Collecting Stories From Migrant Work Camps
Presented by the National Archives of Australia (South Australia) and the Department of Historical & Classical Studies, University of Adelaide as part of South Australia’s History Festival.
NAA: B330, 8352/1 Port Augusta Railway Workers Huts
Following World War Two a large number of migrants arrived in South Australia. Men and women displaced by war in Europe (Latvians, Lithuanians, Estonians, Poles, and others), those arriving as Special Project Workers (especially Germans, Dutch and Italians), and those on assisted passages often found themselves living, at least initially, in worker’s camps. These “camps” were supplied by employers including the railways, mining, E&WS and other government entities, as well as private companies and individuals and took the form of tents, dormitories, single men’s quarters or rooms in hotels/guest houses and in hospital quarters.
Researchers from the University of Adelaide are mapping the locations of these camps and telling the story of these migrants who were essential in the growth of industry and infrastructure in the post-war years. Come and hear more about these migrants, about the work they did and where they lived. Share your memories, photos, and your family’s stories about life in these camps.
When: Thursday 4 May, 11am-12pm (ACST) and Tuesday 30 May, 6-7pm (ACST)
Where: Hetzel Lecture Theatre, Institute Building, North Terrace & Kintore Avenue, Adelaide, SA, 5000
See here to register.