Darryl Darcy

Fairbridge CEO Mark Anderson takes his dog, Jessie, to be washed by Darryl.


Last week I had a very inspiring conversation with Darryl Darcy. Darryl was supported for several years by Fairbridge’s ENCLAVE program, a program that gives young people with disabilities a job.

The ENCLAVE workers are employed to help maintain the grounds at the village. This is more than just a job for participants though. It is way for these young people to feel a sense of accomplishment, gain some responsibility and meet new friends. These opportunities are often not given to the young people outside the ENCLAVE program due to the nature of their disabilities.

While speaking to Darryl Darcy about his new business, Sandy’s Dog Wash, I couldn’t help but feel inspired by his story. He said that the ENCLAVE program and the Fairbridge community had given him the self belief, confidence and had enlightened him to his love of dogs. He said he wouldn’t have ever started his own business and realised his potential if it wasn’t for Fairbridge. But at the end of the day the program is there to help him. He needed to have the character to respond to the help and turn his newfound confidence into something wonderful. And he has done that.

I was warmed by his story, his personality and his ability to start his own business. Something many people would not have the confidence to do.

Fairbridge Staff Tour

On my first official day back at Fairbridge Western Australia, Pinjarra and I was surprised to find out I could get out of the office and go on a tour of Fairbridge Village, led by Chief Executive Mark Anderson.


The tour started along the Avenue of Trees, an idea that was inspired by the lemon scented gum trees at Kings Park and people wanting to become a permanent part of the work of Fairbridge. These trees not only welcome visitors to Fairbridge but the avenue tells the stories of individuals or families or the a tree is dedicated to the memory of someone.


As we entered the end of the driveway Mark Anderson informed us that Fairbridge was the site of the first legal drag strip in W.A. He said that the Fairbridge farm school kids used to sit on the roofs of the cottages and watch the cars drag.


We were also informed that the same space was also used in WWII as an airfield, and there were not many photos of this because it was a secret airfield. Mark Anderson also mentioned that Fairbridge has the highest number of ex-residents enlist in the armed forces from any Australian educational institution in Australia therefore Anzac Day was a very important event to Old Fairbridgians.


I was only five minutes into the tour and I'd already learnt a lot about the historical significance of Fairbridge. I had no idea what had gone on around that driveway even though I had drove down it every day over the summer.


Mark Anderson also showed us the cottage that the Queen Mother stayed in when she visited Fairbridge in 1927 and he lets us know the last Royal visitor was Prince Charles in 1975. The tour also included stories, a visit to the Historic Fairbridge Chapel were we attempted to ring the bell in the chapel.


Whilst we were driving I was very excited to see Kangaroos just past the maintenance building! It was the first time I'd seen a Kangaroo on the Fairbridge site. Mark Anderson told us that there was a family of Kangaroos that lived on this space, so now I know where to go if I want to see one.


This tour was a perfect opportunity to meet some of the new staff at Fairbridge and it was a warm welcome back to the Fairbridge community.