Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House

(1) notes that:

  (a) 2019 marks the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Greta Army Camp and the 70th anniversary of its transition to a migrant training and reception centre—Greta Migrant Camp;

  (b) around 60,000 soldiers of the Second Australian Imperial Force trained at the Camp between 1939 and 1945;

  (c) more than 100,000 new arrivals passed through the Greta Migrant Camp between 1949 and 1960;

  (d) the army training centre played a significant role in Australia’s outstanding contribution to the Second World War;

  (e) the Greta Migrant Camp played a major role in delivering on the objectives and commitments of the Government’s humanitarian and nation building programs; and

  (f) the Hunter region and Australia more generally remain enriched by the contribution of those who spent time living at the Greta Migrant Camp; and

(2) calls on the Government to ensure the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Greta Army Camp and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Greta Migrant Camp are appropriately commemorated and celebrated anniversaries.

The year 2019 marks the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Greta Army Camp in the Hunter electorate. It also marks the 70th anniversary of its transformation into a migrant camp. Throughout the course of World War II, up to 60,000 soldiers of the 2nd AIF trained in Greta. It was one of the Army's largest camps. That means that Greta played a significant role in the war effort and its history is certainly worth commemorating. Then, between 1949 and 1960, 100,000 new arrivals passed through the former Army barracks. Most were fleeing war-torn Second World War and post-Second World War Europe. They came originally from Poland, Hungary, Ukraine, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and various Baltic states. Later, under a broader migration program, people from Italy, Greece, Macedonia, Russia and many other countries made the camp their temporary home. In all, people in the camp represented some 18 nationalities. Originally, the camp's residents were transferred from other Australian camps, but later they came directly. On 19 August 1949, more than a thousand displaced persons arrived in Newcastle Harbour on the Fairsea and were transferred to Greta by rail.

Our post-World War II migration program shaped modern Australia, and Greta played a big part in our national development. The camp's residents learned both English and our way of life while in the camp. Happily, we learned much from them too. We embraced much of their culture and, of course, their food. We are a richer country for the experience. Sadly, a visit to the site of the camp provides no hint of its national significance. Those with family links to the camp who make a pilgrimage to their place of heritage will find no marking on the site, let alone a sign signifying its previous national significance. We are all indebted to former Newcastle Herald journalist Alek Schulha, who wants this changed. Alek was born in the camp to Yugoslav and Ukrainian parents. They were the first couple to be married in the camp's Orthodox church, and Alek was christened there. Alek is completing a book on the history of the camp and has interviewed more than 100 people with direct connections and links with the former camp. The book will be launched next year to coincide with the anniversary.

Our local communities remain enriched by the ongoing presence of many of the new arrivals, their children and their grandchildren. In addition to commemorating and celebrating the 70th anniversary, we hope to ensure that people who have an affinity with the former camp have somewhere and something prominent to visit. We must facilitate their pilgrimage and keep the memories and histories alive.

In the main street of Greta there is a small monument, which is respected and appreciated. I think next year would be a good time to enlarge that monument, to make it more visible to passing visitors. I think the camp could be a driver of significant tourism for the town as more and more people come to understand the local area's significance in our history.

I also think that Alek Schulha is right: those seeking to make the pilgrimage would easily drive past the site. These are the great-grandchildren of the camp's original residents and it is a difficult place to find on a lonely road. We do need to help them establish and find the site. One of the challenges is that it's on private land and we don't know what the land's future holds. This will largely be a matter for the council, and I'm reaching out to the council to help us work through these issues. Of course, the roadside verge—or the area between the road and the property—might be an opportunity, but, certainly, we need to mark that site so that people can find it easily.

The other key objective of my motion is to ask the national government here in Canberra to do all it can to ensure that these two very important anniversaries next year are appropriately and properly commemorated and celebrated.

Craig Laundy (Reid, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member. Is the motion seconded?

