The Fairbridge Heritage Association was formed in 2005 to record the history of the Fairbridge Farm School complex near Molong in New South Wales.
The Fairbridge organisation operated child migration schemes for underprivileged British children in Canada, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), West Australia and New South Wales from 1912 until 1980. The Fairbridge Farm School near Molong operated from 1938 until 1974 during which time about 1000 boys and girls passed through the school and were trained to be “farmers and farmers’ wives”.
The Fairbridge Heritage Project included:
• A CD Rom entitled ‘The History Of The Fairbridge Settlement, Molong’, by Ian Bayliff and David Hill. This is documentation of the Fairbridge Farm School complex at Molong featuring a photographic chronicle, architectural drawings and plans and an overview history. The CD Rom is available for sale from the Fairbridge Heritage Association for $15 including postage and handling;
• The compilation of a catalogue of privately owned movable heritage collections from the Fairbridge Farm School, Molong, including furniture, cooking utensils, clothing, mugs, bowls and plates, pennants, machinery, motor vehicles, documents, photographs and letters;
• Oral and filmed recordings of the stories of former Fairbridge children. 39 were completed;
• The production of a television documentary based on the filmed stories of former Fairbridge children; and
• A major new book entitled ‘The Forgotten Children’ by David Hill was published by Random House in 2007. It is based on the stories of former Fairbridge children and surviving and available records in the United Kingdom and Australia.
• A major exhibition at the Australian National Maritime Museum entitled ‘On Their Own’ drawing extensively from this research project.
Above left: Margaret Postle and Silvia
Warner taking meal trays to the Fairbridge dining hall, 1952 Above right: A Fairbridge trainee boy
fixing his workboots, early 1950s
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The Fairbridge Heritage Project has been provided with financial support from:
• NSW Migration Heritage Centre
• Heritage Office, Department of Planning (NSW)
• Fairbridge Foundation
For more information about the Fairbridge Heritage Project, or to purchase a CD Rom, please contact Ian Bayliff at the Fairbridge Heritage Association at: ianbayliff@hotmail.com.
The CD Rom is for sale for $15 (includes postage and handling).
Read Fairbridge memories and view personal mementos and photographs in our Belongings exhibition »
Below: Fairbridge Farm School village, 1962
