Migrantweb.com Hostels Forum

[alan]

Wow what a find! I was gazing down at the Wollongong area in google maps and going over the old haunts from my childhood and I decided to do a search for Fairy Meadow Hostel with no joy (kind of guessed it wouldn't be still standing but maybe an old ruin or something! ;-) ).
I typed it in google search however and found this forum.
Great to see some of the photos, exactly how I remembered it.

I was around 6 or 7 when we came to Fairy Meadow ('67 or '68) and went to the nearby Towradgi primary school (something like that).
The huts were amazing to me, it was my first impression of Australian housing, I guess I must have thought the steel(?) huts were suitable for keeping the sun off or something! Anyway I had fond memories of the place.

I vaguely remember getting in trouble once because I got covered in mud from a pond/creek at the back of the place?

I also remember a someone I played with around the same age or a bit older being from Austria/Germany because he wore a lederhosen and I used to think he must have boiled being in those things all the time. I'm just throwing some thoughts out in case someone recognises any of these things.

My Dad worked at the Port Kembla steel works, not sure what my Mum did at the time.

I think we left around '69 back to England and came out the second and final time in early '74 but we lived in some rented flats up near Bellambi (I found they have since been replaced too).

I went to East Corrimal primary school the 2nd time out and we drove over to WA (current location) to live just before I was ready for High school.

My lasting impressions of Australia have always been of the east coast, I especially loved the surf on the beach around Bellambi and the swimming pools that are cut into the rocks. Never seen anything like that in WA. The mountain ranges nearby (Brokers Knob(?)) just had me thinking of Skippy the Bush Kangaroo constantly!

Sorry this is a bit disjointed as I'm writing this as it all comes back to me.

Also noticed someone here (Len?) is from a town very near where I came from in Clayton Le Moors in Lancashire. I used to go to the baths (swimming pool) in Great Harwood often as a young lad when we were back in England in the early 70's.
What a small world.
I know my mum and dad had/have some old slides/photos of Fairy Meadow hostel but I don't keep in touch anymore I'm afraid and may not be able to get hold of them. I will see what transpires.

Thanks for the website!

Alan White

[Phyl]

Hi Alan,
Enjoyed your post,it was great.
My children also went to Towradgi school but a little before your time.
Hope you post more memories.
_________________
Kind regards,
Phyl

[alan]

Thanks for the kind words Phyl!
I also came across this during the week, maybe someone's read it or it's been posted here already but I thought I would share it just in case:
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/07/02/1056825455326.html

I'm still trying to figure out exactly where on google maps the hostel was situated. Is it the area between Thomas Dalton Park and Brandon Park?

Thanks

Al

[alan]

Ok I found it. Also see a couple of the huts are still being used by the University.

[Len]

Nice one Alan and yes I am from Great Harwood,I still live there.
My father is a claytoner (poor sod ) he used to live up wells street along with my grandparents. wells street no longer exists as it made way for a motorway (M65) back in the 80's.

The MercerHall swimming pool is still here and I can remember going to it when it first opened back in 1966/67, I was 9 years old at the time.