"My dad, Renato Brinis, migrated to Australia from Italy in 1952 in search of a better life."- Loredana Brinis

For Renato Brinis, coming to Australia was a means of finding employment to send money home to his family and to build a bright future for himself.

Like many, he began his Australian journey at the Bonegilla Migrant Reception and Training Centre, arriving in March 1952.

After two weeks at Bonegilla, Renato took the first job he was offered, however it involved driving … coming from Venice, the city of canals, there were no cars to learn how to drive! Renato embraced the opportunity and quickly taught himself.

And so began his Australian journey.

Read more about Renato’s story, written by his daughter Loredana Brinis.

📷 Family album of Loredana Brinis

• First job in Australia
• With his family as a child [middle, sailors outfit]
• Newcastle beach, Australia
• Surfers Paradise, Australia with his wife

Saturday, September 21 to Sunday, October 13
Open 10am to 4pm daily

Get the family together and spring into the past at Bonegilla Migrant Experience, with loads of fun, exploration and discovery these school holidays. 

Step into the shoes of a migrant and take part in immersive experiences and hands-on activities the whole family can enjoy.

• Drop-in gardening sessions;
• Paper quilling workshops (bookings required);
• Scavenger hunt;
• Look and find; 
• Traditional games;
• Guided tours; and,
• Low sensory session, plus much more!

Pack a picnic lunch to enjoy on the historic grounds or pick up some freshly made scones from our Welcome Centre to enjoy for morning or afternoon tea. 

We are delighted to share that The Arc memorial sculpture has been extended, with the installation of two new walls, providing space for additional commerative plaques.

All plaques featured on the temporary garden wall have made their way to their new home.  

The Arc memorial sculpture commemorates the individuals and families who arrived at Bonegilla Migrant Reception and Training Centre between 1947 and 1971.

Engraved plaques are available to purchase anytime for inclusion in the sculpture, and can include your family name, given names and place of origin.

Cost: $243 per plaque

Order by Friday, October 11 if you would like your plaque in place before Christmas, as it may take up to eight weeks for installation.

Connect remotely and volunteer from home

Our Virtual Volunteers will contribute to ongoing projects which support preservation, education and research at Bonegilla Migrant Experience, beginning with our first large project, ID card transcription.

Thanks to a grant, we are able to digitise the National Archives ID Card Collection, however some pieces of the puzzle in making them more accessible are still missing.

As part of this role, we will enlist your assistance to format these cards that will allow us to answer common questons such as:

• How long did people stay at Bonegilla?
• How many children came through the centre?
• What do the employment codes mean?

To register your interest as a Virtual Volunteer please email [email protected].

Are you local to Albury Wodonga? Join us onsite at our volunteer morning tea on Friday, October 4 at 10 am.

Step back in time and join us on a guided tour as you learn about the fascinating history of the Bonegilla Migrant Reception and Training Centre.

Explore the original camp buildings, hear shared stories and truly walk in the shoes of the 320,000 migrants who made this their first Australian home.

Guided tours depart from our Welcome Centre at 11am on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday each week until the end of October with additional guided tours scheduled for:

September

• Friday, September 6, 11am
• Saturday, September 14, 2pm
• Friday, September 27, 11am
• Monday, September 23, 11am

October

• Monday October 7, 11am 
• Thursday, October 10, 11am
• Monday, October 28, 11am