In the aftermath of WW2, many European refugees were looking to settle overseas and many were sponsored to come to Australia to work with post-war national and industrial developments. After completing their two year stints working under the government’s direction, they were eager to rebuild their lives independently. They wanted work and a plot of land where they could build their home and raise their family in peace. Many came to St Albans because land was available, affordable and there was a railway station.
In 1947 St Albans was a small farming settlement with a small village centre.
The 1950s saw a rapid population growth in St Albans as refugees and migrants moved in and started building their bungalows. The population that had been reasonably static at under 900 residents for a decade was suddenly over 5,000 and reached 7,000 by the end of the decade.
Many people who came to St Albans after the Second World War came via the migrant camp in Bonegilla. This website has some wonderful information and records about the Bonegilla Experience: https://www.bonegilla.org.au/
Images of Post WW2 St Albans (Click on an image to make it larger)
Housing
The rapid rise in post-war population caused a shortage of housing and even house-building materials. The Local Councils were wise enough to allow the construction of temporary part-houses which people could move into immediately while they saved the money to complete the rest of their home.
Materials were scarce and nothing was wasted. The wooden crates which which housed tractors and other imported machinery were reused as temporary housing by some of the men as they started building their part-houses. Then on completion of the first room, they were used as sheds or dismantled for and the wood reused for other purposes.
These two or three room part-houses came to be known as Bungalows. Click on the following photo to see images of Bungalows and other houses from the 1950s and 60s.
Schools
When the refugees first arrived in St Albans there was only a primary school for the children. Extra buildings began to be added but it became clear that new schools would have to be built.
Click on the image on the left to see photos of the original St Albans Primary School which later became known as the St Albans West Primary School.
By 1954 the Sacred Heart Catholic School was established by the Sisters of St Joseph. Two years later in 1956 a new primary school was built in the eastern part of St Albans and a secondary school was built in Main Road East. Prior to this, children who desired to attend secondary school had to travel to Sunshine High School.
The following two photos were taken at a special assembly at the Sacred Heart Catholic School. (Make them larger by clicking on them)
Click on the following photo to go to a website with lots of photos and documents about St Albans High School from its beginning in 1956 to the 1970s:
Click on the following photo to see images of the St Albans East Primary School from 1956 to the 1970s.
Songs and Videos
Publications
The following documents provide more information about the post-war boom in St Albans. (Click on the cover or title to read the document)
