Records of Marella Mission Farm

The Records of Marella Mission Farm consist of records and published material created by the Sky Pilot Fellowship and Marella Mission Farm. They include personal details of children, staff records, and administrative and financial records.

Marella’s general administration from 1950-1986 was undertaken by its Secretary-Treasurer, Norma Warwick, who created and managed many of the records in this collection.

The collection consists of 146 boxes and a finding aid is available.

According to the finding aid created by AIATSIS: “The collection covers a broad range of administrative material such as financial administration, personal information of care-leavers, grant and welfare payment applications, health and school records, meeting minutes, employee records, personal papers, published material and newsletters”.

The records include:

• Administration of Children’s Welfare 1963-1986, including applications for admission, lists of residents and medical details of residents
• Children’s School Records, c 1960-1975, including school reports and correspondence about education matters
• Staff files, 1953-1978
• Financial Papers relating to Children’s Welfare, 1970-1980
• Correspondence from Former Residents, 1960-1981
• Administration of Marella Mission Farm and the Sky Pilot Fellowship, including Directors’ Reports, financial information, fundraising papers, property management, and correspondence,1948-1986
• Correspondence with welfare agencies and government departments (the New South Wales Department of Youth and Community Services, Federal Department of Social Security, New South Wales Aborigines Welfare Board and Department of Aboriginal Affairs), 1956-1986
• Papers of Keith Langford-Smith,1952-1986

Access conditions

Much of the collection is available on open access. Some material is closed to public access, and is available to the person for whom there is a record, their nominated delegate or an approved member of their family. For all others, permission in writing is required from those whose records are held or Executive Director, Collections.

The access status of the records (whether they are open or closed) is listed in the finding aid. In cases where permissions are required, please contact Collections staff for further information.

To request access to these records, please complete the ‘Request Collection access’ form on the AIATSIS website, “Contact Us” page.