Bonegilla was the biggest and longest‑running migrant reception centre in post‑WWII Australia. It operated from 1947 to 1971 and received over 300,000 migrants from more than 50 countries. Bonegilla was the distribution hub for labour in Victoria. From this camp, people were sent to work in: - Factories (e.g., Sunshine Harvester Works, Kinnears Ropeworks, Olympic Tyres) - Railway workshops - Housing Commission estates - Construction projects - Hospitals and domestic service A huge proportion of these migrants then later settled in: - Sunshine - St Albans - Keilor - Braybrook - Albion - Footscray 5475. 01 - Bonegilla Migrant Camp Photograph.jpg 5475. 02 - Bonegilla Migrant Camp Photograph.jpg 5475. 03 - Bonegilla Migrant Camp Photograph.jpg 5475. 04 - Bonegilla Migrant Camp Photograph.jpg 5475. 05 - Bonegilla Migrant Camp Photograph.jpg 5475. 06 - Bonegilla Migrant Camp Photograph.jpg 5475. 07 - Bonegilla Migrant Camp Photograph.jpg bonegilla migrant camp, bonegilla

Mrs Sheila Parkinson was born in Wagga in 1916 and came to Beechworth as a young woman around 1938. Sheila trained as a psychiatric nurse at Mayday Hills hospital prior to the second World War. At that time, unmarried women were accommodated and received nursing training on-site. Shiela was obliged to cease professional training and employment when she married in 1941, which disrupted completion of her final nursing examinations. Following post-war changes to the law that allowed married women to work, Sheila returned to Mayday Hills. Sheila's husband, Don, returned to Beechworth after four years abroad as a serviceman in the Australian Air Force. Beechworth's institutions were a major source of local employment throughout the twentieth century. As well as providing limited employment opportunities to young women like Shiela, post-war European migrants from Bonegilla Migrant camp found at Mayday Hills, encouraging European migrant settlement in the district. Mayday Hills was renamed several times since its establishment in 1867. At the peak of operations, it comprised sixty-seven buildings housing over twelve hundred patients patients and five hundred staff. The hospital officially closed in 1998. Today, the decommissioned two-storey Italianate style main building stands on eleven hectares of botanical gardens under National Trust protection. The site remains a popular cultural heritage destination for visitors. This oral history recording was part of a project conducted by Jennifer Williams in the year 2000 to capture the everyday life and struggles in Beechworth during the twentieth century. This project involved recording seventy oral histories on cassette tapes of local Beechworth residents which were then published in a book titled: Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth century Beechworth. The cassette tapes were digitised in July 2021 with funds made available by the Friends of the Burke.Employed as a psychiatric nurse at one of Beechworth's large welfare institutions, Mayday Hills, Mrs Sheila Parkinson recalls the conditions faced by staff and patients at the hospital, which cared for chronically ill people from the Ovens region and patients from the Yarra Bend Asylum, Melbourne, which closed in 1925. When Sheila first began her nurse training, Mayday Hills suffered from a lack of resources and rudimentary facilities and patients frequently suffered from the cold due to poor heating and inadequate clothing and bedding. However, as the twentieth century progressed, Sheila recalls how conditions and treatments improved as a result of increased government funding of services and advances in psychiatry and pharmaceutical medicine. Mrs Sheila Parkinson's oral history recording is historically and socially significant for its witness to life in Beechworth in the pre- and post-WWII period. Sheila's story enriches our understanding of processes of modernisation with regard to psychiatric and welfare services, while the course of Sheila's professional training and employment brings attention to systemic and socio-economic barriers faced by women, as well as the valuable contribution women and migrants make in the delivery of care and ancillary services. This oral history account is socially and historically significant as it is a part of a broader collection of interviews conducted by Jennifer Williams which were published in the book 'Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth-century Beechworth.' While the township of Beechworth is known for its history as a gold rush town, these accounts provide a unique insight into the day-to-day life of the town's residents during the twentieth century, many of which would have been lost if they had not been preserved.This is a digital copy of a recording that was originally captured on a cassette tape. The cassette tape is black with a horizontal white strip and is currently stored in a clear flat plastic rectangular container. It holds up 40 minutes of recordings on each side.Mrs Sheila Parkinson /twentieth century beechworth, mayday hills, psychiatric care, benevolent asylums, nursing, wwii, psychiatric treatment, country women, psychiatric hostpital, beechworth's institutions, local employment, government institutions, listen to what they say, oral history, burke museum, sheila parkinson, beechworth lunatic asylum, beechworth mental hospital, beechworth hospital for the insane, the kerferd clinic, bonegilla migrant camp, working women, white australia policy

