Mother’s Guilt podcast: Close-knit school friends who are Kathleen Folbigg’s biggest supporters

Their friendship survived primary school, the turbulent teens, having children, even a romantic tryst and their bond remained just as strong after one of them was jailed for killing her four children. Listen to our exclusive Mother’s Guilt podcast.

At the upcoming inquiry into new scientific evidence that could clear Kathleen Folbigg of the murder of her four children, there will be a band of middle-aged women wearing black shirts emblazoned with ‘Justice for Kathleen Folbigg’.

They are not crime junkies, but Kathleen’s school friends from back in the 80s.

In episode two of the Mother’s Guilt podcast, Tracy Chapman, Billi-Jo Bradshaw and Megan Donegan open up about their friendship with the then-Kathleen Marlborough.

They were the self-proclaimed “nerds of Kotara High”, a working class suburb of the steel city, and their friendship was forged in loyalty.

“The Kathleen Folbigg I know is an animal lover, you know, a very caring person,” Ms Chapman said of her friend who she talks to daily from her prison at the Clarence Correctional Centre in Grafton.

LISTEN: Episode 2 of our SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE podcast Mother’s Guilt – The Kathleen Folbigg Story, is now live. Press play here.

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Ms Chapman says her friend is stoic and emotionally guarded and that probably came about by Ms Folbigg’s tragic start to life.

Her father, John Britton murdered her mother Kathleen Donovan in 1969, just before young Kathleen turned two. The toddler was then bounced around relatives and ended up in Bidura Children’s home before being fostered by the Marlborough family from Kotara at age three.

Kathleen Folbigg, second from left with Megan Donegan (third from left) with other students at Kotara High

Megan Donegan and Tracy Chapman at Kotara High. The pair are still friends with their former classmate Kathleen Folbigg

“For me, the measure of kindness always was we were always surrounded by animals as kids and she loved the dogs, loved my siblings, you know, we‘re all actually really close to loved going on family outings and barbecues,” Ms Chapman said.

Kathleen Folbigg’s home life with her foster parents was extremely strict and she moved out at 17, moving in with school friend Billi-Jo Buckley, (then Bradshaw) and her mother.

“She would stick up for me (at school) and, you know, tell people off and just protect me,” Ms Buckley said from her north Brisbane home.

Billi-Jo Buckley was Kathleen Folbigg's bridesmaid and flatmate and stands by her friend. Their friendship splintered after a fling with Craig, but she has been forgiven. Photo Steve Pohlner

Kathleen met Craig Folbigg shortly after and they married in 1987. Billi-Jo was the bridesmaid, donning a blue, ruched taffeta dress.

Then Billi-Jo and Kathleen had a falling out.

“I was young and naive and stupid. And I had a thing with Craig. It was only one off. But it just made me feel so guilty. You know? And I just thought, how could I do that to her?” Ms Buckley said.

Billi-Jo Buckley (was Bradshaw) was Kathleen Folbigg's bridesmaid and flatmate and stands by her friend. Billi-Jo shares her scrapbook from the Folbigg wedding in 1987. Photo Steve Pohlner

Ms Folbigg related the incident to psychiatrist Dr Michael Diamond who wrote in his 2019 report:

“Ms Folbigg then spoke of a particular incident when she encountered Craig and her best friend from her earlier years, BJ, in a romantic clinch in their home.

“It was a devastating experience for her. It led to deep feelings of rejection and abandonment and betrayal. She felt physically unworthy and unattractive. She experienced as it as deep betrayal and another fracture of her trust.”

Megan Donegan is a staunch supporter of Kathleen Folbiggt. Picture: Sue Graham

Tracy Chapman describes Kathleen Folbigg as stoic.

“All these years I kept thinking how do I talk to her? How do I tell her I‘m sorry for what I did,” Ms Buckley said through tears, adding she had since been forgiven and their friendship restored.

Back in Newcastle, Megan Donegan remembers her “fun, but reserved” friend.

“She didn‘t like to show emotions in front of many people,” she said, adding that stoic front went against her in the 2003 trial when she was described as cold.

A fresh inquiry into Kathleen Folbigg’s convictions will start in November. Picture: AAP Image/Peter Rae

“I spent too much time with her. I saw her with her babies. I saw her cry. Even though people say she didn‘t cry, I saw it. She can’t cry in front of other people,” she said.

Ms Donegan has kept in regular contact with her incarcerated friend via phone.

FOR MORE: Click here for the full Mother’s Guilt episode rundown