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Welcome to Parragirls where you will find information about the Parramatta Girls Home, Hay Institution for Girls, Industrial Training Schools, Kamballa & Taldree juvenile centres and the Roman Catholic Orphan School.
Parramatta Girls Home (PGH) was a child welfare institution also known as Parramatta Girls Industrial (GIS) & Training School (GTS)and Kamballa. Built as a government orphanage for Roman Catholic Children in 1841 the institution was re-assigned as the Industrial School for Females in 1887 and operated until 1986. Located at1 Fleet Street North Parramatta the site remains in use as a periodic detention centre for women.
 
Upwards and possibly more than 30,000 girls aged between 11 and 18 passed through this institution. On average 90% of girls were committed on the offence or complaint of 'Neglected' and charged with Exposed to Moral Danger by the childrens courts.
 
Living Memorial campaign
 
The first reunion of the Parramatta Girls took place in 2003, since then former inmates have started the LIVING MEMORIAL campaign calling for the designation of the former Girls Home to be established as the National Centre for the Forgotten Australians, with the southern portion as the Burramattagal Centre for Indigenous Australians and the adjacent site of the former Female Factory as the National Women's Heritage Centre.
 

Living Memorial Info Sheet

14 Years of Hell
an anthology of the Hay Girls Institution 1961-1974
published by Women About Hay: order by email or
phone 02 6993 1002.
 
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NEWS & MEDIA

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EYES TO THE FLOOR by ALANA VALENTINE
 
Hay Gaol Museum 26 April 8pm
Griffith Regional Theatre 2 May 11am, 7.30pm
BOOKINGS 02 6961 8388
 
Between 1961 and 1974 the old Hay Gaol became a Total Security Institute for 'incorrigible girls' committed to Parramatta Girls Home in the care of the child welfare department.
 
Renowned playwright Alana Valentine [Parramatta Girls] has worked with the survivors of the Hay Girls Institution and members of the Outback Theatre for Young People to create this disturbingly powerful, and inspiring play.
 

ASYLUM 5 Gates 
 
short films about Girls Industrial School and Parramatta Girls Home.

ASYLUM Gate 3
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Girls Training School Parramatta
ASYLUM Gate 4
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Parramatta Girls Home & Hay Girls Institution
    Fleet St, North Parramatta  NSW Australia
 
                                                           website design bonproductions copyright 2007                                                       

Republication of the contents of this screen is expressly prohibited without the written consent of the PFFP Assoc.