Paperback book with glossy front covernon-fictionArticle Page 113: Selling Immigration: Bonegilla Reception and Training Centre 1947 - 1971 by Bruce Pennay This article examines the part played by the Bonegilla Reception and Training Centre in keeping the nation favorably disposed toward the immigration of large numbers of non-British people in the postwar years. Many of Sunshine and District post-World War II migrants passed through this camp.bonegilla, bonegilla migrant camp, wodonga, immigration, migration

Paperback book with glossy front covernon-fictionArticle Page 5: Wodonga's Bonegilla: Depicting and Remembering the impact of Past-war Immigration by Bruce Pennay This article is about the post-World War II Bonegilla Reception Centre. Many of Sunshine and District post-World War II migrants passed through this camp.bonegilla migrant camp, bonegilla, wodonga, bruce pennay, immigration

Snow Crystal Inn was built by Milan Kovacic in the early 1950s. Milan, born in Hungary, had the early days of his life in Victoria at the Bonegilla Migrant Camp in Wodonga. He became a ski instructor and one of his earliest students was Skippy St. Elmo. The Inn was later demolished and replaced with Snow Crystal Apartments.This image is significant because it captures one of the early lodges established at Falls Creek.A black and white image of Snow Crystal Lodge surrounded by heavy snow. Visitors can be seen seated on the balcony.Above balcony: Snow Crystal Innsnow crystal inn, milan kovacic, skippy st. elmo

This handmade basket is typical of baskets used for domestic purposes for many years in the early to mid 20th century. It was produced in Australia by Graf's. Wicker baskets were popular at this time as they were light but durable. They were made in a wide range of shapes and sizes, including laundry baskets, storage items in the home, in shops and by travelling hawkers. Wicker was also a common material used for furniture. Vintage baskets by Graf's are still in demand by collectors. Franz and Anneliese Graf arrived in Australia about 1960 and spent time at the Bonegilla Migrant Camp where one of their sons Arnold was born. They moved to Melbourne and began Graf’s basket making business soon after. The basket in our Collection brings the Graf story full circle back to its Australian roots.This item is significant as it is representative of basketry items popular throughout Australia in the 1960s. This basket was hand-made in Australia and used by a resident of the Wodonga District.A woven cane shopping basket with a wooden base and single bamboo handle. The basket is made from mixed weaving of cane and light-blue strips. Underneath basket: Original GRAF'S Basket Hand made in AUSTRALIA On metal attached to handle: GRAF’S HANDLE BINDING, PAT.PEND vintage cane wear, vintage basket, graf baskets, basketware australia

- Migrant ships arriving into Port Melbourne in 1956. Migrants boarding the train to Bonegilla camp and resettling in Victoria. - Section on Olympic Games in Melbourne was filmed by Father Basil Valentin OFM who was the Chaplain of the American Olympic team. -Also showed extracts of Moomba festival in 1957. - Slovenian settling on Australian farms and weddings of members of the Slovenian community This video shows the magnitude of migrants who arrived in Australia in 1956 by ships mainly from Italian ports from Genoa, Trieste and Naples. It shows the settling of migrants into camps and depicts their everyday life including education and recreation and assimilation into Australia. 120 minute video cassette in colour depicting migrant ships arriving to Port Melbourne in 1956 and short clips of the Melbourne Olympic Games. Also includes footage of train journey to Bonegilla camp and camp housing facility.0002migration, resettlement, bonegilla, slovenians, ships, olympics 1956

non-fictionAn illustrated account of the experiences of people who migrated to Australia from Holland in the 1950s and 60s and passed through the Bonegilla Reception Centre before settling in their new land. Presents reminiscences from the people involved about their journey to Australia, conditions in Bonegilla and their impressions of life in Australia. Published as an accompanying volume to the exhibition 'Where Waters Meet'bonegilla, dutch migration, bonegilla reception centre

