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Hostels as heritage sites?
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HeritageHostels
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 12:19 am    Post subject: Hostels as heritage sites? Reply with quote

Hi all,

I'd like to introduce myself to you as a heritage consultant from Melbourne who is currently assessing the historicial, social and architectural significance of a surviving migrant hostel.

I'd be very interested to know what you former migrants think of the prospect of these sites being recognised as heritage places. Would you like to see surviving hostel buildings preserved and retained for the benefit of future generations, or would you prefer that they were demolished and their sites redeveloped?

Does anybody think it is more appropriate for a hostel site to be marked by a signboard or a plaque, rather than by the retention of surviving buildings?

I've heard the argument that the buildings are not actually valued by former migrants, because of negative associations with living in cold, draughty Nissen huts with substandard meals. But isn't this reason enough to retain them, so that others can see what it was like?

I'd be delighted to hear everyone's opinion on these thorny topics...
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Len
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 7:29 pm    Post subject: Re: Hostels as heritage sites? Reply with quote

Hi and welcome to the forums.

I suppose they should be recognized �in some way� as being part of Australia�s heritage. After all, from 1945 to the mid 70�s they did play a big part in the Scheme to increase the population by 2% per year �as was decided by the Department of Immigration back in 1945� and I�m sure many new Australians had passed through them.


HeritageHostels wrote:

I've heard the argument that the buildings are not actually valued by former migrants, because of negative associations with living in cold, draughty Nissen huts with substandard meals. But isn't this reason enough to retain them, so that others can see what it was like?

I
I don�t know, are there any hostel sites still intact? I assume that by now most of the hostel sites have now been redeveloped. I know the Berkeley hostel sites are now housing estates and Unanderra hostel site is now part of an industrial estate.
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HeritageHostels
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 11:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So far, I have established that physical evidence remains of at least five migrant hostels in Victoria.

In two cases, the original sites (both developed from the early 1950s) each retain one or two Nissen/Quonset huts as well brick apartment blocks dating from the late 1960s.

In another case, the surviving evidence consists of a ex-army hut that has been relocated to another site.

The hostel site at Geelong has mostly been cleared, but a few nondescript brick buildings from the early 1970s still remain there.

The last example, at Springvale, was built from scratch in the late 1960s. It is still standing, but has been converteds into a retirement village and has been remodelled also beyond recognition.

I would argue that these last three examples, in their current states, don't really say much about migrant hostels. The first two, however, demonstrate several phases and aspects of hostel life, and, as such, should be retained fo future generations.

I'd love to hear the opinions of any other ex-migrants out there.
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Mick Atkin
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 6:28 am    Post subject: Heritage Huts Reply with quote

Of course the few examples of Nissen huts still existing should be preserved for heritage purposes. It is true that many migrants of the 50's and 60's cried themselves to sleep in their first nights of Nissen living and in their early days of arrival. Many questioned the wisdom of coming here to what they saw as primitive living and abhorred the Hostel experience. To them the hostel is a memory to forget. Fortunately most overcame the initial shock and homesickness and pioneered a new life for their families.
To many of the children arrivals however, the introduction to Aussie was a wonderful experience of adventure and exploration and the Hostel communal living left fond memories of friendship and a carefree outdoor life.
For those of us children on Balgownie Hostel (later to be renamed Fairy Meadow) in the 50's, living next to a beautiful beach and the pristine Puckeys beach forrest presented no end of wonderful adventures.

Added to this was the omnipresent Hostel Sportsmaster (Skip Townsend)there to initiate a wide selection of sporting and indoor activities to maintain our interest.
When I occasionally drive down Squires way past the Wollongong University eastern campus and spot a Nissen building, my mind wanders back to a wonderful time when bare feet or leather pants worn to school was not unusual.
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kim kim has been starred
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:59 am    Post subject: heritage sites Reply with quote

I live closely to one of the hostels I lived in as a child. It is still standing although the buildings were renewed in the 60's 70's. The only building that has withstood the test of time is a weatherboard house (which looks quite fragile now). I often pass this house, relieved it's still there because it somehow feels that my childhood hasn't been bulldozed in the name of progress. It would be good if there was someway to ensure they would not be forgotton.
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 4:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Heritagehostels

I'm interested to read that some of the hostels were custom built to house migrants. I had always assumed that they were all existing Commonwealth owned facilities. This was certainly the case with the hostel I was in, Heathcote Rd, and the neighbouring East Hills, which were army barracks during WW2.

Personally, I have mainly fond memories of my time there. It was a great adventure for a 13 year old kid to travel half way around the world and discover new surroundings. But my parents had great difficulty adjusting to the barracks style of accommodation, food catering, etc. Of course we were on assisted passage and could not expect 4 star standards, but nevertheless it was difficult for them. Also, I think the strategy was not to make the places too comfortable to encourage people to find their own homes and move out into the community. When we moved into our own place our quality of life improved greatly and I was not sorry to leave.

I took my mum and dad back to the site in 1977, only to discover the place had been flattened to make way for a housing development. While in a way it was a pity we couldn�t go back to see our old hut, none of us felt a sense of loss that the nissen huts had disappeared.

Having said that, I feel that this was a formative period in Australian history which is in danger of becoming forgotten, except by those of us who lived through it. I think some form of preservation of surviving buildings would be a good thing.

