CCHA

From Camp Columbia to World War: Understanding Australia’s Role in the Pacific

During discussions in the Netherlands in June 2026 between the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE), the University of Queensland and the Camp Columbia Heritage Association, it became clear that the history of Camp Columbia – also for the UQ students – is best understood within the broader context of the Second World War […]

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CCHA works closely with Museum Bronbeek in the Netherlands

What the museum is about Museum Bronbeek, in Arnhem, is the Netherlands’ national centre for understanding the colonial-military past of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It sits on the historic Bronbeek estate, which also houses the Royal Home for Former Military Personnel. The institution’s official name is Koninklijk Tehuis voor Oud-Militairen en Museum Bronbeek (KTOMM)

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UQ and Camp Columbia: Building a long-term partnership for Brisbane’s WWII heritage

The Camp Columbia Heritage Association (CCHA) is taking an important step towards the long-term preservation and interpretation of Brisbane’s World War II history through the development of a partnership with the University of Queensland (UQ). The collaboration reflects growing recognition that Brisbane’s wartime role extended far beyond individual sites and memorials. During WWII the city

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Video interview update on Camp Columbia – moving from ideas to partnerships

In this interview, from May 2026, with Peter Rasey from Brisbane WWII Story, the discussion with Paul Budde chair of the Camp Columbia Heritage Association follows on from the international symposium that was held in August 2025 and focuses on the momentum that has developed around the Camp Columbia Heritage Association and its longer-term vision

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Camp Columbia and the Netherlands: strengthening a shared wartime heritage

The Camp Columbia Heritage Association (CCHA) and the University of Queensland will participate in a special visitors programme in the Netherlands in June 2026, organised by the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE/CHA). The programme aims to strengthen international cooperation surrounding the heritage significance of Camp Columbia at Wacol, Brisbane, one of the most

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Aunty Theresa Williams and Wacol: Aboriginal oral history from the migration camp

When Aboriginal elder Aunty Theresa Williams opened the Camp Columbia WWII Symposium in August 2025, she spoke not only as a Traditional Custodian welcoming participants to Country, but also as someone with a personal connection to Wacol. In her remarks, she recalled that she and her family lived for a period at the Wacol migration

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WWII Brisbane Bus Tour — tracing the city of the Allied Capital

As part of our symposium Allied Co-operation in Brisbane during WWII: Australia, USA, Netherlands, UK, we took the story out of the lecture theatre and into the city. This post-symposium bus tour connected the conference themes to the places where history happened, linking archives, artefacts, and personal testimonies to Brisbane’s wartime landscape. Guided by archaeologist

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Symposium delegates visit the site of the former Camp Columbia 1/9/2025

Delegates on the WWII Brisbane bus tour gathered at Pooh Corner Bushland Reserve, the site of the former Camp Columbia. Over tea and coffee generously hosted by Wolston & Centenary Catchments (WaCC), Paul Budde gave a short orientation on Camp Columbia’s wartime footprint and today’s conservation efforts before we walked to the recently by Brisbane

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From Symposium to Strategy: Securing Brisbane’s Place as WWII Allied Capital

Turning commemoration into opportunity: defence ties in 2027, global heritage in 2032 The Allied Co-operation in Brisbane during WWII: Australia, USA, Netherlands, UK symposium, held at the University of Queensland on 30–31 August 2025, brought together a full house of delegates, historians, community representatives, and descendants to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of

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Camp Columbia – a wartime crossroads on Brisbane’s doorstep

We are pleased to share a feature article , now available on the website of our researcher Ingeborg van Teeseling: Australia Explained. This comprehensive piece brings together historical insights and personal recollections to highlight the unique international role of Camp Columbia during and after World War II. From American and Dutch military operations to the

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