A metal camp oven with handle for hanging above a fire. camp oven, camp, camping, bush, wodonga, cooking, cook, pot

A metal camp oven with handle. wodonga, camp oven, camp, camping, outdoor, cooking, rural

The Halfway Hotel was built c1871. It was a thriving business in the days of the bullock wagon and was virtual headquarters of border drovers and teamsters, who camped on the Wodonga Flats opposite. Mr. John Jennings applied for a license in 1871 but it was refused. In October 1872 a License was granted to Thomas Weeks who was advertising that he had purchased the premises. In December 1878 the licensee was advertised as Ann Weeks. Daniel McCormick took over as licensee in 1882 and was followed by Thomas Fitzgerald. In September 1886, Fitzgerald transferred the licence of the hotel which contained eight rooms, to Patrick Flanagan. Flanaghan was a hotel keeper, brewer and stock trader. Pearce Murphy became licensee in 1889, followed briefly by his wife, Julia, in 1890. In September 1890, the licence was transferred back to Patrick Flanagan, the hotel’s owner. During the 1890s, the licence changed hands a number of times. Licensees included Alexander McDonald, Mrs Spehrs, George and Mary Rust. In December 1895, George Rust held the ‘Halfway Races’ on a course at the back of the hotel. Towards the end of the 1890s, Patrick Flanagan was again licensee of the hotel. He died in his residence at the Halfway Hotel in 1929. The license was then held for two years by his son, Mr M.J. Flanagan. In June 1931 the licence was transferred from Maude J. Flanagan to Percy Pickering. In July 1939 the hotel was sold by Mr P.W. Pickering to Irene Weatherall. The new licensee was Mr H.O. Harris of Bonegilla. In April 1940 The Licensing Court granted an application to remove the Halfway Hotel, Albury Road, Wodonga, to the corner of Elgin and Smythe Streets, Wodonga, on condition that premises were to be erected within 42 weeks. Applicants were Irene A. Weatherall and Lena Emma Pickering, owners, and Harold O. Harris, licensee. Mr Edwin Harold and Mrs Ruby Scholz bought the property. Ruby was a sister of Emma Pickering. They lived there until the premises was demolished for the widening of the Lincoln Causeway. These images document an early business in Wodonga c1870 to 1940.A black and white image of a hotel building.Above building: HALFWAY HOTELhalfway hotel, wodonga hotels, wodonga businesses

Sikh hawkers were a regular sight throughout the Wodonga and Upper Murray district in the early 20th century. The regular visitors to the area included Pola Singh and Gambil (Gamble) Singh. Gamble Singh often camped on McKoy’s Moorefield property in West Wodonga and several other places around the district. Gamble was also a horse breeder and had several draught horses to pull his wagon. Like many of the hawkers he worked hard to send money back to support family in India. He apparently returned to India about 1950, but left some money in the Bank of NSW in Wodonga in case he returned. He allegedly died soon after and the money was eventually able to be claimed by his nephews in India. A small overlooked park in Wodonga is named the “Gamble Singh Park” in his memory. J. Flanagan who operated the Halfway Hotel commented on having as many as seven or eight bullock teams “yoked” overnight to the fence outside the hotel as well as 100 or more Indian hawkers – led by the fondly known Pola (Pollah) Singh. The hawkers returned to Wodonga annually to renew their hawkers’ license and camped on the flats, or also came to Wodonga to collect orders at the railway station to stock up their supplies. Pola Singh was often based at the Colac Colac reserve near Corryong and had on board his compatriot Isar Singh. He often acted as an intermediary between the individual hawkers and the authorities. Unfortunately, it was Pola’s habit to walk in front of his wagon at the start of each day. On the morning of 23 June 1923 his horses were restive and hard to control. They took flight and ran Pola down on the road near Cudgewa. He was rushed to the Corryong Hospital but died there a few days later, aged 65. Pola was cremated, with some of his ashes scattered in the Murray River and some returned to his homeland to be scattered in the Ganges River. His cremation was listed in the Obituary page of the Weekly Times, Melbourne on Saturday 14 July 1923. A small memorial to Pola Singh is located in the Corryong Cemetery.These images are significant because they help to document the history of the Sikh Hawkers who plied their services to Wodonga and throughout rural Australia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.A collection of black and white images featuring Sikh Hawkers Gamble Singh and Pola Singh take in the Wodonga area.indian hawkers, sikh hawkers, gamble singh, pola singh

