Did australia run concentraion camps in the 1960's? is there any way to look these up? thanks.?

Question

my family told me a story of how they fled greece in the early 1960's to go to australia. while there, they were forced into concentration camps. i have tried looking the camps up, but to no avail. does anyone know of such camps? thanks!

Answer 1

They were NOT concentration camps. I don't ever remember seeing any guards with rifles or big vicious dogs patrolling the perimeter.

They were known as Migrant Hostels and were low cost, SHORT TERM accommodation for the new arrivals.

The Australian government had never intended for anyone to stay in a migrant hostel long term.

There was employment for all back in the 1950s and 60s.

European migrants were often refugees escaping their homeland.

Unfortunately, the food provided was standard Aussie fare of the time, very bland and uninteresting.

The food must have been an enormous shock and disappointment to the new arrivals, particularly those from European countries.

Thankfully, we now have far more interesting food choices available to us. Mostly due to these wonderful people who took the chance and came here after the war.



Here is a website that may interest you.

'Populate or perish': post war migration

http://www.migrationheritage.nsw.gov.au/...

Answer 2

No, Australia did not run concentration camps in the 1960s.  What your family is probably talking about is the Migrant Hostels.  With the influx of migrants in the 1960s, accommodation was provided in Migrant Hostels where the new arrivals lived for anything from 3 months to a year.  For many it was an experience fondly remembered but for others it must have seemed as if they had given up one form of h**l for another.

For more detailed information, have a look at the Australian National Archives website.