Reiby Training School

Reiby Training School was established at Airds, near Campbelltown, by the Department of Youth and Community Services in 1973.

It was a home for girls defined as delinquent. Reiby was transferred to the Department of Juvenile Justice in 1991 and became Reiby Juvenile Justice Centre.

Comments by  ex-resident Ericka-

“Despite the appearances given by these photos this placed had a hopeless, depressing energy that you could feel as soon as you stepped into the place – I hated it.

It was remotely placed but in some places there were windows where you could see the outside and seeing the ‘outside’ kids going to school and walking and riding around nearly drove me insane.

At times I saw my old friends/school mates coming past and I would feel like I was going to explode with misery – but you couldn’t cry!

I think it was also because this was a place where the minimum sentence was three months – but most of us were on general committals (3month – 3years) where you never knew your release date. It was decided by the ‘staff’ and if you played up (back chat, laziness etc) then your time got longer.

The ex-children’s court magistrate (1980s), Barbara Holborow called this place ‘a miserable hell hole’ when I interviewed her last year.”

For further information about this Home, please refer to: Connecting Kin