Benalla Migrant Camp Exhibition

29/05/2026

Oleg Levinsky recently sent in this 1956 photo featuring the camp’s main gates.
He says: it’s George Runcis, Budo (Fred) Bitneris, Oleg Mitrachowitsch (brother of Bobby)and Oleg(myself).
I would love to hear your comments, I know all of these men through the migrant camp project - do you recognise the photo or names?

21/05/2026

I recently submitted a funding application to the National Library of Australia's Community Heritage Grants.
The grant would fund a professional assessment of our Benalla Migrant Camp Exhibition collection - for its significance to Australia and for its conservation needs.
The grants are only given to a handful of collections throughout Australia each year and they are prestigious.
We are ready for the assessment, everything is catalogued (except the 1,000 plus scanned photos) and labelled.
The grant is for $6,500 - not much at all. Why do I do it? It is for the public recognition of the collection and due to my belief that it should be kept together and conserved properly here in Benalla where it belongs! Wish me luck 🍀

25/03/2025

On Sunday we attended the screening of "Bonegilla The Migrants Journey" in Wangaratta. Simon Reich has interviewed many former residents of Bonegilla and put together this wonderful film that was accompanied by the Moodemere Quartet. Several stars of the film, the interviewees, were in the audience. Hearing migrants tell their story in their own words really brings out the emotions of war/hardship/resilience. For a moment you get to be in their shoes and feel their fear, sadness and at times humour. The interviewees spoke of losing loved ones, never seeing family again, hearing the bombs whistle through the sky, homes destroyed, the hunger in the belly and they talked also about their arrival in Australia. Several children of migrants spoke of life in the Bonegilla camp. This was all about their experience and no doubt the experiences of many of our families and I am so grateful they have shared and allowed Simon to film it. Documenting this history is vitally important, we need to remember the events that brought our families to this country and helped shape Australian culture. This film is a wonderful example of bringing history to life. If you get a chance go and see it. Simon, thanks for your work in putting this together.

22/12/2024

The Benalla Migrant Camp project incorporates our collection, the exhibition at Hut 11, our events, and of course our fabulous website and this page. All of us, the committee members and our exhibition volunteers wish you a wonderful Christmas 🎄
We look forward to reopening our exhibition next year and we hope to have a surprise in store for you too.
Let’s start 2025 with hope for peace on earth - nothing much seems to have changed in the world since 1946 and this picture.
We really appreciate your ongoing support- thank you 🤩

Preparing for Christmas in 1946.

Winter 1946-1947... the hardest in living memory in much of Europe. With food so scarce it would have been the best present possible.

In Germany known as the "Hungerwinter", there were few gifts to be found for either "St. Nicholas" or "Weihnachten".

But for two young girls there was a Weihnachtsbaum.

10/12/2024

Benalla Rovers Soccer Club started at Benalla Migrant Camp and this year has its 70th anniversary. The local organisers are inviting former migrant camp resident families and players to join their celebrations. Free BBQ food and a cake will be cut.

Send a message to learn more

24/10/2024

FCJ College archivist Lyn Tanner recently found these four images in a 1957 photo album and let me scan them. Please do you know anything about these migrant camp girls - what was the occasion they are dressed up in national costume for? Do I recognise you Helen Topor and Maria Zintschenko?

24/10/2024

I was sent this photo and words by email, a couple of days ago. I thought I would share this, as there are so many people in the photo. Hopefully you might recognise some more faces! Please comment.

Hi Sabine,
Please attached a Christmas photo of Benalla camp kids.
Unfortunately, I don't have an original photo to scan.
My mum Klaudia Tuovinen passed away recently at the age of 91.
Mum was a deserted wife of 9 children.
We were one of last families to leave Benalla in 1967. Only Finnish family.
I hope you are able add this to your collection. I'm sitting in the front row in the yellow dress.

Kind regards,
Mary (Pirkko) Cochran