Setting off on a jaunt to Marrinup

[Bretrick]

Hopeful of finding the P.O.W camp I came across a decade or more ago.
Hit and miss really.
When I came across it previously it was only because I spotted something white through the trees.
That proved to be the entrance to the camp.
Round about way to get there. Many tracks in the bush are not sign posted.
Once I leave the main road, Pinjarra-Williams road at Freeman rd it will be fingers crossed.
If I have not posted 8 hours from now, send in the troops.

 

[Bretrick]

I made it to the P.O.W camp without too much trouble.
Not a lot left. Concrete slabs and interpretive signage.
Will post some photos in about 11 - 12 hours time.

 

[Bretrick]

As I mentioned, there is very little left at the Marrinup P.O.W camp which is situated 30km, 18 miles from Pinjarra, which itself is 80km, 50 miles south of Perth.
Marrinup POW Camp - Dwellingup - Destination Murray
Road leading into the camp

Railway line that serviced the camp.

Steam Train Marrinup

Entrance to No 16 P.O.W camp Marrinup

As the camp appears today

Seems I can only insert 5 photos?
So I will need to start another post after this one.

 

[oscash]

Thanks, Bretrick for all that interesting information. I've never heard of that place. I read about it in your link. The prisoners were treated so much better that our Australian prisoners of war, by the Japanese.

 

[Bretrick]

Marrinup part the second
With a post-war labour shortage, a network of camps and control centres was built across Australia for POW’s shipped from Libyaand India to help the Australian workforce, particularly inrural areas.
WA had 1 POW camp and 30 Control Centres. Number 16 POW Compound and Garrison was built to provide farm labour and cut firewood for Perth.
It was approximately 16ha in size and some of the foundations can still be seen.

The camp could accommodate 1200 men, including Army personnel and thousands of prisoners passed through its gates, mostly Italians or Germans with an average age of 30.
Many Italians were chosen for their rural working background and less troublesome nature, while some Germans were taken because of their skills as woodcutters.
Italian Prisoners of War - Marrinup

Marrinup P.O.W. camp outlay

Italian Barracks

Australia’s WW2 P.O.W Bush Camps - MARRINUP No.16​

 

[RadishRose]

As I mentioned, there is very little left at the Marrinup P.O.W camp which is situated 30km, 18 miles from Pinjarra, which itself is 80km, 50 miles south of Perth.
Marrinup POW Camp - Dwellingup - Destination Murray
Road leading into the camp
View attachment 424492
Railway line that serviced the camp.
View attachment 424495
Steam Train Marrinup
View attachment 424496
Entrance to No 16 P.O.W camp Marrinup
View attachment 424498
As the camp appears today
View attachment 424499
Seems I can only insert 5 photos?
So I will need to start another post after this one.

Thanks! Interesting link and nice pics.

 

[Kadee]

Great photos @Bretrick
We’ve been to the one at Cowra ,New South Wales ….

which film mini series was made about called the Cowra breakout …it Cowra breakout - Wikipedia. It was hours And hours of viewing but it was like a old book you couldn't put down

Cowra also has a stunning garden in memory of the the 200+ prisoners ( Japanese) that were killed during the breakout
Cowra Japanese Garden

 

[KSav]

Really fascinating, @Bretrick; thanks so much for sharing the information and the photos.