The Migration Heritage Centre is supporting NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) initiatives for strengthening the interpretation and tourist experience of Trial Bay Gaol (5kms from South West Rocks, near Port Macquarie) commencing with a project to develop new interpretative and promotional material for visitors to the Gaol and its museum. A commissioned history on German internment by Dr Gerhard Fischer was completed and this was followed by a web exhibition and souvenir booklet entitled ‘Zivil Lager (Internment Camp)’ have been produced. The booklet is for sale at Trial Bay Gaol. On site interpretation panels were installed in 2007.
WORLD WAR ONE
 Trial Bay Gaol internees preparing their weekly newspaper, Welt am Montag (World on Monday), which started in 1917. Each edition was financed through subscriptions and advertising. |
About 7,000 people were interned in Australia during the First World War. All German and Austrian subjects had to report to their nearest police station and many were sent to live in internment camps. Some were naturalised British citizens including second or third generation Australians of German or Austro-Hungarian background. In NSW the main place of internment was Holsworthy Camp. Women and children were interned at Bourke and Molongolo. Men were also interned at Berrima prison and Trial Bay.
The 550 German men at Trial Bay Gaol were under continuous guard and their mail was censored. To fill the day, the men worked to run the Gaol and they fished, swam, played cards and tennis and held over fifty theatrical performances in costume. Trial Bay Gaol even had its own symphony orchestra and newspaper.
Trial Bay Gaol closed in 1918 and the internees were transferred to Holsworthy after it was feared that internees might make contact with passing enemy vessels by radio. After the War, many internees were voluntarily repatriated to Europe, with some later returning to Australia.
COLLECTIONS WORKSHOP
John Petersen, MHC Manager attended a workshop on 28 July 2004 organised by NPWS and Friends of Trial Bay Gaol with Macleay Area Ranger, Cath Ireland, Hastings Shire Council’s Regional Museums Curator, Liz Gillroy and Regional Museums Adviser, Kylie Winkworth.
 Model aeroplane built by internees on display at Trial Bay Gaol |
Trial Bay Gaol and its museum collection are of national cultural heritage significance for their association with the history of internment and are open to the public. The local community, people of German and Austrian background and descendants of the internees feel a strong personal attachment to this place. The workshop looked at how to research and interpret Trial Bay’s on-site collections. These include a model aeroplane and intricate dolls furniture made by the internees and a major collection of photographs.
Recognising that the recent phases in the Gaol’s history remain in living memory, the Friends would like to hear from people who donated collections to the Gaol over the years or those who remember the placement of equipment around the site. The Friends of Trial Bay Gaol can be contacted through NPWS.
PROJECT CONTACT:
Cath Ireland, NPWS Macleay Area Ranger, Trial Bay Gaol
Address:
Arakoon State Conservation Area Cardwell Street
Arakoon NSW 2431
Tel: 02 6566 6621
Email: cath.ireland@npws.nsw.gov.au
Photographs courtesy of NPWS
