Camp Columbia Heritage Association Inc. (CCHA)
Latest Articles
Wolston House and Camp Columbia: shared heritage in Brisbane’s wartime landscape
The Dutch Women Army Corps in Brisbane
Aboriginal presence in the Wacol area
Brisbane and the maritime lifeline to New Guinea: beyond Camp Columbia
Wacol Housing Camp as a site of Aboriginal advocacy: the role of Cyril Richards
Wacol Housing Camp another aspect of post war Camp Columbia
Archerfield Memories
Camp Columbia hosted refugees from the Japanese camps.
Camp Columbia and the Indonesian Independence story: Mohamad Bondan in wartime Australia
Early American camp planning at Wacol uncovered
The CCHA aims to preserve the history and heritage of Camp Columbia, a World War II-era military staging camp in Brisbane, and tell Camp Columbia’s story. The Camp Columbia site is situated in southwest Brisbane, Queensland, Australia (for a comprehensive overview of Camp Columbia, see here). The CCHA was formed informally in early 2022 and became an incorporated association in 2023. To achieve the goals of preserving Camp Columbia’s heritage and history, the CCHA relies on assistance from volunteers, and works in collaboration with its partners and supporters.
In its first five years, the CCHA aims to:
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- Have the site heritage listed (process has been set in motion)
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- Preserve and catalogue the last remaining elements of Camp Columbia as well as the artifacts found on site
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- Improve accessibility for visitors to the historic remnants of the Camp
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- Have an on-site visual heritage interpretation display
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- Make the historical significance of the site more widely known to the general public.
The inaugural CCHA management committee consisted of Paul Budde (Chair), historian Jorien van Beukering (Secretary), Ed Parker Coordinator Pooh Corner Environmental Centre (Treasurer), Professor Ian Lilley University of Queensland (advisor), and Bart Lommerse (Dutch community).
In 2025-2026 the management committee is: Paul Budde (Chair), Renée Belloni (Secretary), Ed Parker (Treasurer), Aegir Brands (Assistant Treasurer) and general committee members Bart Lommerse, Jorien van Beukering, Ethan Devereux-Phillips and Victor Suchocki.
Our Partners and Supporters
Financial Partners:
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Federal Government of Australia.
· Brisbane City Council
· Richlands, Inala and Suburbs History Group
· Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands
· Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Australia
Supporters:
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- The University of Queensland
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- Wolston and Centenary Catchments Inc (managers of Pooh Corner Environment Centre)
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- Royal Historical Society of Queensland
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- Dutch Australian Cultural Centre
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- Netherlands Borrelclub in Brisbane
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- Dutch Chamber of Commerce in Queensland
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- MacArthur Museum Brisbane
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- Anzac Square Memorial Galleries
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- Oxley-Chelmer History Group
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