Plea to retain vital history
“I feel very deeply that the migrant history should not be forgotten along with the history of the RAAF bunker LUCIA JOHNSTON
A DEVASTATED former resident of a Townsville migrant camp that took in hundreds of displaced families after World War II has called for urgent action to ensure the historic site isn’t bulldozed.
Lucia Johnston was just a baby when her Polish parents came to Townsville in 1950 to make a new life for themselves at the former Stuart Migrant Camp in Wulguru.
Her parents first met in a displacement camp in Germany after surviving the perils of WWII, during which her father spent five years in the Dachau concentration camp and her mother was used for forced labour in Germany.
When her family came to Townsville, Ms Johnston said they were able to form lifelong friendships in the Stuart Migrant Camp.
The camp was home to over 600 people during its operations (1949-54) and consisted of 58 buildings, including a canteen, hospital, eating hall, sleeping quarters, and a school.
Ms Johnston said there were still remnants of the old camp at the block of land in Stuart Rd, Wulguru, where it once stood, near a WWII signal bunker that was heritage listed in 1998.
“This place does mean a lot to me,” she said.
“Which is why I’m so worried the site is now up for auction and could be sold to a developer.
“I feel very deeply that the migrant history should not be forgotten along with the history of the RAAF bunker. It should be restored and protected.”
Ms Johnston said the land was owned by the state government, and she’s calling on them to postpone an upcoming auction for the site on November 26 in order to consult
with stakeholders to ensure the history of the Stuart Migrant Camp was recognised.
Resources Minister Scott Stewart said he had asked the Department of Resources to investigate ways in which the historical significance of the site can be further recognised.
“Townsville has a rich history, and it’s important we continue to acknowledge that,” he said.
“The Department has been working since 2012 to find a trustee of the site, with further attempts to find a trustee in 2017, 2020 and 2021.
“However, some organisations declined the offer, and others did not have the capacity to take this on.”