by Leigh Westin (guest author) on 2 March, 2010
We are “The Forgotten Australians”,
Whose childhood was taken from us.
Put in homes and orphanages
for doing “NO” wrong.
Some of us became state wards,
The welfare and the government
treated us like scum.
A lot were abused in all shapes &
forms & could tell no-one.
We are worthy we are strong
coming together, we are “ONE”.
We were called “liars and thieves”.
government authorities we could never
please.
Our minds & bodies were broken,
by people who didn’t care.
No play! No love! To us it wasn’t fair.
We had NO voice, we had NO choice!
& nothing to rejoice.
No birthdays! No christmas! No toys!
we were lost little girls and boys.
Who were our families?
We were left with horrendous memories.
We prayed to god to help us,
but his followers let us down.
On our own, abandoned and put down.
We are worthy, we are strong
coming together, we are “ONE”.
We are troubled & tormented
our lives forever changed.
We are proud & free to agree.
Childhood memories are forever
tattooed in our hearts.
With our strength & friendship the
tattoos will hopefully fade from our
pasts.
We are worthy, we are strong
coming together we are “ONE”.
We are “The Forgotten Australians”
& together we will sing out loud.
Now we hold our heads up high
& together we are proud.
People will remember “us” & all that we
have been through.
We could be your neighbours or even
your best friend.
So remember us until we reach the end.
We are worthy, we are strong
coming together we are “ONE”.
MY FIVE FEMAIL RELATIVES GREW UP IN KING EDWARD HOME DARBY STREET NEWCASTLE NSW AUSTRALIA IN THE 1920s AND 1930s ONE OF THE FEMAILS GAVE BIRTH TO A DAUGHTER WHO WAS REMOVED AT BIRTH SHE WAS MY MOTHER SHE WAS ADOPTED IMAY ALSO HAVE BEEN ADOPTED ? MY CHILDREN HAVE ALSO BEEN REMOVED UNTIL THE AGE OF 18 ! AS A YOUNG WOMEN I FOUND MY SELF WORKING AT SCARBA HOUSE BONDI IT WAS VERY SUREAL AND EVEN MORE SO NOW ! THE FIRST TIME I WORKED THEIR I WAS IN CHARGE OF A BRAND NEW BABIE I CUDDELED THE BABY FOR MY EIGHT HOUR SHIF BOTTEL FEEDING AND NAPPY CHANGING I ALSO HAVE A NEED TO KNOW WHO MY REMOVED FAMILY ARE ANEED TO KNOW IS OUR LEGAL BIRTH RIGHT! GOOD LUCK LEIGH
Thank you Noni,I truely hope you find what you need to know for your sake as well as your famliy.
Im slowing putting the jigsaw of my past together boy its so hard.
When i was little and in Scarba i can never remember nothing nice about the place.
They broke my right hand with a rubber knife,rubbed my face in my sheets for wetting the bed.No cuddles or love.And now i find out i cant even get my files from there as the woman who ran the place kept a diary NO FILES and was able to take the diaries with her when she left.