Chris
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teecee1941
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 9:32 pm    Post subject: hostels as heritage sites Reply with quote

hi heritagehostels
there is a hell of a shindig going on at the moment regarding Yungaba hostel in Brisbane. It concerns the council who are trying (and are very near to succeeding) selling off the hostel to some developers to turn it into a gated community with ten luxury apartments. The council's opponents, Yungaba Action Group are attempting to get the council to turn the place into a heritage site or a museum for the citizens of Brisbane and future generations of the families who lived there as migrants.

As it stands at the moment the hostel,Yungaba, is a beautiful old Victorian building, the last of it's kind in the country. It is nothing short of sacrilege not to want to preserve the building and keep for another 150 years. Australia does not have an abundance of historic buildings so it comes as a surprise that when one is on the doorstep it is not cherished and revered.

More information can be obtained by contacting Yungaba Action Group at [email protected]

Teecee1941
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dpinfo
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 11:31 am    Post subject: heritage Reply with quote

Hi Heritagehostels

I am a fellow researcher looking at displaced persons (1947-53) and memory and commemoration. I would love to hear more of your research, I am on [email protected]
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ross.sinclair
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 6:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Heritagehostels, i am currently researching a short piece on the Ten Pound Poms and would love to chat to you regarding your research. We would really like to film in one fo the old hostels around Melbourne so if you can point us in the right direction that would be great. [email protected] 0410 769 181
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 6:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes I would like to see some sort of historical preservation of the buildings ,if any, as I think it was an interesting time in Australian Immigration history. Don't forget to mention though all the new building that went on in Commonwealth Hostels Ltd. to better the accommodation of migrants.Do read the article that was in the 1970 paper in the East Hills postings. It was a life one never forgets whether you were a migrant or worked in management in the Company. I speak only about Commonwealth Hostels Ltd as some migrant accommodation was not
CHL.There was always plenty for kids to do with sport ,youth leaders etc.And many adults got on with the making of a new life , while others couldn't settle and returned to their own country .Many also returned after going home. So yes it it worth preserving.

I always thought the nissans were old Army barracks , but I could be wrong.
Anyway best of luck
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 5:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Am not a ten-pound pom. Nor can I help with the Melbourne hostel situation and right now it seems less of a priority.
As I explained elsewhere, I think, Dutch-born friends of mine, in December 2006, celebrated the fact that their (late) parents brought them to Australia, 50 years earlier.
One of them, a lady ( and fellow-ex-Maroubra Bay High School student) made up a booklet, dedicated to her mother, about the migration experience.
She contacted me, hoping I could find out when the hostel in Pozieres Ave, Matraville, was opened and closed.
I was grateful that the librarian, in Randwick was able to work it out.
But, basically, it's as though all those people (like us) who coped with the whole experience, were never there!
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 10:41 pm    Post subject: Maribyrnong hostel? Reply with quote

Hi Heritagehostel

I'm working on a PhD thesis on a hostel site in Melbourne's west, which holds physical remnants of several phases and aspects of hostel life. My work is part of a wider research project on migrant hostels conducted by my supervisor, we'd love to hear more about your research. My email address is [email protected]
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 10:51 pm    Post subject: Preserving History of Hostels Reply with quote

It is highly unlikely that m/any of the nissen huts still exist. Older residents remember that the Migrant Hotel at Berkeley was in Nanawilli St. There are now some nice houses on that site.

The Fairymeadow Hostel is now a Uni of Wollongong Campus and the Science Centre.

Helensburgh nissen huts have all gone.

If there is some public space left in the areas where the hostel stood a plaque might be a good idea, but no one would want them in their front yard.

However, Australia is a land of immigrants. Most of us [or our parents] came from somewhere else. Even the aborigines crossed the land bridge to Australia from somewhere else.
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 6:29 am    Post subject: Nissen Huts Reply with quote

I can inform all that the East Hills Migrant Hostel is completely barren of buildings. The entire site still exists in its original size. I know this because I went on a pilgrimage there YESTERDAY (16 April 2009) You can clearly see the roads, the Oval in the middle and where the main buildings were. I used the Aerial Photo on the National Archives of Australia, which was taken in 1970. It can be used for research or study per there copyright. There is still an electrical switchboard marked "East Hills Army Barracks". I have photos for those interested. Massive feeling of nostalgia when I got there, considering that it was over 40 years ago, I lived there as a boy. And yes, I walked the paths to the Williams Creek, which is still revolting.
Richard Hallford
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 11:21 am    Post subject: Heritage Listing Reply with quote

Hi All,

For some of the migrant children arriving in Australia, the Hostel was there first 'home' and the start of a very different and exciting lifestyle. As such, I think it is important that at least a portion of Hostel buildings are heritage listed so that our own children can see where their roots began in Australia. I haven't done any general research, but I assume that many of the Hostels were ex military installations - another important part of Australia's history.

The hostel I spent time in as a five year old in 1955 was the Colmslie Hostel in Brisbane. The site is now a Hans Smallgoods factory but retains a number of the old buildings which are heritage listed. I am puting together a history of my life for my children and grandchildren and am hoping to visit the site and take a heap of photos - an opportunity only available because some of the old structures have been retained.

Regards to all
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