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 the Pacific War.
Highlights included keynote addresses by Emeritus Professor David Horner and Dr PaulJac Verhoeven, an exhibition featuring the ceremonial sword from Camp Columbia, and deeply moving testimonies from survivors of Japanese camps. Sessions covered Brisbane’s vital role as a naval, air, and army hub, the Dutch government-in-exile, Indonesian exile politics, and the broader legacies of wartime collaboration.
The symposium was preceded by a civic reception at Brisbane City Hall, hosted by the Lord Mayor, and concluded with a guided bus tour of key wartime sites across the city. (See pictures of the visit to site of former Camp Columbia) Social events at Saint Lucy Caffe e Cucina and the Regatta Hotel strengthened networks and friendships among participants.
Beyond commemoration, the symposium generated clear strategies for the future:
- Promoting Brisbane as the Allied capital of WWII, with national and international recognition, including the opportunity to feature this theme at Talisman Sabre in 2027 and to develop a major heritage attraction in time for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
- Strengthening the Camp Columbia Heritage Association, with new volunteers stepping forward for both strategic planning and research/education roles.
Other outcomes include the republication of Dr Jack Ford’s seminal book Allies in a Bind, an e-book of symposium papers sponsored by the Netherlands Embassy, a $20,000 Federal Government grant announced by Milton Dick MP, and fresh research material soon to be added to the CCHA website. Together, these initiatives will ensure Brisbane’s wartime story is preserved, shared, and recognised on a global stage.
News and videos of speeches – a $20.000 grant
Full Symposium Report: Allied Co-operation in Brisbane during WWII
Message form the Lord Mayor
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 into the city with a guided bus tour linking research and testimony to Brisbane’s wartime landscape. Led by archaeologist Ethan Devereux-Phillips, delegates visited key WWII sites around Brisbane. The tour supports one of the symposium’s core outcomes: putting Brisbane on the map as Australia’s Allied Capital in WWII, with potential to evolve into a high-quality visitor experience and heritage trail. For route map and site notes click here.
Photo Gallery (under construction)
Photos by Vaughan Kippers