Leilla Wenberg was taken from her family at the age of six months and sent to Bomaderry Childrens' Home. At the age of twelve, she was moved to Cootamundra Aboriginal Girls' Home and her brother, aged 14, was sent to Kinchela Aboriginal Boys' Home. Wenberg saw her mother again for the first time during this period but only for limited visits. Wenberg's mother applied to have her daughter returned to her care but was refused.

At the age of fifteen Wenberg worked as a domestic but was given only pocket money and no wages. Wenberg also worked in factories.

Wenberg's story was recorded by the National Library of Australia for the Bringing Them Home oral history project and appeared in the associated publication Many Voices: Reflections on experiences of Indigenous child separation, edited by Doreen Mellor and Anna Haebich (2002).