Balgownie Migrant Workers Hostel facts for kids

The Balgownie Migrant Workers Hostel is a special historical place in Fairy Meadow, New South Wales, Australia. It was built between 1950 and 1951 by Concrete Constructions Pty Ltd. Its purpose was to help new people arriving in Australia find a place to live and work. Today, only three of its original buildings remain: Huts 201, 204, and 210. This place is also known as the Fairy Meadow Migrant Hostel. Currently, the site is part of the University of Wollongong's Campus East and is used for student housing. It was recognized as an important heritage site on August 28, 2009, and added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register.

History of the Hostel

A Home for New Arrivals

After World War II, many people from other countries came to Australia to start a new life. The Australian government encouraged this to help the country grow. To house these new arrivals, many hostels were built across the state. The Balgownie Migrant Workers Hostel was one of them.

It was built by Concrete Constructions Pty Ltd. Construction started in October 1950, and the hostel opened in December 1951. It was later renamed the Fairy Meadow Migrant Hostel and stayed open until 1982.

In June 1987, the University of Wollongong bought the property. They wanted to use it for student accommodation. Around 1989, Building 201, which used to be a dining hall, was changed into a Science Centre.

What are Nissen and Quonset Huts?

The first Nissen Hut was designed in 1916 by a Canadian soldier, Lieutenant Colonel Peter Norman Nissen. These huts were simple, curved buildings that could be put together quickly. They were used a lot by the military during World War II.

The American version of the Nissen Hut was called the Quonset hut. It also had a curved shape but developed differently by the end of the war. Buildings 201, 204, and 210 are examples of these types of huts. They were part of a much larger complex of huts, which included shared dining rooms and laundry buildings.

What the Buildings are Like Now

The three remaining buildings, 201, 204, and 210, have been carefully looked after and updated.

Building 201

This building used to be the migrant hostel's kitchen and dining room. Later, it became a university science centre. Today, it has been fixed up and is used as a childcare facility. It has three parts:

• A single-story kitchen area with weatherboard walls and windows high up for light and air.
• A large 100 ft × 41 ft (30 m × 12 m) Quonset hut with a curved roof and walls made of corrugated steel.
• An extension with a gable roof, also covered in corrugated steel.

Building 204

This building was once the migrant hostel's laundry and exchange area. After that, it was used as the university's library and bookstore. Now, it has been restored and is ready for use by other university services. It has two main parts:

• The western part is a 25 ft × 43 ft (7.6 m × 13.1 m) Nissen hut.
• The eastern part is a concrete block and metal structure added around 1980.

Building 210

This building used to be a home for the migrant hostel staff. It has also been restored and is waiting to be used by university services. It is a 21 ft × 53 ft (6.4 m × 16.2 m) Quonset hut.

Condition and Changes

The buildings were reported to be in excellent condition in 2006, after a lot of restoration work in 2004 and 2005. Building 201 is currently used as a childcare center. Buildings 204 and 210 are ready for new uses by the University of Wollongong.

In 2005, Buildings 204 and 210 were moved from a low area that used to flood. They are now on a raised area near Building 201. This new location, along with better drainage, helps protect them from flooding.

These huts are still mostly in their original form. We know a lot about their history from old documents and from people who used to live there.

Why This Place is Important

The Nissen hut (Building 204) and the two Quonset huts (Buildings 201 and 210) are very important for understanding history. They show us what the Balgownie Migrant Workers Hostel was like when it was built in 1950 and 1951. This hostel was a key part of Australia's big immigration program after World War II. This program had a huge impact on how Wollongong grew and developed.

These huts are quite rare in the local area. Other similar buildings from that time at other migrant hostels in Wollongong (like in Unanderra and Berkeley) no longer exist. They are also rare across New South Wales as surviving Nissen and Quonset huts that were used as migrant hostels.

Connections to People and Community

These buildings have a special link to author Mary Rose Liverani. She wrote about her experiences growing up at the hostel in her book "The Winter Sparrows." Many people who started their lives in Australia at this hostel later became important to Wollongong's economy and culture.

The buildings also show how Nissen and Quonset huts, which were originally military buildings, were changed to be used as a migrant hostel.

The site is also important to the community. Many former residents and their families still live in the Wollongong area. They have strong emotional connections to the hostel and what it represents. Groups like the Migration Heritage Project have shown how much the community values these buildings.

What We Learn From the Site

The Balgownie Migrant Workers Hostel was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on August 28, 2009, because it meets several important criteria:

• It shows how history unfolded in New South Wales. These buildings are the only remaining physical proof of the Balgownie Migrant Workers Hostel from 1951. They clearly show the pattern of migration after World War II. Migration greatly influenced the development of Australia, especially Wollongong. It's rare to find such clear evidence of migration from this period.
• It has a strong connection to important people or groups. The site is mentioned in literature, like Mary Rose Liverani's "The Winter Sparrows." Many people who lived at the hostel still have a strong connection to it today.
• It shows creative or technical achievement. The Nissen and Quonset huts are interesting examples of prefabricated buildings from World War II that were adapted for use as a migrant hostel. They are the only remaining landmarks of the former hostel.
• It has a strong connection to a community or cultural group. Many people in Wollongong are post-war migrants or their descendants. This community highly values these buildings.
• It can teach us more about history. The huts are good examples of how prefabricated buildings from after World War II were used for different purposes like homes, laundries, dining halls, and offices at a migrant hostel.
• It is rare or endangered. These buildings are the only remaining evidence of a migrant hostel in the local area. They are also rare in the state as the only known surviving Nissen and Quonset huts at a migrant hostel site.
• It shows the main features of a type of historical place. Buildings 201, 204, and 210 are good examples of Nissen and Quonset huts used as a migrant hostel. They represent the time when the government supported migration to Australia after the war. These buildings are highly valued by the community, especially by the families of the migrants, many of whom still live nearby.

Images for kids

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  Building 201

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  Buildings 204 and 210