The Camp Columbia Heritage Association (CCHA) supports the Brisbane City Council’s initiative to extend its Streets of Remembrance project. As part of this program, selected new signage of existing streets across the city will have Australian Defence Force, or Australian Navy, or Australian Air Force logos added on to the Street sign to honour significant Veterans, places, or events connected to Australia’s involvement in wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping missions.
We see this as a unique opportunity to ensure the important legacy of Camp Columbia and its wartime significance is more broadly recognised in the community. Located at Wacol, Camp Columbia served as a major Allied military base during World War II, hosting American forces, the headquarters of the Netherlands East Indies Government-in-Exile, and various Australian and international units.
As the CCHA continues its work to commemorate and preserve the history of this remarkable site, and were possible and applicable we will consider preparing a formal submission to the Brisbane City Council. Such a submission will focus on names relevant to Camp Columbia itself, as well as associated WWII facilities and military personnel in the wider Oxley area, including Wacol, Darra, Goodna, and surrounding suburbs. It will also acknowledge the contributions of our key wartime Allies, especially the United States and the Netherlands.
We are calling on the local community – historians, veterans, descendants, and interested residents – to find street names that reflect this unique and shared military heritage. These names could honour individuals, units, locations, or operations connected to the Allied presence in the region during the war.
If you are aware of street names with a historical connections please send that information including background information on that person, unit, event to Brisbane City Council. Alternatively contact us at secretary@campcolumbia.com.au, or visit our website.
Let’s work together to ensure this important chapter of Brisbane’s history is remembered – not only in museums and archives, but also in the very streets we walk each day.
Below is the Current list of Streets as recognised currently by the Brisbane City Council. That list includes an additional six successful acceptances, put forward by Mr Rasey, a local WWII historian.