Dr Henry Nowik played a critical role in the development of industry in Wodonga, through his management and leadership of Uncle Bens Wodonga from 1965 until 1979. Born in Poznan, Poland in 1917, Henry was studying medicine in Paris when World War II broke out and he enlisted in the Royal Air Force, serving with distinction as a Bomber Pilot. He was imprisoned in Russia when his plane ditched, escaped through Kazakhstan and was eventually evacuated to London where he was appointed RAF Aide-de-Camp to General Charles de Gaulle. He was later awarded the French Croix de Guerre. After the war Dr Nowik received a PhD in Political Science and Law from American Beirut University before moving to London to teach at the London School of Economics. He then moved into industry occupying a number of senior positions in marketing and market research. In 1964, Dr Nowik, then Market Research Manager for Pedigree Petfoods, the British arm of Mars Inc., came to Australia to research the prospects for establishing a petfood business. Dr Nowik was a passionate believer in the need for decentralisation of Australian industry. In 1965 Uncle Bens of Australia began building their first Australian factory in Wodonga, Victoria, from humble beginnings in a small house in Hovell Street. It became fully operational in 1967. Dr Nowik became the Marketing and Sales Director and in 1970 the Managing Director. Dr Nowik's work as a member of the Albury-Wodonga Consultative Committee was recognized in 1975 with the Order of the British Empire and in 1977 he was appointed Chairman of the Commonwealth Government's Decentralisation Advisory Board. He participated in a number of trade missions to Malaysia, China and Japan and was a Member of the Executive Committee of the Trade Development Council and the Victorian Promotion Committee. These contributions were recognised in 1982 when he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia. In 1979, Dr Nowik left Wodonga and moved to the United States to become Vice-President, Marketing for Mars, becoming Global Product Group President in 1980. Following his retirement in 1985 he continued to act as Senior Advisor to a number of Mars' businesses. Albury-Wodonga retained a special place in Dr Nowik's heart and he kept a close interest in Charles Sturt University, sharing his time, experience and expertise with staff and students. The University made him an honorary Doctor of Letters in 1993 when the Henry Nowik Lecture Theatre officially opened at the University's Albury campus. Later the City of Wodonga named a park in his honour. Dr Nowik and his wife returned to Australia in 2004, first living in Brisbane then moving to Maleny in Queensland. Henry Nowik died on 12th March 2015 aged 98. These items are significant because they demonstrate the contribution made to the Wodonga community and the Australian economy by Dr Henry Nowik AO OBE.A collection of items briefly documenting the contribution of Dr Henry Nowik to Wodonga, Victoria. Included are photos of Dr Nowik, newspaper items, a photo of the first office of Uncle Bens in Wodonga and a farewell card from Dr Nowik.dr henry nowik, uncle bens wodonga

