A DACC Research Series on Australia’s Post-war Migrant Reception Centres and Hostels
Between the late 1940s and the 1970s, hundreds of thousands of migrants arrived in Australia under the Commonwealth’s assisted migration schemes. For many, their first experience of Australia was not a suburban home or country town, but a migrant reception centre or hostel. These camps became the temporary home of families from across Europe, including thousands of Dutch migrants seeking a new future after the Second World War.
For the Dutch Australian Cultural Centre (DACC), these migrant camps represent an important part of the Dutch-Australian story. They were the places where many Dutch families first encountered Australian life, learned English, found employment and formed friendships before settling throughout the country. While some camps have become well known—most notably Bonegilla—many others have received relatively little attention despite their importance to Dutch migration history.
This new DACC research series aims to document the principal migrant reception centres and hostels that welcomed Dutch migrants. Each article will explore the history of the camp, the experiences of Dutch migrants who lived there, and link to personal stories, photographs and oral histories preserved within the DACC collection. Together these articles will create a national picture of the Dutch migration experience in Australia.
Camps currently included in this research project
Queensland
- Wacol Migrant Centre (Brisbane)
One of Queensland’s largest migrant centres, established on the former Camp Columbia military complex. Thousands of migrants passed through Wacol between 1949 and the 1980s. It is unique in Dutch-Australian history because the site had earlier served as the headquarters of the Netherlands East Indies Government-in-Exile during the Second World War. The DACC already holds an extensive collection of articles, photographs and oral histories relating to Wacol. - Stuart Migrant Centre (Townsville)
A former military camp that accommodated post-war migrants destined for northern Queensland. Further research will examine its Dutch connections.
Victoria
- Bonegilla Migrant Reception and Training Centre
Australia’s largest and best-known migrant reception centre, through which more than 300,000 migrants passed between 1947 and 1971. Thousands of Dutch migrants began their Australian lives here before settling across the country. Bonegilla is listed on the National Heritage List. - Benalla Migrant Camp
Another important Victorian reception centre that received many assisted migrants during the 1950s and 1960s.
South Australia
- Woodside Migrant Hostel
South Australia’s principal migrant hostel in the Adelaide Hills. Operating from 1949 to 1963, it welcomed approximately 26,000 migrants, including many Dutch families who later settled throughout South Australia. This will be the first new article in the series. - Finsbury/Pennington Migrant Hostel
An important Adelaide hostel that accommodated many newly arrived migrant families during the post-war years.
New South Wales
- Bathurst Migrant Camp
One of Australia’s largest migrant reception centres and an important processing point for post-war migrants. - Greta Migrant Camp
A major reception centre in the Hunter Valley, originally a wartime military camp before being converted for migrant accommodation. - Scheyville Migrant Hostel
A large migrant hostel on Sydney’s north-western outskirts that accommodated thousands of assisted migrants. - Villawood Migrant Hostel
One of Sydney’s principal migrant hostels and home to many families during their first months in Australia.
Western Australia
- Northam Migrant Camp
Western Australia’s principal migrant reception centre and one of Australia’s largest post-war migrant camps. Many Dutch migrants passed through Northam before settling across the state. - Graylands Migrant Hostel
Located near Perth, Graylands accommodated large numbers of migrants destined for metropolitan Perth and regional Western Australia.
Other camps
As this research progresses, additional migrant hostels and reception centres with significant Dutch connections will be added. Australia operated dozens of migrant hostels between the late 1940s and the 1970s, although only some had substantial Dutch populations.
Building a National Dutch Migration Resource
The aim of this project is not simply to describe Australia’s migrant camps, but to tell the Dutch story within them. Each article will identify Dutch migrants who stayed at the camp, link to their personal stories on the DACC website, and include photographs, documents and oral histories wherever possible.
As the DACC collection continues to grow, these articles will evolve into a comprehensive national resource documenting the places where Dutch migrants first began their Australian journey.
Readers who have photographs, documents or memories relating to any of these migrant reception centres are warmly invited to contact the Dutch Australian Cultural Centre so that these stories can be preserved for future generations.
