Speaker of the House visits Camp Columbia exhibition at Wolston Farmhouse
On Tuesday 4 November, Wolston Farmhouse welcomed a special guest. The Hon Milton Dick MP, Speaker of the House of Representatives, visited to tour the Camp Columbia exhibition.
Our partners at the Camp Columbia Heritage Association (CCHA) organised the visit. For the occasion, they brought back the exhibition they first shown at the Home Front Festival in August. During the tour, CCHA’s Vic Suchocki shared the stories behind several wartime objects. He found these artefacts himself through metal detecting.
A grant that makes a difference
The visit also gave Mr Dick a chance to see a community grant at work. With his support, CCHA secured $20,000 through the Australian Government’s Stronger Communities Programme. As a result, Wolston Farmhouse now has better exhibition facilities, digital heritage resources and audiovisual equipment. CCHA Treasurer Ed Parker explained how the team spent the funds. He also showed off the new equipment.
Sharing the research
Next, four short presentations highlighted the work behind the exhibition:
- CCHA President Paul Budde gave an update on the Association’s heritage work. He also spoke about growing support from the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands.
- Associate Professor Geoff Ginn explained how University of Queensland students are helping with historical and archaeological research.
- Our Heritage Officer (Collections), Meg McKavanagh, spoke about the partnership between the National Trust and CCHA.
- Dr Liam Barnsdale shared his progress on a new edition of Dr Jack Ford’s book Allies in a Bind.
History with lessons for today
Finally, Paul Budde presented Mr Dick with papers from CCHA’s 2025 Brisbane at War symposium. Mr Dick plans to take them to meetings in Europe later this month.
The timing is fitting. In October, Mr Dick became President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. This global organisation brings national parliaments together to support democracy, dialogue and international cooperation.
Camp Columbia’s story speaks to these same themes. During the Second World War, Australian, American, Dutch and other Allied personnel worked together there on major security challenges. However, their partnership wasn’t always easy. Each nation had its own priorities, including different views on the future of what is now Indonesia.
We’re proud to support CCHA in sharing this history at Wolston Farmhouse. Thank you to Mr Dick for his visit and support. We also thank CCHA, the University of Queensland, and all the researchers and volunteers who keep Camp Columbia’s story alive.
Missed the Home Front Festival? Save the date for 2027
Good news: the Home Front Festival returns to Wolston Farmhouse on Sunday 15 August 2027. It’s a great chance to see the Camp Columbia exhibitions for yourself. You can also discover more about Brisbane’s important role in the Second World War.
