Take a journey of healing and reflection, first through Cumberland Plain Woodland - the original forest that once dominated Western Sydney - then through a series of boardwalks and to the Stolen Generations Memorial.
The site, chosen by members of the Stolen Generations, reconnects First Nations people with the land. Here, visitors can sit and reflect on the tragic consequences of separating First Nations children from their families.
The memorial was created by sculptor Uncle Badger Bates and commemorates the Stolen Generations, a period from the mid-1800s to the 1970s where First Nations children were forcibly removed from their families through government policies.
The sandstone figures depict an Indigenous family being torn apart. The carvings form a hollow between a mother and her child, allowing rainwater to flow through creating a “river of tears.”
Set in a pristine section of the critically endangered Cumberland Plain Woodland, the artwork has strengthened the cultural significance of the site that has existed for thousands of years among First Nations people.
It is hoped that this memorial will encourage peace and contemplation.