Bonegilla Army Base and Migrant Reception Centre began when funds were allocated to build Bonegilla Army Camp in June 1940. Builders began to erect about 600 huts prior to the Army moving in during September of that year. Between 1942 - 1943 it was enlarged to 848 buildings. In 1947 Bonegilla Reception and Training Centre began operating with the Army providing transport, security and catering services. From 1949 until 1965 the Bonegilla Reception and Training Centre operated without a military presence. Bonegilla Migrant Reception and Training Centre was made up of 24 blocks. It had its own churches, banks, sporting fields, cinema, hospital, police station and railway platform. It became the largest and longest operating reception centre in the post-war era. More than 300,000 migrants passed through its doors between 1947 and 1971, with most of those originating from non-English speaking European countries. From1965 with the increased Australian commitment to the Vietnam War and the need to find accommodation to train National Servicemen for Vietnam, the Army negotiated with the Department of Immigration to take over several blocks at Bonegilla. In 1971 the Reception Centre closed and the site reverted to the Army. After 1971 the Army undertook a major site redevelopment with the construction of Latchford Barracks as the Army Apprentice School. Later Latchford Barracks was redeveloped into part of the Army Logistic Training Centre. Between 1978 and 1982, nearly all of the centre was demolished in a major redevelopment. The new replacement buildings were formally opened as Latchford Barracks in 1983. Demolition of the buildings prompted calls for recognition of the site and the role it had played in Australia’s post-World War II Immigration program. After much discussion between the Department of Army and Heritage and local groups about the significance of the site, the Australian Heritage Commission proceeded with its listing on the Register of the National Estate. A Conservation Management Plan was prepared for Block 19 in 1996. The Army transferred Block 19 to the Victorian Government. In 2002 Heritage Victoria listed Block 19 on the State Heritage Register, giving attention to both the migrant and army connections with the site. Hut 97 at Bonegilla Migrant Experience is the home of the Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc.This image is significant because it records a building which is part of the Bonegilla Migrant Reception Centre which played a critical role as the largest and longest operating Migrant Reception Centre in Australia.A colour photo of Hut 97 at Block 19, Bonegilla Migrant Experience, now the home of Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc.hut 97 bonegilla migrant experience, wodonga & district historical society, immigration australia

A volume of 57 pages plus an epilogue relating the author's experience at Bonegilla, Victoria.non-fictionThis biography documents the story of Stefan Michael Klepiak who, as a boy, between the ages of nine and 15 years lived at the Migrant Reception Centre at Bonegilla, Victoria. This was from 1957 to 1962 when Australia's post-World War II immigration program was at its peak. In his own words, young Stefan terrorised the migrants at the Bonegilla migrant camp day and night. The book describes the antics he and other boys at Bonegilla engaged in as they adapted to their new life after fleeing war-torn Europe. Stefan was often unsupervised, played truant from school and crossed the path of the local Wodonga Police. He was a regular guest at the Wodonga jailhouse and became known by the police and magistrates after several court appearances as "The Bonegilla Kid". In the Epilogue Stefan acknowledges key people in his life, including two Bonegilla policemen and the Bonegilla Camp Director, who gave "The Bonegilla Kid" the guidance he needed and put him on a positive pathway for the future.immigrant children biography, bonegilla migrant reception centre, migrant life australia

A publication of 225 pages including black and white images and a detailed index.non-fictionThis book tells the story of the struggle of the author's family for survival after their way of life was cruelly destroyed by a brutal communist take-over of their homeland. In 1944 they were forced to flee Latvia with no idea of the trauma and tragedy which lay ahead. After spending some time in a refugee camp in Italy, the family arrived in Australia in May 1949 with their first temporary "home" being at Bonegilla Migrant Reception Centre near Wodonga, Victoria. The book documents their early struggles in Australia and their journey to their new life, as well as what happened to the family they had to leave behind.post world war 11 migration, refugees - australia, inara kalnins

This item is significant because it describes an aspect of life at Bonegilla Migrant Centre and how these new migrants were portrayed by the media.A page taken from the Women's Weekly of 3rd January 1948 focusing on the experiences of newly arrived migrants at Bonegilla Migrant Reception Centre.bonegilla migrant reception centre, post world war 11 migration, immigration