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Stolen Generations Memorial & Healing GardenPrint Page Print this page

24-January-2021
24-January-2021

Photographs supplied by Stephen Warren

The Stolen Generation Memorial and the Healing Garden commemorate all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who were forcibly removed from their families. 

The Stolen Generations is a term used to describe the children of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent who were removed from their families by the Australian Federal and State government agencies and church missions, under acts of their respective parliaments. The removals occurred in the period between approximately 1869 and 1969, although in some places children were still being taken in the 1970s.

In 2008, “The Apology” to the Stolen Generations people was announced in an historic speech by the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd.  Inspired by this event, two Stolen Generation Aboriginal women from the Playford area who were both fostered and adopted out began the Circle of Hope, a support group for survivors of the Stolen Generation. 

The Circle of Hope became an affiliated body of the Stolen Generations Alliance South Australia and members were inspired to have a Memorial and Healing Garden established locally. In 2011 the Commonwealth Government implemented the Closing the Gap Initiative in the City of Playford, which supported  the Circle of Hope to begin their healing process. 

The memorial is made up of 100's tiles, painted and designed by Stolen Generations survivors, community people and various government and NGO's. There is one tile, displayed in several areas of the garden, in which the former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, had written his own personal message for the garden and to Stolen Generations survivors. Archie Roach, an ARIA award winning Aboriginal Song writer and singer, has also contributed to the site.

 

Location

Address:Davoren Road, Stebonheath Park, Andrews Farm, 5114
State:SA
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -34.677642
Long: 138.666049
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:Culture
Sub-Theme:Indigenous

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Wednesday 14th May, 2014
Front Inscription

Stolen Generations Memorial and Healing Garden

The Memorial and Healing Garden is a local acknowledgement of the Stolen Generations` experience, which touched the lives of many Aboriginal
and non-aboriginal people in Northern Adelaide.

The mosaic art work seen in the Garden was created by survivors of the 
Stolen Generations, their families and supporters.

It serves as a place of remembrance and reflection for the 
entire community.

The Memorial and Healing Garden was formally opened on 
21 May 2014 by members of the Stolen Generations community 
and the City of Playford.

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au