Bonegilla reunion a success

The Discover Bonegilla annual reunion was a great success with more than 500 visitors attending on the November 2 and 3 weekend.

Despite the wet weekend, Bonegilla was a hub of activity with ex-residents, family members and people coming to Discover Bonegilla.

The event saw many groups reconnecting and sharing stories, making new friends and learning more about Bonegilla and our rich history.

Bonegilla Migrant Experience Team Leader Ashley Gill said the event helped many reconnect with their past and for many, further their family history research with the wonderful support of Bonegilla Migrant Experience volunteers.

"The Bonegilla Bus Tours, behind the Latchford Army fence line, were so popular we ended up hosting an additional two bus tours to accommodate the demand. A big thank you to the team at Latchford Barracks for allowing us to do so," he said.

"We hope to be able to do this again."

One of the highlights was a long lunch on Saturday, which was a massive hit.

"The food was amazing, with raving reviews all day from how full people would leave and how delicious it was," Mr Gill said.

To finish off such a successful weekend, Bonegilla Migrant Experience and Charles Sturt University were excited to launch the Bonegilla Migrant Experience Virtual Tour.

Check out the tour here.

Below are some comments from our visitor book:

Barna - 'Great Experience, Interesting.'

Vija - 'So amazing to return here after 70 years! It was a wonderful and overwhelming experience. Thank you!'

Bobbie - 'We helped Bobbie do some family research through National Archives of Australia. 'I have no memories of being here when I was two but terrific to be able to come here nearly 61 years later to learn about the history of us and here. Historically emotional. Slowly learning things through the internet.'

Carolyn - 'Great to see what my family on both sides and so many others - experienced in the first days of making Australia their home. Thanks for preserving this important history!'

Teresa - 'What a marvellous piece of history. Really interesting and informative.'

Josie - 'Very interesting. Great experience. We are glad we came.'