Migrantweb.com Hostels Forum

docannie · New Member Joined: 07 Jan 2008 Posts: 5

Hi,
Annie Campbell here. I am trying to track down the name of the hostel I stayed in 1959/60, in Brisbane, near Morningside/Bulimba area. We immigrated to NZ from there and now I live in the states. I have searched the web without luck. Anyone heard of it? I'm new to the forum, and hope this is the correct place to ask this question?
Thanks :
_________________
Annie

Len · Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 1:39 am Post subject:

Hi Annie, welcome to our forums.

I've had a quick search and found a "Yungaba migrant hostel at Kangaroo Point" which is near to where you describe 'I think'.
Also there was a "colmslie migrant hostel" somewhere in the same vicinity; it used to be a naval base.
I found a photo of the site as it is now... click here.

I�m sure Phyl has already mentioned colmslie hostel in one of her previous posts and could perhaps tell us more.

Smile

Phyl · Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:10 am Post subject:

Hi Len and Annie,
I was at Colmslie migrant Hostel late 1957 to late 1958. Tony was Catering Manager there. To my knowledge ,Colmslie was at that time, the only migrant hostel there. I have not heard of the other one you mentioned Len unless it was a holding centre for those coming from Europe. Later Colmslie closed and Wacol opened it was I think near Ipswich in Brisbane over near the Airport.
Colmslie was on the Brisbane riverbank and on a bit of a hill sloping down to the river. I remember our vet was at Morningside. I did post a few sentences about there ages ago.
Probably not a lot of help to you Annie. cry

_________________
Kind regards,
Phyl

Phyl · Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:12 am Post subject:

Just reread Annie's letter and I would say with those years it was probably Colmslie she was at
_________________
Kind regards,
Phyl

Len · Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 7:14 pm Post subject:

While searching I came across this very interesting webpage �Arthur William Leveritt�.

It�s a webpage about noted events in Arthur�s life and in 1962 Arthur and his family immigrated to Australia and their destination was Brisbane. When they arrived in Brisbane they stayed at Yungaba migrant hostel at kangaroo point.
If you have google earth then crack it up and search kangaroo point and you�ll see that its not from away from Morningside etc.

For more interesting details have a look through Arthur's site yourself. You�ll also be able to see a photo of the Yungaba migrant hostel. Should you double click on the small image of the hostel then it will open up into a much bigger one. To be honest though, it looks more like a hotel rather than a hostel/camp etc.
Is there anyone out there that can tell us a bit more about this Yungaba migrant hostel?

I was very nearly tempted to hot link the Yungaba hostel�s image to this page but as its not the proper way to do things �as its considered as bandwidth theft� I decided to just give you the link to the image. Click on the link below and you�ll see the image.
Click here to see image

smile

Len · Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 9:56 pm Post subject:

Another couple of interesting links concerning Yungaba.

"Yungaba" Immigration Depot
"Yungaba" Action Group

smile

Phyl · Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 1:44 am Post subject:

Hi Len,
Have just been reading all about Yungaba,Thankyou for the interesting sites. Yungaba was a State owned immigration centre so that is why I didn't know it ,as Colmslie was federal government owned and called Commonwealth Hostels Ltd and was named something else other than CHL ,before that . Probably Tony would have known of it.
Tony's Grandmother ,Matilda Aimee Murray-Prior ,daughter of Thomas Lodge Murray-Prior,Tony's Great grandfather, was brought up on their property "Montpielier" at Kangaroo Point. THomas Lodge Murray-Prior was the first Postmaster General of Queensland and owned stations in Queensland. I must say Tony comes from a very interesting family historicly.but I won't bore you with family history.
Bonegila ,too, was an immigration centre owned I think by the State government where folk went to first. I remember it being called a holding centre but must admit I didn't like it being called that. It was not CHL either. The building Yungaba sure looks gracious.
So Annie you can take your choice as to where you stayed. Laughing

_________________
Kind regards,
Phyl

Len · Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 10:07 pm Post subject:

docannie · New Member Joined: 07 Jan 2008 Posts: 5

Dear All,
I was nicely suprised to log on and find many responses to my search. Yes it was Colmslie and as soon as I saw the name I knew it! I wondered if Phyl remembers the "Campbell" family, six kids, Mary and Bob Campbell from Scotland. It's late at night here in the US so I'm keeping this brief. Thanks for all you responses.
Annie Smile

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Annie

Phyl · Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:19 am Post subject:

Hi Annie,
Sad to say we would have left Colmslie before you arrived as we were tranferred back to N.S.W. at the end of 1958. I would say though that Tom Flood would still have been the Manager in charge when you were there and Harry Crockett in the office and the Bottings Do these names ring any bells. One of the cooks became a Manager and remains ,with his wife , friends to this day.
What part of Scotland did you come from? I have Scottish blood running in my veins Smile

being English on my father's side and Scottish on my mother's .My mothjer was born in South Africa from Scottish parents with a little Swedish thrown in for good measure. I am a first generation New Zealander.
I hope you are happy in the States.
_________________
Kind regards,
Phyl

docannie · New Member Joined: 07 Jan 2008 Posts: 5

Dear Phyl,
Yes, the name "Flood" rings a bell and I am going to call my elderly Mum who lives in Dunedin, NZ and see if sh remembers.
I was born in Biggar, Scotland along with my two sisters and two older brothers. I also have a younger brother who was born during our time in Colmslie. After that we immigrated to Dunedin, partly because my Mum could not take the heat.
I found a little aerial map of Colmslie at www.ozatwar.com and so it has bought back some great memories. We kids ran wild and had such adventures, I remember being very happy and carefree there.
Thanks for your correspondence. Where are you in NZ? I love living here in New Mexico, but miss NZ all the same, and my family are still in Dunedin. Smile

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Annie

Phyl · Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 3:14 am Post subject:

Hi Annie,
Great to have you respond.
I live about 110 miles north of Dunedin in a little village called Pareora.It is about 8 miles south of Timaru so not too far away from two of my brothers in Timaru.Have a great niece and her family a couple of streets away here too. I have two grandsons in Dunedin.I think ,though I love New Zealand, it is so cold in the winter and I always say when it is so cold "Why did I come home.I should have stayed in Australia" However at the moment it 's so warm Yesterday was 32 degrees celcius here, unheard of years ago, but though warm, a little cooler today.Guess you and Len will be cold as it is winter where you are.
THe Floods had two dogs one called Bounce and the other was a female ,her name escapes me at the moment.They were very nice people He was very English "eh What" in his speech and military background. The dogs were cocker spaniels and Bounce was notorious for biting people. I still hold a scar about 3 inches long where he bit me once and I was carted off too South Brisbane Hospital to have it seen too.The scar is so long because I pulled my arm away from him. I was looking after him and stupidly put my hand over the gate to let him know it was me ,but he grabbed me before he realised and was so contrite the day or two after. The female was in kennels at the time because she was in season.
But Bounce did bite a good few folk in his day. Of course this is many years ago and both dogs are gone cry

as are their dear owners. cry

_________________
Kind regards,
Phyl