Ms Djuric was a resident of the Parramatta Girls Industrial and Training School in 1970.

In 2006 she established Parragirls to raise awareness of the dark side of the city's history relating to the Parramatta Female Factory precinct.

The precinct, between Fleet Street, North Parramatta and the Parramatta River, includes the Parramatta Female Factory (1821-1848), Roman Catholic Orphan School (1841-1886) and the Parramatta Girls Industrial and Training School (1887-1983).

Ms Djuric said one of the Parragirls' aims was to see the precinct become a ``living memorial'' to the Forgotten Australians.

On Monday, she and about 30 other Parragirls travelled by bus to Canberra, leaving early in the morning and arriving at Parliament House with 10 minutes to spare.

At least another 40 Parragirls made their own way to the national capital for the apology.

``We were all very excited and animated, and very talkative in anticipation of the apology,'' Ms Djuric said.

``Everyone was very touched by Mr Rudd's speech and also Malcolm Turnbull's.

``But Mr Rudd mentioned my name and not the Parragirls as a group. It was disappointing, but there is no doubt there is a sense of a burden having been lifted, as well as relief and recognition.

``This is the first day of a new era where we can reinvent ourselves and move forward,'' she said.

About 1000 people attended the apology for the hurt, distress, abuse and assault of children who were either in institutional care or former child migrants.

Mr Rudd said he was sorry for ``the absolute tragedy of childhoods lost''.

About 500,000 children, including thousands of migrants, grew up in government-run institutions and foster care.