Hay, New South Wales (1940–46)

The Hay internment camp was located outside of the town of Hay in the Riverina district of southern New South Wales. The camp was purpose-built at the Hay showground and racecourse, with huts, roads, water supply and electric lights. It was built to accommodate Italian prisoners of war, but German, Italian and Japanese internees were also held there.

The camp consisted of three compounds, each holding 1000 people. The men lived in huts and living conditions were often difficult. Located on semi-arid grazing land, the camp was hit by dust storms caused by a drought during the war years. Clothing and personal items like toothbrushes were at times insufficient.
The Hay camp orchestra made up of Italian prisoners of war, 1943
The Hay camp orchestra made up of Italian prisoners of war, 1943
AWM: 030142/02

The internees did, however, have a successful market garden and farm, which provided the camp with vegetables, eggs, poultry, milk and animal fodder. The German and Italian internees also established camp schools, handiwork classes and a newspaper; they played soccer and designed a type of money to be used in the camp.

Hay camp closed in 1946.
The watchtower at Hay camp
The watchtower at Hay camp
AWM: 063341

Records

The National Archives holds records about the Hay camp. A selection of these is listed below.
Collection references
ItemThis file contains records about building works and maintenance carried out at the Hay camp in 1940 and 1941.1940–41SP459/1, 420/30/92 
ItemThe requisition of the Hay racecourse and compensation paid as a result are the subject of this Works and Services file from 1940.1940SP857/6, PH/1776 
ItemThis small Department of the Army file from 1940 concerns the accommodation of local Italian internees at Hay.1940MP729/6, 63/402/17 
ItemReports on conditions at the Hay camp are included in this 1941 Department of the Army file.1941MP508/1, 255/714/197 

 'Aliens and others': World War ll internment project

The National Archives of Australia is a partner in an Australian Research Council project titled ‘Aliens and others: representing citizenship and internment in Australia during World War II', headed by Dr Ilma O'Brien of the Victoria University of Technology.

As part of the project, Dr O'Brien is interested in collecting personal memories of World War II internment in Australia. If you have personal or family memories, photographs or documents about internment you would like to share, further information about the project can be obtained from Dr O'Brien at ilma.obrien@vu.edu.au.