By Dr Lorraine Jones, vice president Helensburgh and District History Society

It was a beautiful Thursday on November 15 when two students from Otford School each received a book prize voucher for $50 for their local history
school work. They were York McManus, senior student, and Clementine Baird, junior student.

The students studied the history of the 75 Aboriginal children who came to Otford school in 1942, during the Second World War. These children were part of the Stolen Generation, living with missionaries on Croker Island. The children and their carers were evacuated as Darwin was being bombed. At the start of their travels, the children waved to Japanese planes flying overhead – the planes were on their way to bomb Darwin. The missionaries who travelled with them were part of the Methodist Church Mission Society. The trip took 42 days, because of transport problems.

The children were taken to Otford as it had buildings owned by the Methodist Church where they could stay. The smaller children attended school at Otford and the bigger children went by train to Scarborough. The children returned to Croker Island in 1946 when the war was over.

Earlier in the year I had given a talk to the Otford school students on this topic. When I spoke to them, they were very knowledgeable about this part of local history.

The history prize presentation was made at the 2022 school prize-giving. The 42 students, their parents and friends were there for this happy event.

This year the history prizes will be awarded to students at Helensburgh Public School.

Visit the Helensburgh & District Historical Society's website