I had often seen the signs for Mamre Homestead but had never been there before. I admit with shame that I assumed I was simply visiting a homestead which had a cafe attached. Little did I know what a precious resource this property is !
Historically of course the homestead holds great significance in the history of NSW. Built by the Reverend Samuel Marsden in the 1820s, it served as a model farm for the surrounding communities and became the centre of his famous Merino breeding programme.
The beauty of the old homestead is undeniable. A simple yet elegant structure, it is surrounded by gardens and contains the tea rooms and function rooms for which Mamre Homestead is so well known. On its shady verandah I met Development Officer Sharon Holstein who took me over to a separate centre where a group of Sudanese women were graduating with certificates in English.
Sharon Holstein
Sitting outside and talking to Sharon, I began to quickly understand that Mamre Homestead is in fact a very special place, where many displaced or underprivileged people have learned skills vital to taking their rightful place in our community.
The heritage listed property is owned by the Planning Department of NSW but has been leased to the Sisters of Mercy (it is a sponsored project of the Sisters of Mercy Parramatta) for many years. In fact 25 years ago a young Mercy nun by the name of Sister Mary Louise Petro founded the Mamre Project, in response to constant requests from people she was working with to provide job training to local youth. When she first arrived at Mamre Homestead there were cows wandering through the homestead and holes in the ceilings. After making the place habitable a computer training room was built and thus the first of many important programmes was commenced. Over 8000 people have received IT training through this programme alone.
Sister Mary Louise is the CEO of the Project and continues to be the very heart of the work done here.
Sister Mary Louise
In 2004, in response to requests from local community groups and relevant government departments, Mamre Homestead began assisting Sudanese refugees. The Project would transport women to the property and one day a week provided a creche for the children - on that day staff would vacate their staff room so that the children had somewhere to go.
In 2006 the Project received funding which allows it to train Sudanese women, teaching them English and citizenship essentials as well as job skills training. The creche - Rainbow Connections - is now open four days a week, in its own building,taking care of 34 children with 2 paid staff and up to 20 volunteers.
children photographed with permission
Other extraordinary enterprises are undertaken here too. The Homestead itself caters for any functions including baptisms, weddings and funerals. Sharon herself was married here and her two children were christened here. Sharon worked here some years ago before her children were born and found herself back here this year, living proof of the magnetic force which Sister Mary Louise believes draws people back to Mamre Homestead over and over again (as volunteers or staff).
There is also the Disability Services Programme , which runs garden services. There are about 20 people with various disabilities who form three crews, two of which are contracted to undertake external landscaping work (including the upkeep of the Great River Walk in Penrith) and one of whom looks after all the grounds work at the homestead and runs a small plant sales nursery.
The property also agists a number of horses for the general public and runs an African Employment Programme which provides training and work experience for African refugees.
An important element of this programme is SPIN farming (small plot intensive farming). Two African families have leased farmlets from the Project and any produce they grow is sold through the Hawkesbury Harvest market in Penrith.
scarecrow made by Links to Learning participant
handmade duck repellant!
The Project has always led a hand to mouth existence, relying on the generosity of donors and government agencies. Recent funding from the government has allowed the Project to employ a Farm Manager and a Providor Manager, between them responsible for selling produce from the African farmers and the 200 acre Mamre House property itself.
Another critical programme run here is the Links to Learning programme. This programme is for children who are perceived to be at risk of dropping out of school before year 10. The children attend the programme for two days a week for 12 weeks and Sharon mentions with obvious pride that a number of participants have not only gone on to complete year 12, some as school captains, but to go on to university as well.
Old guard carriages on the property..
Whilst I spoke to Sharon the Sudanese women had been singing carols and a gently beautiful version of "What a Wonderful World." Later as we walked around the property I was greeted with great smiles and loving hugs from the children in the creche. Once the formalities of the graduation ceremony were over, the women relaxed on the verandah, their smiles and laughter contagious and their pride in themselves self evident.
I was and am very moved by all that I saw at Mamre Homestead today. The Project does not seek to provide handouts to people but to arm them with essential skills in day to day living.
It is only after I return home and read the Mamre Homestead website that I discover that Mamre is an old Biblical word meaning "a place of promise." I am not ashamed to say that that brought tears to my eyes.
For obvious reasons.
For more information please visit the Mamre Homestead website.
Mamre Homestead
Lot 1 Mamre Road
St Marys NSW 1790
(02) 9670 5321
(02)9670 6178
Please also visit the Hawkesbury Harvest website.
