the bonegilla migrant experience

We arrived at the former migration camp late in the afternoon and even though it was due to close in 15 minutes the accommodating lady in the visitor centre offered to go round locking up the buildings after us. We weren't expecting the exhibits to be so interesting and so will have to come back in a year or so. The individual stories of life in the camp were a moving tale or well intended help by the Australians and culturally confused migrants. This attraction is a real gem - I would have paid to look round but it is free!

My first visit to Bonegilla was in 1955 and I am very impressed with the presentation and amount of 'souvenirs' that are on display at this time, a new cafe/amenities block is being built which will make this venue more accessible.I was disappointed no sleeping quarters are open for display at this stage. A display about our boat trip to Oz would be great too as many of us would have photos of our "Trip of a Lifetime".There is a need for better signage to the Centre, particularly from the Wodonga area. There is no point having an interesting venue if people can't find it.

We were surprised how interesting and informative the displays were.I'd like to see more comments by migrants who were processed through the camp. It must have been a total shock for them, with such limited facilities.Hopefully, lots more information and display material will become available.Could an area be allocated to life on board the ships from Europe to Australia.

We had to visit here as I was part of the history here as a young child.Originally built as an army camp, which later became the Bonegilla Migrant reception centre after World War II up until 1971.Although all of the dozens of blocks are now gone, Block 19 and the remnant buildings remain as a historic remembrance of the centre.You can visit and walk through the primitive accommodations, ablution blocks, kitchen, mess hall and there is other memorabilia in a few of the buildings. At the current entry point, listen to the "whispering wall" and then watch the stories of some of the people that stayed here, through some of the old recorded footage.Right at the front carpark, there is also a new and larger Information centre being built at the moment, but all the information you need, including visitor site guides, as well as information on national archives, records and collections can be obtained at the current one which is a little further in along the path.

An important part of our history that needs preserving. The open sections tell their own stories. The displays and audiovisual a enhance those stories.

We did not realise how extensive the remnants of the buildings were and the illustration of the living conditions were excellent.They have commenced work on a new tourist information centre but I don't think it will be completed for some time.

I had heard about Bonegilla from listening to various progams on SBS and the stories of the migrants who had spent some time there, but I had no idea where it was. The most helpful lady int he Tourist Information Centre in Albury advised us of that parts of the centre were open for inspection.Most of the facility has been demolished, but Camp 19 is still standing. The introductory video was good at setting the scene of the role of the camp.The various displays had been well done and gave a great insight in to what life would have been like in the camp.We were fortunate to meet an elderly German couple who were visiting the centre. They had stayed there with their family when they first immigrated to Australia. They had very fond memories of their time there and they were most entertaining. The only thing that they did not like was how often they had to eat mutton and how the smell of mutton pervaded the air of the camp. They said that to this day, they could not eat lamb.The centre is certainly worth visiting. It is part of our history that few of us know much about.

I believe this is a must to see and it formed part of the Australian history. It was army camp during WWII and it became migrant reception from 1947 to 1971. You can easily spent 1-2 hours there just to go through several buildings or barracks. Staff are very helpful.

We visited this centre as this was my husband's first home in Australia. It was so good to see the old areas, such as the commoin kitchen and living conditions. We spent a few hours here exploring all the different buildings, well worth a visit, especially anyone who has had a connection with this place.

This living history site is fascinating and only slated to get better. It bears witness to various waves of post WWII migrants, leaving us a potent record of their living conditions as well as their hopes and dreams upon arrival in Australia to build a new life. From the Greeks to the Dutch, the Italians to concentration camp survivors (Dr Karl Kruszelnicki's father was of the latter group and came here with his wife and young son, Karl), Bonegilla excavates the 'bones' of this important part of Australia's heritage.In total, 320,000 migrants passed through Bonegilla. This does not even take into account the thousands of migrants who passed through the other migrant centres right across Australia - an additional 5 in VIC, 4 in QLD, 6 in NSW, 2 in SA and 3 in WA."Block 19" is a misnomer for this centre. It is an extensive rural BLOCK OF LAND 16 kms outside Wodonga on which over 40 ex-WW1 and WW11 army barrack buildings are clustered. Block 19 is the only remainder of the 24 rural blocks of land -  each of which had similar ex-Army barrack building clusters on them. The other 23 have now been destroyed. As an average in the 1950's and 1960's, the 24 blocks at Bonegilla housed 7,400 migrants.The cacophony of migrant audio experiences emanating from the 'sea wall' encountered en route to the reception centre from the car park is a real pointer towards the future of vibrant Australian installation art commissioned by public bodies. The staff are fantastic. The buildings and many exhibitions are fascinating. The  approach taken of introducing a reflection room where people can reflect on their experience of Bonegilla and the people who passed through it before leaving a message is lovely. I thoroughly recommend this experience and am looking forward to returning.

Having a family connection with Bonegilla, it was very interesting to visit and see where the roots of my partners family began. Jenny at the info centre, was really helpful. It was very quiet, so we almost had the whole place to ourselves. The exhibits were interesting and informative and it was quite moving to see how the new migrants lived and that this was the beginning of the life of our family here in Australia. The only downside was the talking wall part of the experience. A wall made up of stories spoken by migrants, but they were all coming out of the one wall at the same time and made it incredibly difficult to hear and understand. Other than that, we really enjoyed the Migrant Experience at Bonegilla.

Husband and I spent hours looking at the displays, there really is a lot to look at if you are interested in the migrant experience. The lady on duty at reception was a mine of information having been there as a child. If you or any of your relatives passed through this establishment I recommend a visit......made me appreciate what my father went through in his early days in Australia.

We have visited Block 19 on a quiet Sunday afternoon on our way from Lake Hume. There was only a handful of people walking around but it was obvious that some of them were more familiar with the place than the rest of us. When I looked into the visitor book later I saw an entry from one of the older Dutch couple that read "We lived here 50 years ago." This was a very moving experience that could bring you back to the middle of last century with many places kept close to the original condition and showing the days of early organised immigration to Australia.

We visited this place not expecting a lot and in a way that is what we got as much of what was once a large migration centre has been laid to ruin. There is an information centre where the girl manning the fort got us started. She was very nice even getting us a glass of water to go with the dvd she put on for us to watch. There are several halls, a kitchen and accommodation huts left of this once massive migration centre which have been restored brilliantly. We wandered around and took our time and I don't think it cost us anything to do so but there may be guided tours available too at a cost if that is more your thing. The information that is posted up around the place is excellent although at times a little repetitve. My favourite hall was cram packed full of articles and other information which I found very pleasurable to read, I could almost feel what life would have been like for these people living here back in the day.I found the whole experience very eye opening and sadly had never heard about the place until I went searching for things to do around Albury-Woodonga. You only need a few hours there but I think it is something that everyone should check out. It certainly made me and my wife question our heritage and surprisingly both of us know little about our European heritage. Sadly even my grandparents know little about their European heritage and this is something I was compelled to ask them about after my visit. My grandma came here as a girl on a boat and was told to be Australian and all her heritage was lost, much like many of the people that came here from across the seas to live in Bonegilla. It has only been in recent years that she even found out where from Poland her mother and father were from. Whilst the actual content at this attraction is probably only good to very good the feelings it invoked in me and the fact that it made me appreciate what being an Australian really is all about makes this an excellent attraction. Definitely put it on the list of things to do when you are next visiting or passing through.

I visited Bonegilla only after a guest who stayed with me, told me this was his first home in Australia. I was amazed with the place, I had no idea that this museum existed. It looked so natural, I half expected to see people emerge from the buildings. A really worthwhile "experience" which raises many questions. I will be revisiting to explore it further.