A river of tears. That’s what they call it. The Stolen Generations Memorial. Right here in the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan. It’s a powerful image isn’t it? A river carved from stone.
This memorial isn’t just a sculpture. It’s a place of remembrance a place of healing. It commemorates the tragic history of the Stolen Generations. Indigenous children forcibly removed from their families. This happened from the mid-1800s to the 1970s. Government policies tore families apart.
The sandstone figures depict a family. A mother and child separated. The artist Uncle Badger Bates created this artwork. He chose the site. He wanted to reconnect Aboriginal people with the land. The carvings create a hollow space. Rainwater flows through it. Symbolic of the tears shed for this painful history.
The memorial was vandalised in 2020. It caused significant damage. But it was restored. Uncle Badger returned. He repaired the sculpture. He added a small rock pool. An extra tear drop. A symbol of the pain and the healing.
The memorial sits in a pristine area of Cumberland Plain Woodland. This is a critically endangered ecosystem. The site itself holds deep cultural significance for First Nations people. It has been a place of connection and contemplation for thousands of years.
Now the memorial stands renewed. A symbol of resilience and remembrance. It encourages peace and contemplation. Take a moment to reflect on the stories etched in stone. Remember the Stolen Generations. Remember their strength. Remember their resilience. This place. This sculpture. It speaks volumes.