During the First World War, the theatres of Europe felt worlds away for Australians on the home front. The Second World War’s Pacific stage brought war closer to home. For some rural Victorian towns, the repercussions of war arrived right on their doorstep.

Australia, like many other countries, ran internment camps throughout the war years in both New South Wales and Victoria.

During this period, there were two significant camps in country Victoria’s Goulburn Valley region, at Tatura and Rushworth. A total of seven camps were spread between the two regional communities, housing Prisoners of War, enemy alien migrants and civilians living in Australia or other Allied territories and countries.