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My grandmother walked the rabbit-proof fence

Maria's grandmother was forcibly taken by Australian officials, but made a daring escape.

Maria's grandmother was forcibly taken by Australian officials, but made a daring escape.

As children Maria Pilkington's mother and grandmother were both among the Stolen Generation, removed from their homes to be trained as domestic servants for white families. It was part of an Australian policy dating back to the 1930s to remove mixed-race children from any Aboriginal influence. But Maria's 14-year-old grandmother escaped, with her sister and cousin, by following a pest-control barrier that went right through Western Australia back to their home. The girls' extraordinary three-month, 1400km walk home became the Hollywood film Rabbit-Proof Fence, based on a book written by Maria's mother.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Sarah Kendal

Get in touch: liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp 0044 330 678 2784

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40 minutes

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  • Lives Less Ordinary

    Step into someone else’s life and expect the unexpected. Extraordinary personal stories