Meryl Swanson (Paterson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to second the member for Hunter's motion to commemorate the anniversaries of the establishment of the Greta Army Camp in 1939 and the Greta Migrant Camp in 1949.

Driving towards Greta in New South Wales along Camp Road you would be forgiven for not knowing that in 1949 the Greta Migrant Camp was the biggest of its kind, housing 100,000 refugees. June 2019 marks the 70th anniversary of the first draft of migrants to arrive—refugees escaping war-torn Europe. Today there is little or no trace on the site of the Greta Migrant camp and the lives of those refugee families who stayed until changes to the Migration Act of 1955 saw the camp finally dissolve in 1960.

At one point in time there were 19 different nationalities living in cramped quarters, sharing accommodation and facilities. People came from the Ukraine, Slovenia, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, Italy, Austria and Hungary, with many arriving at the camp in the middle of summer. Their first sight of the shining nissen huts lined up in the field, surrounded by the Australian bush, must have come as such a shock, especially on a 40-degree-plus day. Many people thought they would die from the heat, and, of course, a corrugated iron hut was not ideal in Australia's bush conditions. However, the camp, as happens in adversity, over time became a truly thriving community. Its residents adapted to Australia's heat and started to rebuild their lives. Migrants arriving in Greta brought with them skills and resilience. Over time they got jobs, learned the language and even started businesses. Their families grew up and were educated, and while some of them moved away many stayed to build their lives in Greta and the Hunter region.

Living in the camp was not a free ride, and families were expected to pay rent. Some men were lucky and secured work at BHP in Newcastle. Most men, however, travelled to work on the Snowy Mountains Scheme and in sugarcane fields in Queensland. They travelled to wherever they could find secure work, something many workers today can relate to if they are fly in, fly out workers. Perhaps these were among our first FIFOs in Australia. Sunday afternoons would see family groups head to the Greta Railway Station to farewell loved ones who they may not see for months at a time.

Elizabeth Lodo, now Liz Matt, was three years old when her family travelled from Germany and arrived in Australia in 1950. But their journey was far from over. After moving from camps in Bathurst to Parkes and then Cowra, Liz and her family finally arrived in Greta in 1952 when Liz was just five years old. Liz remembers the early days as being very hard, but she also has many fond memories of that camp. Her school years were fantastic, because of a woman called Mrs Rose.

Mrs Rose, of course, had no experience teaching children who spoke little or no English and who came from such diverse backgrounds, and every day she'd ask the children a question. Gradually, their English improved and with that their understanding of the Australian way of life. Mrs Rose recalls those years as the best of her teaching career.

When the camp closed in 1960, Liz's family moved towards the township of Greta, a town that I share with the member for Hunter. Orient Street in Greta is in fact our boundary. Sadly, Liz's father, Joseph, passed away shortly after moving from the camp to Greta, leaving Maria, his wife, to raise their large family alone. As was a reflection of the time, the community rallied behind the Matt family and helped them through those very tough years. Liz's mother, Maria, lived in Greta until she passed away at the age of 93. Liz and her family still call Greta home.

There is a part of the camp's history that many people might not know about. The Greta Army Camp was initially the site of one Australia's largest army camps and provided a great deal of training during the Second World War. It was one of several initially built for the concentration and training of the 6th Division of the AIF, because existing military facilities were already occupied by militia units. The first unit to move into the camp was the 2/11th Battalion, who arrived on 15 December 1939, and they were later joined by the 2/10th Battalion. Eventually the facilities were improved.

When it was a migrant camp, it was known as 'Chocolate City' and 'Silver City' because of the brown-coloured weatherboard buildings and the Nissen huts. Those Nissen huts can still be found in my home town of Kurri Kurri as you drive around, although, thankfully, many have been renovated.

It is so important that we mark this anniversary. Australia prides itself on its multicultural background, and Greta can be proud of what it's contributed.

Craig Laundy (Reid, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There being no further speakers, the debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.