The Bonegilla Migrant Experience
Block 19 Today
Visitor book comments
Being 16 years old when I arrived with parents and siblings. Food was important to me. Lettuce was large leaves... not cut up like Holland salad. Women cried and said, “We are not rabbit!” Lamb was served in big square tubs; swimming in fat. I swam in the Hume Weir. But I’m an Aussie now and very proud to be one.
Visitor comment, April 2009
Fifty-three years ago today! Yes, it was a moving experience to take a trip back to our arrival. Thanks you for the memories.
Visitor comment, March 2009
Great history. This place is huge! Great to see where my Oma and Opa first arrived.
Visitor comment, April 2009
In the 50 years I have been here (Australia), I have never been to the place I landed along with my parents. Too young to remember. I now understand the hardships my parents faced all the more. Totally interested and heart wrenching.
Visitor comment, January, 2010
Very interesting part of Australia’s history. This was where my sister-in-law arrived from Latvia, 59 years ago. Very hard to imagine that all this occurred only some 50 years ago.
Visitor comment, November 2009
Very sobering experience. This is where my family started their new life.
Visitor comment, April 2009
Great this place still exists for younger generations.
Visitor comment, January 2010
How hard it must have been for them. God bless them. Dad arrived in 1956 at the age of 15 on the boat Australia.
Visitor comment, November 2009
What a shock to me. We left a beautiful home. The time we were here was very sad and difficult. I am glad that my children didn’t have to go through what I did as a child. I still feel emotional being here.
Visitor comment, February, 2010
Please keep this here as a tribute to all the migrants who came here.
Visitor comment, April 2008
Everyone should come and look around here and list to the explanations how bad it was but how much most of these people appreciated their opportunity no matter how tough it was.
Visitor comment, December 2006
Thank you for making this so that generations to come can see what their families generations before went through.
Visitor comment, December 2006
Love how history has been preserved. Really like talking wall.
Visitor comment, December 2006
My mother, Christine, specially has very happy memories of her time here. There were often hard times but there were many happy times too and there was a real bond with others who shared the experiences and life long friendships. It is very significant to keep these stories alive and to have a place for people to come back to and share the stories with each other.
Visitor comment, March 2008.