WARNING: This website contains confronting and disturbing content, and names and images of deceased people. It may not be suitable for children under 15 years. Many of the historical images show an official, sanitised view which did not reflect reality. The faces of some adolescents have been blurred to protect privacy.
Personal stories
This website uses words, photos and objects from people who spent time growing up in Children's Homes, orphanages and other 'care' institutions.
These pages feature personal contributions to the National Museum of Australia's Inside exhibition. They tell only a small part of each person's story.
Anonymous submissions to Senate inquiries
![Exhibition graphic panel of white text on a dark grey background reads 'I ran away from [the Home] when I was 12 years old ... I reported the sexual assault [at the Home] to the Goulburn Police. I got 6 to 8 months at Doruke [Daruk] Training Centre, Windsor', attributed to 'Submission 312, Senate Inquiry, 2004'.](http://www.nma.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0003/357024/Submission212-quote-685w.jpg "Senate Daruk quote")
![Exhibition graphic panel of black handwritten text on a white background reads 'Even after repeated ’running away’ episodes by many of their [Child Welfare Department] wards, they never once asked the simplest question ’WHY’. Nor for that matter did police officers. In my own case, with five boys ‘on the run’ and being described on local radio as ’armed and dangerous' was that simple question raised. NO!' attributed to 'Submission 11, Senate Inquiry, 2004',](http://www.nma.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0008/357029/runaway_11_quote.jpg "Senate 'why' quote")
Anthony R
Lucy Bartholomew
Peter Bent
Jeanette Blick
Jenny Bosanquet
Julie Braddock
Raymond Brand
Anthony Brennan
William Brennan
Gordon Briscoe
Peter Brownbill
Mary Brownlee
Dilys Budd
Graham Budd
![Exhibition graphic panel of white text on a dark grey background reads 'Breakfast, plate of porridge with milk but no sugar, two rounds of bread and dripping, one glass of milk ... Dinner, mutton stew with rice [pudding] and tapioca, alternate days except Sunday when it was dried apricots and custard ... Evening meal at 5 pm. Two rounds bread and dripping, two rounds bread and jam ... The meals never varied the three years I was there as far as I remember', attributed to 'Graham Budd, Northcote Farm School, Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, 1940s'.](http://www.nma.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0006/356262/graham-budd-quote-685w.jpg "Graham Budd meals quote")
Juanita Burr
![Exhibition panel of black handwritten text on a white background reads 'I paid the price for being [what they called then] a 'quarter-caste' and for being a ward of the state ... I got it worst, mate. Once the state owned you, they could do anything they want with you', attributed to 'Juanita Burr, St Joseph's, Neerkol, Queensland, 1950s'.](http://www.nma.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0005/356702/burr_quote.jpg "Juanita Burr ward of state quote")
Pamela Buss
