Unveiled to coincide with National Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week, this project was instigated and led by SGCH customer Maureen Clayton. “The garden is very special to me. It’s fantastic to have a place where we can recognise and celebrate all the Aboriginal families who have had a lasting connection to Bonnyrigg,” said Maureen.

Maureen worked with members of the Aboriginal community to hand-paint all the timber plaques, which were then installed by SGCH’s maintenance team. The opening event was attended by over 150 people, including many descendants of the Elders named in the garden.

“Sorry Day is massively important to me personally,” said Maureen. “It’s a significant day because we can never forget what happened to our people. 

Sorry Day is about acknowledging that hurt and starting to turn things around, starting with the word ‘Sorry’.”

Maureen shared her personal story, deeply moving everyone in attendance. “I am a Forgotten Australian because I was taken from my mum at an early age,” she said. Her mother, a member of the Stolen Generation, was sent to Cootamundra Girls Home, while her uncles were taken to Kinchela Boys’ Home. Maureen’s family story underscores the generational trauma experienced by many Aboriginal families.

Maureen noted that she could see third and fourth-generation descendants of the people whose family names are on the plaques in the garden. “We’re still all connected because of them. They’d be proud that we are sharing our culture and contributing to projects like this.”

The event featured a song in the Darug language by Indigenous kids from Bonnyrigg Public School, four traditional dances, and a ribbon-cutting by two Elders, including Maureen’s mum.

SGCH is proud to have supported the establishment of this garden, a space that acknowledges and celebrates the deep roots of the Aboriginal community in Bonnyrigg.