Loveday Internment Camp

The Loveday Internment Camp near Barmera in South Australia’s Riverland was established in 1941 during WWII and at its peak housed 5,380 internees of German, Japanese, and Italian descent. More than 1,500 Australian military personnel also lived there. It has been reported by some sources that at times prisoners of war were also held at the camp. The camp consisted of a group headquarters camp, Camps 9, 10, and 14 all based at Loveday. It also featured three wood camps at Woolenook upstream from Renmark, at Katarapko near Loxton, and at Moorook West. Lieutenant Colonel Dean was the Group Commandant of the camp for the duration of the war. Internees were supervised by the Colonel and his staff to undertake a comprehensive agricultural planting program.