Jessica Davidson

Scott and I went to see this today and.......... WOW! Exceptionally captivating, raw and emotional yet also funny and very very enjoyable. This gives a true insight and a new (for me anyway) deeper understanding of what people across the world have, and unfortunately continue, to go through. The terror and utter devastation people have gone through is something I will never fully grasp, and for that I truly understand how lucky I am. However, the resilience and ability to continue to step forwards shows the remarkable courage that the human race is capable of. Unfortunately this is the first time anyone has ever collected video accounts of those who went through such a horrendous time to then up and leave to a place and culture totally unknown to them in order to start again. I am so grateful for Simon Reich's vision and completion of this amazing documentary. Simon spoke to his audience after the show, and one topic that came up was how amazing this would be to be shown in schools. Simon agreed however, as much as he has offered this, he has been unsuccessful in having it shown to students within a school setting. This deeply saddens me. I am unsure if the issue is with the schools themselves or the education department as a whole, but either way they are doing a huge disservice to the students who would get the chance to learn such an important part of our history from those who were amongst it all. This story takes history out of the textbook and puts it into real life, allowing for a truer understanding, deeper learning and a growth of gratitude to those who have helped shape us into the country we are today!!Thank you to Simon Reich, the quartet and all the interviewee's that came together to make this possible.

Terese Casu

Teresa is the CEO of Hothouse theatre in Wodonga, but has also been the CEO of the Sydney Mardi Gras, Sydney Film Festival,  Australian Theatre for Young People and so many more prestigious arts organisations.

Review: Bonegilla – The Migrant’s Journey
By Simon Reich

Documentary maker and musician Simon Reich has created a powerful and poignant tribute to a generation of Australians whose stories have too often gone untold. Bonegilla The Migrant’s Journey weaves together documentary film, live music, and exhibition to illuminate the experiences of post-war migrants who arrived at Bonegilla Migrant Reception and Training Centre near Albury-Wodonga between 1947 and 1971.Between 1945 and 1965, two million immigrants arrived on Australian shores. Driven by the government's "populate or perish" policy, this wave of migration transformed the social and cultural fabric of the nation. More than 300,000 of those newcomers spent time at Bonegilla, most from non-English-speaking European countries, arriving with little more than a suitcase and dreams of a new life.Reich’s production is both intimate and expansive, following the deeply personal journeys of 20 families whose voices and memories breathe life into the broader historical narrative. The stories are raw, heart-warming, and filled with the humour, resilience, and humanity that characterise the migrant experience.Through evocative storytelling, audiences are transported back to 1947 imagining what it must have felt like to disembark from a boat after weeks at sea, speaking little English, and finding oneself on a cold winter’s night, arriving by train into the paddocks of regional Albury-Wodonga, welcomed by tin sheds and camp beds at Bonegilla.Despite the hardship, what shines through in every story is a profound sense of hope and a fierce determination to build a better life. These families fell in love, raised children, and laid the foundations of modern multicultural Australia, especially in the regions.As the evening unfolded, there was a palpable sense of unity in the room. The audience laughed, cried, and exchanged knowing glance, sharing in the collective appreciation for these brave pioneers, whose tenacity, love, and generosity helped shape the heart of our communities.Reich has not only captured an important chapter in our national story, but he has also reminded us that behind every migration statistic is a human story of courage, sacrifice, and ultimately, belonging.

Terese Casu

CEO HotHouse Theatre

Grace Fredsberg

On Sunday, 23 March, theWangaratta Performing Arts centre, held the much-anticipated,entirely sold-out show ‘Bonegilla:The Migrants Journey’.Music composer Simon Reichbrought a riveting, six-part narrativeto Wangaratta audiences,sharing the nuanced and deeplyheartfelt stories of Australian migrants.The multi-media show was accompaniedby a talented musicalensemble, including Mr Reichhimself on the grand piano, andthree-dimensional sound design,painting a vivid picture of eachchapter.Attention to visual detail was impeccable,with props arranged atthe front of the stage, covered bythe warm glow of a line of candles.The physical and emotionaljourney of immigration is embodiedin tangible items; thesuitcases symbolic of a migrant’slife being folded into a bag beforeembarking on an unforeseeablejourney.The show opened with a seriesof confronting imagery fromWorld War II, complemented bya cacophony of strings, immersingaudiences in the tragedy andloss that enveloped the lives ofinnocents trapped within thecrossfire.Pre-recorded, first-hand accountsare given by individualswho migrated to Australia followingthe war, including MrReich’s father, Manfred Reich, alongtime Wangaratta resident.His father was the inspirationbehind Mr Reich’s podcast ‘Upfrom the rubble’ and led to hisdiscovery of his father’s connectionto Bonegilla, sparking hisprofound interest in sharing migrants’stories.During the ‘Sail of the Century’chapter, the audience was introducedto Bonegilla, a migrantcamp just between the HumeDam and Wodonga.Many interviewees lookedback fondly on their life at Bonegilla;a hallmark of their life inAustralia.Their accounts were raw andvulnerable, speaking of the hardshipsthey faced; prejudice experiencedin Australia, their childhoodsdevastated by war andlosing touch with their family,but also sharing their highlightsand memories.At times, interviewees alsobrought a light-hearted notewhen drawing on humorous anecdotes.One migrant recalled howupon landing in Melbourne on arainy, miserable day, a railway attendeewelcomed the migrants to“sunny” Australia, eliciting a roarof laughter in the audience.The  final chapter, ‘Home SweetHome’ has interviewees reflecton their decision to create a newlife in a country they knew nothingof, underscoring the breadthand diversity of an Australianidentity and lifestyle.It was a heart-warming endingto a show that could only bedescribed as a love letter to migrantsand the stories they cherish.

Grace Fredsberg

Wangaratta Chronicle Reporter