Kinchela Boys Home marks 100 years with a vision for National Healing and Truth-Telling Centre

As the Kinchela Boys Home marked its 100th anniversary on Saturday, October 19; survivors, known as Uncles, advocated for transforming the site into a national centre for healing and truth-telling. The Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation called for recognition, healing, and preserving their stories.

Uncle Roger Jarrett #12 – Kinchela Boys Home survivor, board member and advocate for truth-telling and healing.

On the 100th anniversary of the Kinchela Boys Home, survivors, known as Uncles, are pushing for the site’s transformation into a national centre for truth-telling and healing.

The Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation (KBHAC) aims to raise $5 million to restore the site, preserving its history while fostering healing for survivors of the Stolen Generations.

Recent Kinchela Heros

Uncle Roger Jarrett, a Kinchela survivor, emphasizes the importance of turning this place of trauma into a site for hope and reconciliation.

"We want future generations to know the truth of what happened here and to recognise the strength and resilience of those who endured it," Uncle Rodger Jarret said.

From 1924 to 1970, between 400 and 600 young boys, along with a small number of girls in its first year, were taken from their families and placed at Kinchela, located on the stolen land of the Dunghutti people on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales.

"This transformation is not just about remembering the past; it's about creating a future where healing and reconciliation can thrive."

The centre will honour the experiences of those removed from their families and provide future generations with a place for reflection and education.

100th anniversary of the Kinchela Aboriginal Boys Training Home (Kinchela Boys Home).