Speaker: Sabine Smyth, Former Benalla Migrant Camp Chair

The Benalla migrant camp came into existence in 1949 and it was at the time an RAF training base and had the accommodation ready made to transition to a migrant camp.

Speaker: Franz Joe Zajac, Former Benalla Camp Resident

We, we arrived at the port of Melbourne when I was four years old in 1949. And we were displaced people from Germany. My father's Polish, my mother was German and from the Port of Melbourne, were sent to Bonegilla as, as migrants.

We arrived at Bonegilla and we were processed there and we were supposed to go to Rushworth migrant camp. Somehow we ended up here.

Our accommodation was Nissan Huts and there were no lining in the Nissan Huts they were corrugated iron. No fans. So you can imagine how hot that was in the summer time.

We, we made new friends, we started school, we learned a new language. And we started a new life in Australia. So for kids it was very, very, very good. But for the adults, of course, it was completely different.

Speaker: Sabine Smyth, Former Benalla Migrant Camp Chair

The mix of nationalities in the camp meant that you had so many languages. People needed to work together and, you know, get on together, live their life together.

Especially after the Second World War, there would have still been a lot of feelings of, I guess, angst with some of the nationalities.

Speaker: Franz Joe Zajac, Former Benalla Camp Resident

We had approximately 60,000 people come through this camp.

Speaker: Sabine Smyth, Former Benalla Migrant Camp Chair

The camp then shut in 1967.

I think the benefit from preserving a piece of history like the Benalla migrant camp is in a way having the unique chance of preserving a time capsule and to have an overarching plan that, in plain English, points out how the huts are to be treated and how any future works are to be approached and how overtime the site can be restored to look similar to what it did in the migrant camp days. It's just crucial

Speaker: Franz Joe Zajac, Former Benalla Camp Resident

Important to keep the centre going for the grandchildren and the children of the original children that were here. To be able to come and visit and have a look and find out where their parents started their Australian life.

Page last updated: 15/03/23