AustLit

Mary Terszak was born on the Moore River Native Settlement in Western Australia and by age two she had been placed in two other institutions; Carrolup Mission and then Sister Kate's Children's Home which she left at age 20. She studied at Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia, so that she could return to her home country and be close to other Nyoongah people. 'A lifetime of living with memories of her forced removal from her family and her subsequent life in institutions led Mary Terszak to research, collect, write and lecture about her experiences and the impact that they have had on her life.' In 2009, part of her life story, her Exemption Certificate and other items of memorabilia from her institutionalisation were featured in the National Museum of Australia's exhibition From Little Things Big Things Grow: Fighting For Indigenous Rights 1920-1970.

Source: National Museum of Australia website, www.nma.gov.au (Sighted 16/09/09)