Eileen and Rene Hansen outside the laundry at the Glenelg Migrant Hostel, after arriving from Denmark; photograph taken on 1 December 1957.

Corrugated tin Nissen huts were home to many newly arrived families at various migrant hostels. Commonly used in Australia, tin was an unusual building material to British and European migrants, and the extremes of temperature in summer and winter made living conditions difficult.

After World War Two, the Australian Government promoted the policy known as 'populate or perish' designed to increase the population of Australia to defend the country against invasion. The Government also supported development of industrial output as a means of defence. From 1947 to 1983, nearly 3 million people immigrated to Australia. This figure included about 260,000 displaced persons and refugees of the Second World War. By 1954 records indicate that one person in six living in Australia had been born overseas. Over one third of immigrants were from Britain; the others were from other parts of Europe: they became known as 'New Australians'.

From many places: the history and cultural traditions of South Australian people, Kent Town, S. Aust.: Migration Museum (History Trust of S.A.) in association with Wakefield Press, 1995

Turner, Victor Thomas Tin huts and memories: we got our ten pounds worth / compiled by Victor Thomas Turner and Frederick G. Sharon. Norwood, S. Aust.: Peacock Publications, 2006 [Gepps Cross Hostel]

National Archives of Australia Fact sheet 223: Migrant selection documents held in Adelaide