Research into the history of the Cootamundra Aboriginal Girls Home is helping to reconnect families separated by past government policies. The home, which operated from 1911 to 1968, housed Aboriginal girls removed from their families under assimilation policies.
The project, led by researchers from the Australian National University, involves digitizing records and conducting interviews with former residents and their descendants. The goal is to create a comprehensive database to assist family reunification efforts.
According to the researchers, many families lost contact after girls were sent to the home and later placed as domestic servants. The project has already helped several families find lost relatives.
The initiative is part of a broader effort to address the legacy of the Stolen Generations, a term referring to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children forcibly removed from their families.
