Dictionary of Sydney

The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.

Holsworthy Internment Camp

Internment camp established during World War I at Holsworthy which housed between 4000 and 6000 German internees.

-33.963849046442, 150.95585310678

Milestone
Formed
1914
Closed
1920
Name
Alternate
German concentration camp
Alternate
Holdsworthy internment camp
Type

Holsworthy Internment Camp during World War I

,
2014

When the Commonwealth Government assented to the War Precautions Act in 1914, people of German origin or descent, as well as those from countries allied with Germany, were deemed a national security risk and detained. Deprived of their freedom and with limited family visits, the camp men cleared land, constructed roads and worked on the railway, as well as building community enterprises such as shops, cafes, theatre groups and orchestras. Some spent as long as six years in the camp where they faced deportation and an influenza epidemic. What they made of life during their internment says a lot about their spirit.