tiles with imprints of feet lead towards and away from the plaque, which reads:

This plaque and memorial garden is dedicated to “all” the Aboriginal children of the “Stolen Generation” who were resident here at Bomaderry, the former “United Aborigines Mission” (U.A.M.). Also to honour and respect the children who are now deceased. This site is the birthplace of the “Stolen Generation” here in New South Wales.

A second plaque was installed later to mark the 100 year anniversary 2008.

Since 2011, a project has developed in partnership with TAFE Illawarra to extend the memorial site into a Stolen Generations Memorial Garden. The garden leads away from the earlier memorial along the edge of the property, using native plants and rocks to create a tranquil space. The project has been led by Jason Groves and Uncle Noel Butler, who is an Aboriginal elder and a teacher at the TAFE. At the time of my visit, the project did not seem to be fully completed, but media reports suggest that the idea is for students to graduate with Certificate II and III in land management as well as developing cultural knowledge. The style of this section of garden has a more 'natural' feel, although both part of the memorial involve paths that take those visiting them on a physical journey.

* The memorial is visible from the path, which is how I can describe it here.