Migrantweb.com Hostels Forum

[Arthur Radford]

Does anyone know when this hostel opened and closed? I can remember the huts still there in the early 1970's and then demolished around that time. My in-laws lived there for a while in the early 1950's before moving out to the commonweath cottages when they were new at Unanderra.

[Len]

Berkeley Hostel 1951-1967

Hi Arthur
While I was doing my research on Unanderra Hostels in 2003 I asked Wollongong City library if they could offer some assistance in my project and in reply the staff of Wollongong City Library sent me some documentation. Below is an extract from a document that I received.
Titled;
Chapter 7: MIGRANTS: NEW AUSTRALIANS:

Berkeley Hostel site.
Berkeley Hostel site was purchased by (the Commonwealth from the N.S.W. Housing Commission on March 20-1950.
The Migrant Hostel commenced operations on December 27-1951.
The Commonwealth Accommodation and Catering Services (then known as Commonwealth Hostels Limited) took over Berkeley Hostel on the week ending February 2, 1952. It had 143 residents, comprising 92 adults (46 males, 46 females) and 51 children all of British nationality.
The first nationality survey occurred in February 28-1953 when there were 369 residents and staff, of whom 10
Australian, 121 British, 18 displaced persons, 102 Dutch, 25 Italian and 93 Germans made up the total occupancy.
Berkeley (hostel) was closed in September 1953 and placed under caretaking control.
It was re opened on July 20-1954 with an intake of 346 British residents (comprising 65 adult males, 69 adult females
And 212 children)
It reached a maximum occupancy in 1958 of 630 persons. In 1959 a maximum of 674, in July 1961 a maximum of 738.
In the years 1962 /63/ 64 occupancy fluctuated between 250 and 600, and on November 13-1965 it reached a maximum occupancy of 926, comprising of 10 Australians and 916 British on June 25-1966, (9 Australians and 1209 British).
Occupancy fell in 1967 and in the period ending November 11- 1967
347 resident left or were transferred to Fairy Meadow Migrant Centre
And the Hostel was closed.

[Len]

I myself had been to Berkeley Hostel in 1968 to about 1970 -72, at this time the Hostel was unoccupied.
I attended the Berkeley Judo Club in 1968 which was owned / run by Henry Lewiston. The Club venue was the then empty Hostel Canteen. About 1970 the Berkeley Judo Club relocated in to another premises, it was a shop in the centre of Berkeley.
I also played soccer with the Berkeley East soccer Club up until about 1972; we used the Berkeley Hostel soccer field for our training and games. To my recollection I think the huts where still standing in 1972 unfortunately I do not know when they were actually demolished.

[Fergie]

There is a government website:

www.naa.gov.au

It is the National Archives.

[Fergie]

WOLLONGONG�S MIGRATION HERITAGE PLACES
The Illawarra Migration Heritage Project Inc has recently embarked on an exciting new project to identify, document and assess migration heritage places in Wollongong, researched in collaboration with Louise Thom and Meredith Walker.

The project is supported by the NSW Migration Heritage Centre, the Heritage Office in the Department of Planning (NSW) and Wollongong City Council. The project will investigate the impact of post-Second World War migration on the development of the City of Wollongong. In particular, the study will investigate the themes of first places of accommodation; women�s work places; Wollongong Harbour; and places of worship.

For more information on this thematic study:
http://www.migrationheritage.nsw.gov.au/e107/content.php?article.203
For more information on the forthcoming Illawarra Migration Heritage Project Inc and NSW Migration Heritage Centre book Investigating Migration Heritage Wollongong: http://www.migrationheritage.nsw.gov.au/e107/content.php?article.165

[Hedwig]

Hi Fergie,
I'm doing 3rd year "Writing for Sound" at University of Wollongong, and am actually looking for people to interview in regards to the Migration Heritage Project. Louise Thom came to a lecture to brief us on the Project. Interviews would be a part of our assessment, as well as being utilised by the Project's database. As you mentioned the Project is focussing particularly on areas that have most affected the economic growth and population of Wollongong post World War II. I've chosen the migrant accommodation. For our class (being a creative writing subject) the aim here is to team up peoples' accounts of their experiences with a 'sound walk', an audio version of a photo album or video, making use of the recording's of real people's experiences (interview), sound effects and anecdotes/articles about each place. Almost like a sonic photo album.
Anyway, if you know of anyone interested in being almost famous please drop me a line.
Cheers,
Ali