The Bonegilla Migrant Reception and Training Centre was a camp set up for receiving and training migrants to Australia during the post World War II immigration boom. The camp was set on 130 hectares (321.2 acre) near the small town of Bonegilla

Bonegilla, Victoria

Bonegilla is a bounded rural locality of the City of Wodonga Local Government Area in northeast Victoria, Australia, located 10 kilometres east of Wodonga, and around 300km north-east of Melbourne. At the 2006 census, Bonegilla and surrounding area had a population of 773.- History :Bonegilla Post...

 in north east Victoria

Victoria (Australia)

Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....

, between the Hume Dam and the city of Wodonga. The site was a former World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 Australian Army

Australian Army

The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...

 base, and is adjacent to the current Latchford Barracks

Latchford Barracks

Latchford Barracks is an Australian Army base in the suburb of Bonegilla, located about to the east of Wodonga, Victoria. The Bonegilla Migrant Reception and Training Centre was located at the barracks, prior to the barracks being reused for military purposes....

. The camp opened in 1947 and operated until 1971, over which period it received over 300,000 migrants. It is estimated that over 1.5 million Australians are descended from migrants who spent time at Bonegilla.

The camp, with very basic facilities, was separated socially and geographically from nearby Albury

Albury, New South Wales

Albury is a major regional city in New South Wales, Australia, located on the Hume Highway on the northern side of the Murray River. It is located wholly within the boundaries of the City of Albury Local Government Area...

 and Wodonga

Wodonga, Victoria

Wodonga is a small city on the Victorian side of the border with New South Wales, north-east of Melbourne, Australia. Adjacent to Wodonga across the border is the New South Wales city of Albury. Wodonga is located wholly within the boundaries of the City of Wodonga LGA...

 and most residents were from non-English speaking nations. The camp was broken up into 24 blocks each with a kitchen, mess hut and bath and toilet blocks. The accommodation itself was in ex-Army unlined timber-framed buildings with corrugated iron walls. The rooms were designed to accommodate 20 people and contained no internal partitions. From 1951 onwards the internal walls were slowly lined and painted and cubicles installed, allowing some privacy.

The centre was remote from the larger cities and generally attracted little attention from the Australian press. An exception from this general rule was in 1949 when 13 newly arrived children died from malnutrition. An official inquiry was critical of the inadequately staffed and equipped hospital. There were protests about food and conditions in 1952 and Italian and German migrants staged a riot in 1961, smashing the employment office and clashing with police. The protesters posted signs reading "We want work or back to Europe" and "Bonegilla camp without hope". These two events embarrassed Australian authorities and saw a review of settlement policies.

Former residents include Franca Arena

Franca Arena

Franca Arena is an Australian politician and activist. She was a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1981, first for the Australian Labor Party then as an Independent from 1997 until she left the Council in 1999...

 and Sir Arvi Parbo

Arvi Parbo

Sir Arvi Hillar Parbo AC is a business executive who was concurrently chairman of three of Australia's largest companies....

. The only section of the camp remaining is Block 19 which now is now a museum and interpretive centre. In 2007, Block 19 was included on the Australian National Heritage List

Australian National Heritage List

The Australian National Heritage List is a list of places deemed to be of outstanding heritage significance to Australia. The list includes natural, historic and indigenous places...

.

External links

• Bonegilla Migrant Experience website
• So Much Sky - Bonegilla Reception and Training Centre 1947 - 1971 online exhibition
• The Bonegilla Story website hosted by the Government of New South Wales
  Government of New South Wales
  The form of the Government of New South Wales is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1856, although it has been amended many times since then...